Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-10
Editors Letter Box
Tn. Postal xoning Act

Little wonder that our people are
getting stirred UP concerning our pub
clearinghouse situation.
know nothing which constitutes a
more serious menace to the prosperity
of this community.
But people should be set right as to
the facts.
A correspondent, in Mondays Jour-
nal, urges us to enter solemn protest
against the enactment Of the coming
law.
Let me inform him that it is already
enacted.
It was passed more than seven years
Our job is to REPEAL 1T, II possi-
BILE. and that's d mans job you may
be sure.
1t was my privilege Gas I regarded
it, to be in the fight at the time the
bill was passed.
/ was in Washington several times,
and know something of the struggle
that was made by the publishers of the
country, to prevent the passage Of this
act.
The House went against us,-the
Senate stood with us; but in confer
ence, the Senate committee yielded to
the House committee, and the confer
accepted by both branches Of Congress.
And so, for seven years, the pub
fishers have been bearing this burden
People in general have known little
or nothing about 1t.
Our own publishers have gone on
with their work, bringing hundreds of
thousands Of dollars into this town,
employing men and women from all
over this State,-bringing them here to
| make their homes,-and with both
| hands dispensing their benfts on every
side; and only few have appreciated
| the cost
| "A year ago Congress passed certain
| amendments decreasing the rate in one
class and adding in another, as an ex-
pertinent.
1t was agreed that the new rates
should continue in force for one year,
| and that meantime special committee
should take the whole matter under
consideration, and report to the Con-
gress now in session.
| That committee had hearings in
! several cities of the country.-this
| city for one,-but has not, as yet, re-
| ported.
At the hearing in this city the case
was ably argued by Mr.. Nelson, and it
certainly seemed to make a marked
| impression.
| And the experiment should have
made an impression, also. Because not
only has it been losing venture for
the Government. but the publishers
have been penalized more heavily,
even. than they were before!
I This fight has been going on for 40
| years; and always the cost Office de-
| partment has been our strongest oppo-
| nent.
| We do not question it's honesty of
purpose. but We very seriously chal-
lenge its figures, and we very strongly
and radically differ with it's policy.
No nation IN the world expects. or
should strive to make it's postal de-
partment a dividend-paying PROPOSE
| ton.
That department should think in
terms of service, not of cost!
1t is one of the agencies Of civiliza-
ton.
1t is one of the instrumentalities of
governmental life which were adopted
when man emerged from the cave
The dissemination of information
goes hand in hand with the mainte-
nance of schools.
Both should have the broadcast free
dom and the largest liberty.
Free schools" carries with 1t the
! right to free thinking, and Freedom
| of the Press" should mean not alone
freedom to print. but freedom to circu-
late.
Pay? OF course they don't pay divi-
dends in the usual form: but in wild
ened vision, in greater intelligence, in
broadened and deepened life, in the
! STRENGTHENING of Interstate relations
and the development of the interests
that have welded this country into an
| unconquerable whole, they are abso-
! lutely incomparablei
| That our publishers are contem-
| plating a change is not to be won
6ered at
For all these years they have car
ried on" at enormous sacrifice low
ing this city, and serving II with justi-
liable pride and satisfaction.
! Without q shadow of doubt they
would have continued as they were,
had the burden not been made the
heavier: but under this law there have
been generated conditions which were
never contemplated by anybody. but
which our publishers cannot possibly
| ignore, and under which they cannot
| prosper.
| We come, then, to the very practical
I question of what we are going to do
| about 1t.
l beg to suggest that the Mayor ap-
! point committee of not exceeding
! five citizens to take the matter under
| consideration at once and to adopt ways
and means for making our condition
known and our purpose felt, at Wash
| ington.
| I'm sure he can find citizens glad to
| make the sacrifice which such service
| will call for, and I am equally sure
that our people will Loyalty and cor
daily support such committee in
| whatever course of action it may think
| 1t best to pursue.
| This is time for pull together and
| all together.
We need the spirit of the old Naval
| heroes
| Don't give UP the ship" and we've
| just begun to fight"
Sincerely yours,
A c.