

; KSS. ( POSTAL M ATTERS.) 



dass postage will be quite as great as any possible 

 wung by rea*. u-n ' the cost of 



; -.nation ami that the net effect of the 

 bill will br t pr-lu-- di-st.-r t> print* 

 publisher*. >>'-t< A 1< TV and j-a|"T mtiiiufaet 



ut matrrtallv affecting the financial condition 



1 



,of Mississippi, in support of the bill, 

 - i dJseriminalion in favor of serial pul.li- 

 atT of some of those pnbtt- 

 II,. aJd: 



call attention now to dome Mat cm 

 by Mr. Wanamaker upn Him subject. It is not 

 .. i- ... . ,, . \\ B who bfj been 

 tling to grt nd *>f this wrong, this Imposition 

 the people of thin country, but also Post- 

 Mtrncral Wanamaker and Postmaster < 

 rml lluwU. All thrvt- of these postmasters-gen, r.l 

 t**n calling attention to this evil and appeal- 

 ins: to Congress to relieve the department of this 

 wrong. I -nil it a wrong because I Ulicvc it is a 

 .-.and I believe that if I hail time I could 

 desAonstratr that it in a wr-n-. lb il ^h.v 



* rtU'Ut the carrying of thes' cheap 

 books and the 1- riminati.. n that is made in their 



Kirst, The enjoyment of the privilege of low 

 e by these paper-covered books works an in- 

 ^ to the publisher* of all other bo.,ks. 



lumticred thousands of books ar< i-- 

 every year in this countrv bound in cloth, 

 r. or some -I her Militant ial form of bindinir. 

 Then are also many books publi-hed with paper 

 covers, the publisher* of which make no pretense 

 of issuing them as parts of a series or library of 

 publication*, thej havii irness to 



them under their true name books. Now why 

 should there be any discrimination against th.-'e 

 books, either bound or unbound i Why should 

 they be taxed, for carriage by mail, 1 cent for 

 every t ounces, while those that come under what 

 are called the serial class go through for a cent a 

 pound f There are, indei instances of the 



same book precisely, issued with paper covers, but 

 by different publishers, in the one case charged but 

 a'ornt a pound and in the other eight times that 

 amount. These distinctions are manifestly 

 and unjtitt, and while they operate 

 to one class of publishers they arc harmful to an- 



- 1 say so. too. Whr should then- IK- any di 



! And I want the man on this 



iscrim- 



ination against books 



floor who is able to give a satisfactory answer to 

 that inquiry of Mr. Wanamaker to do so. Why 

 should there be a postal rate of 8 cento a pound 



unon a 

 charge 



a book with a cloth back while then 

 e of oolr 1 cent a pound on these paper-cov- 

 publications t Can any gentleman tell whyf 

 (pause for an answer. If there is any reason for 

 dlscrimm.r t},,. ,,t| M -r way. I before the 



man who u trying to accumulate a library for 

 himself anJ hi* family -huld IN- encouraged, rather 

 than tb follow who w dealing in this cheap p 

 back litrrature which is poisoning the youth of the 

 land to-lay. Mr. Wanamaker puts the question j n 

 soch a way as to appeal to every man who opposes 

 this bill to amwor .t. but no man has yet responded. 

 Thcgrntleman from New York occupied the fl-.r 

 for an hour and a half thin morning talking t., this 

 commit tw. and he doubtless has read Mr. Wana- 

 makrrs mentation .nmtion and ha- 



imprr^od with the injustice and the im^ualitv ,f 

 the existing law. and be did not undertake to 



" Let me call attention now briefly to what Mr. 

 Wanamaker said with reference to this class of 

 literature: 



Th. r.- an- iniii.-. --f that class which 



every librarian who has .\ !<>r ihc r 



nanit] deplores the existence of. novels 



h dejiict. sometimes ill the lii"-t Deductive, 

 >metiiiifs in tin- most repiil>i\e a-|.ed>. ihc de- 

 and fall of woman noveN in which, where 

 there is not B MdaotioO then- i> an adultery, and 

 where tlu-n- is not an adultery there i- a seduction, 

 and \ ..-ntl\ Hi. | MI. Now \\hat 



kind of literature is that to bring into don 

 s.tobnput forth by the thousand, and 

 tered all \er V'tir -ountry. t. the exclusi..n. 

 least to the prejiKlice, of decent and elevating liter- 

 ature f ' 



"What kind of literature is that to brim: into 



tiled- le b\ til. 



Mr. r.i!rt..n. ..f Ohio, said of the sample-! 



w 1 do not believe we will any of us . 

 to the sample cop\.if restricted t" its prop, ; 

 for which it was originally intended, namely, that 

 of sending out conies of botia Ji<l> publican. 

 that persons may pudge of their merit and di 

 whether to subscribe or not. I'.ut I he trouble is ;i n 

 abuse has i,M'own up from this system which can 

 not IKJ separated from its legitimate use. One 

 single periodical sends out monthly, under the 

 sample-copy privilege. l.'J.")(.0(MI copies. It js n<it a 

 newspaper.' It is a travc-ty to call it such. There 

 are many similar sheets. It ap|ears from t he i 

 of the Postniaster-dcneral that the increase during 

 six years in newspapers entered for circulation at 

 the DOSl oflice a> second-class matter v. 

 but the actual number "f periodicals which durini: 

 that time obtained standing in '!" newspaper t \\- 

 rectory was :5.747. So. ax I'o>t maMcM i< n.Tal \'>\^- 

 sell stated, only b" per cent, of those included un- 

 der the designation of second-class matter 



mate newspaper publican 

 " These i;o in mormons quantities. The\ 

 cheap advertising medium. They an- sent indis- 

 criminately over the country. Advertisers, n-ali/.- 

 ing the fact that they go iii the mail almost for 

 nothing, and are scattered far and wide, are will- 

 ing to pay lari:e prices for the privilege of advert is- 

 ing in their columns. An-1 riu'ht here I wish ; 

 attention to the 1. -ailing argument made in favor of 

 this sample-copy privilege. It is claimed that while 

 these copies are carried at a loss to the i;o\vrn- 

 ment, yet the Government makes up for the loss in 

 way-. It is said that letters come to the pub- 

 lisher of the sample Copy. He offers pH/cs. . \ \ ] 



of which stimulates the post-o|V;<-e business. T., 

 that a sufVicient answer is. that there is just s n 

 much money that the jn-ople of this country ha\e 

 to spend. "Fliere is just so much business they can 

 transact, and they will transact just as much biisj- 

 ness, write just as many letters, and pay attention 

 to a L i better lass of advertisements, if 



this business o f advert i- -tricted t.. I he 



legitimate newspaper and the ordinary way of do- 

 ing business. Indeed, there will be an improve- 

 ment, because with the greater responsibility and 



degree of care which must be exercised by the 

 ard to matter in its col- 

 umns, there will be a higher standard, and money 

 will IK- invested iii a better way." 



The case against ti . was put most ef- 



\ by Mr. Tracey, of Missouri, who si id : 

 " Mr. Chairman, it would b.- Immaterial wh" 

 the business unless it should be done at an inci 



tO the people. Hut I submit if the ettect of 



this le-islation i> to transfer the business now done 

 by the I'fst Office Depart merit to the express com- 

 '. which, in the absence of the only competi- 

 tion noible, increases the cost of transportation 

 and handling to the people, the legislation is un- 



