Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1884 — ASKING FOR LOWER POSTAGE. [ARTICLE]

ASKING FOR LOWER POSTAGE.

Two Chicago Editors Make Arguments In Favor of Reduced Newspaper Bates. [Washington Djapatch.] Joseph Medill, of the Chicago TrQnme. argued before the Senate Postoilice Committee in favor of reducing the present postage rates on newspapers.. He claimed that the law laid an oppressive tax on publishers, and those who were not making money were compelled to borrow meoey to pay the postage in advance. At the present rate the postage per year on one copy of a paper the eize of the New York Herald or Chicago Tribune was from $1 to $1.60 pbr year. In many cats-, such postage rates represented the entire profit of the paper. The press, Mr, Medill said, did not think it fair that they should be compelled to bear the burden of the present rate. At present express companies were doing tho best of the business, but if the rate was reduced to $1 per 100 pounds nearly all newspapers would be carried in the mails. He was satisfied that anything that increased the circulation of papers multiplied the letter postage. He thought newspaper publish era, having borne a heavy burden for ten years, were entitled tp some ’relief. The result of the reduction would be such an increase in the number of papers sent as would give the Postofllce Department a larger revenue than ever. Mr. Hesing, of .the Chicago StaaUZrifuno, declared that he had found it to be a fact that the people who did uot read the papers made but little use of the mails. If the price of postage should be reduced it would mdßrlally help small papers now barely able to struggle along. —->a. ■»■■■■■' ,