OCR Text |
Show THE POSTAL REFORM. Mr. Charles Emory Smith, former Postmaster-General, rejoices ln a double-leaded column editorial ln his Philadelphia Phil-adelphia Press, over tho decision of the U. S. Supremo Court which upheld tho ruling he 'made while in office, excluding exclud-ing certain publications from the benefits bene-fits of second-rate mall rates. It is natural that he should rejoice ln this, for tho case was vigorously contested. con-tested. It was held that tho matter was ono for Congress to deal with. Successive Succes-sive Postmasters-General had appealed to Congress to relieve tho department from tho need of carrying advertising sheets, books published under the guise, of periodicals, special personal and professional pro-fessional tootcrs, all claiming tho low rato fixed by law for the carrying of genuine newspapers. The abuso was so glaring that It was estimated by experts that two hundred million pounds of this sort of etulT, which It cost tho Postofflcc Department five cents a pound to carry, and for which It received only one cont postago, went through the molls yearly, or nearly near-ly half of all the weight which was transported at tho newspaper rate. The loss to the Department was eight million mil-lion dollars; the stuff ought to have paid eight cents a pound Instead of ono cent, or sixteen million dollars Instead of two million. Congress having been long appealed to in vain to remedy the Imposition and glvo relief to tho Department, Postmaster-General Smith finally undertook under-took to regulate tho trouble by an executive ex-ecutive order, and ho issued one that put such publications ln the class where they properly belong. Of course, loud protests wero made, and a great outcry came from those who had been tho beneficiaries of this losing gamo for tho Government. A case was made up ln their behalf, very cunningly, on an Instance tho least offensive of-fensive of any. But tho trial court upheld up-held the Department's order. Appeal was taken, and the case finally reached tho U. S. Supremo Court, which has finally and decisively sustained Postmaster-General Smith's order. The decision is both fundamental and sweeping. It Is to the effect that Congress Con-gress passes the law and the Postmaster-General Interprets it. Congre33 makes and describes the classifications, and the Postmaster-General decides what publications belong ln the several classes. Of course, as to the mnjorlty of cases, tho decision Is easy, and thero is no difference of opinion; but as to those which are in doubt, each must he decided on Its own merits. By reason of the pending suit, and the slowness of sorting out the different publications prior to the determination of the caso, the. Department has not yet i derived tho full benefit that it will derive de-rive from the order. But now that tho Supremo Court has In such sweeping terms declared the full validity of It, there can be no reason for further delay, de-lay, and tho process of elimination will now go forward rapidly. And tho fraud and sham publications must either pay tho price or quit using tha mails. It Is a great victory for Mr. Smith, and The Tribune i3 glad to be able to congratulate him most heartily on tho outcomo of tho suit. |