A Publisher's Commission — A Good Suggestion.
Mr. Wilmer Atkinson, editor Farm Journal, suggests that inasmuch as President Taft has appointed a commission to study second-class matter, the publishers get together and form a commission to be composed of one representative from each class of publications, each class to select its own representative and meet necessary expenses. Mr. Atkinson names seventeen classes. The scope of the commission he outlines under six heads: to ascertain the actual cost of carrying second-class matter; the amount of other classes of mail-matter created by second-class; that publishers have their constitutional right to the protection of their home courts and a trial by jury where their property is at stake; to acquire the essential, indisputable right to the use of the United States mails for their publications at a fixed rate without the espionage, interference, or undue supervision of the Government; that publishers receive the protection guaranteed under article VI of the Constitution of the United States, "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures; and to restore the amicable relations which existed between publishers and the Government prior to 1900. The object of such suggestion is not to antagonize Government, but to secure justice and concord.