The State Publishers

LaNSIKG, Fob. 17. The Michigan State Publuhen' Association met pursuant tooall ai the Supreme Court rooms in this city at noon to-day. Thu attendanco was larger than at any provious meeting uf the Association, nearly all tho promiont journals of he. Statu boing representad. The meeting was ealled to order Ly the President, 11. L. Warren, of the Saginaw Entejyrite, who stated tliat tlie object of the meeting was the taking ut' some action relativo to the free interchange of newspapbis. Aftor the transaction of some routine business and the election of several new members, on ïnotion of Hou. Geo. M. Dewoy, of the Hastings Hunner, the President was diiectod to appoint a committee of five to draft and present to the Assooiation, rosolutions expressivo of its opinión relativo to tbc legislation now pending before Congress relativo to the free iutercliange of nowspapers. The President appoiuted Messrs. G. M. Dowey, Hastings Banner ; J, N. Ingersoll, Corrunna American ; L. A. Sherman, Port Huron Time ; Geo. P. Hanford, Lansing Journal ; and J. W. Grifüth, Greenvillo Democrat, In order to give the committee time to prepare their report, the convention then took a recess until two o'clock. Al'TKRJfOOX SESSIOX. Upon the reassembling of the Association, the Committee on Kesolntions reportcd as follows : Your committee to report for the action of this Association a series of resolutions expressivo of tho sense of the presa of the State on the subject of free circulation of weekly papers in the county where published, and free excliango of nowspapers and magazines between publishers, beg leave to repoit that on consultation we have concluded that a memorial to be signod by the publishers of tho State and sent to our Senators and Eepresentatives in Congress would bo more likely to effect the object sought to be accomplished, than tho passage of resolutions, therefore we have prepared the following memorial, which we respectfully submit for the action of the conventiori. The following is the memorial : ïo the Congvess of tlie United Status of America : We, the undersigned, newspaper publishers of tho State of Michigan, hereby respectt'ully memorialize your honorable body to reconsider your action at the last session whereby an amendment was passed to the PostofEce Appropriation bill without discussion or petition by any person, oi' any hearing on behalf of those soriously to be afFected by it. Wo refer to tho clauso forbiding any transmission of free matter by mail, which is constructed to prevent free excbango of newspapers with each other, and the free delivery and transmission of newspapers at postoffices in counties where publishud. We gest tliat so great a chango in the longestablished polioy of the governruent i ward an interest which does more for the ' political education of tho people than all ' other agencies conibined, and tbat which '■ so injuriously affects that interest, should only bo mado atter full discussion, a thorough hearing on all sides, and for the most urgent roasons. Wé ask your honorable body to oonsider whether it is just toward the publishers of newspapers in villages and towns to exact of them the samo postagc for five to twenty-five ruiles conveyance or for being passod through tho postoffice window that is required of sheets of several times their size when carried from one to three thousand miles, and delivered two or three miles from the postoffice at tho. subscribers' houses. In the case of nowspapera they eould only exchange ono copy of each of their issues for one copy of the issues of any newspaper or magazine, and they eould only transmit one copy of their papers to each actual subscriber who resides in the county whore published. We hope that your honorable body will consider these questions whicli are of vital moment to the newspaper press as woll as the public generally, and if your action at the last session should appear injudicious or to work inoquality, as it scems to us to do, that yoa will reviso the same in the interest of eqal rights and tho general dissemination of intelligeuce. After considerable discussion and a free interchange of views the following resolution was, on motion of Mr. G. D. Lewis and by unanimous vote, adopted as a substituto for tho memorial reported by the committee : liesohed, Thut the Michigan Press Association reitérate tho preamble and resolutions adopted at its session in June, 1873 and thut tho Secretary be directed to send official copies thereof to our members in Congress, recited as follows : Whereas, In tho closing hours of the last session of Congress an amendment was surreptitiously added to the General Appropriation bil!, amending the postal regulations, so that postage is required to be paid on all mail matter, including newspaper exchanges, and the circulation of weekly papers in the county whero published ; and Whereas, Thore is abundant ground for believing that this amendment wasproinpted by a desire on the part of Congressmen to inrlict punishment upon the country pross for its denunciaticn of the flagrant abuse of the franking privilege ; therefore, Jiesolved, That we, the menibcrs of tho Michigan Pross Association, hercby enter our earnest protest against an ouurous and unjust tax ou knowledge, alike detrimental to the cause of freo and enlightenod government and tho progressive spirit of the nineteenth oentury, in which educational and literary institutions have made sueh gigantic strides through tho fostering care of our national and State governments. liemlved, That we respectfully eall upon our Michigan Senators and Eeprosentatives in Congress to exert their influence and cast their votes in favor of tho imrnediate repeal of these burdensome restrictions upon the American presa, and that we hereby cali for tho ro-enactment of the exeinptions heretoi'oro existing relative to newspapers and periodical postage. The moeting then adjourned sine die.