Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-27
lhe Operations or tEe Ee.v Postal
Code.

INTERESTING CUEsTIoSs YET To Re DECIDED.
The Postmaster GENE raj has sppOiu ted com
uittee Cf tf7cisls Of the Post O-ice department
= frame general ins;ru ctioas FOR the prepay-
ment OF postage uHder the new postal code,
which goes into operation On January 1. The
committee consists Of Sir. Mari, chief clerk or
The lost bn- rec department, Mr.. Merrill, the
sUPfr'n'FDGt Ht or the free delivery system: AMI
hr. HazCn, special agent. The pOstmastaTs
from III leading cities have already presented
20 TIE department for ternil alton -eveTal i'm
tCTtrUt gueSii0Ts under this law. The Chicago
news ep p IN hljsbeTs rave submitted a question
thrcUsh the postmaster NJ that CITY. which Is OF
ittlT-sr 70 al newspaper Pun isne~s ia cite
vi es- editions sre dispatched 70 the country by
ihe early pC- ming trans. The Gestion raised is
HFttEer newspapers under such circumstances
u-t be ve'9hed at The pOst OF &c ia the city OF
fhoir publication or whether TIE papers NAV b
TtiEt I'd ar he trains ard the postage suhss-
lntIf Faia st the pos. Office. As a practical
matter tue decision OF this Quastnn viii deter
avail Themselves Of the early morning trains
tor 10 many cities there - not So I'll Cienttims be-
tween the honr Of going % press and the depart
ute Cl the trains 70 take the papers 70 the pest
orce TO have them weighed AID reC9uveyed to
the oepots. The question turns upon the CON
sFuettOn Of the new code a. - prspavlnapt
The law reads that the prepayment shall be
made at the Office of Vublicat aud is silent
as 20 the IlGce where the mails shall be weiE he'd
1t Is urged o. the part o. tue publishers tgat ir
Is quite competent tor the Post On e depArt-
mcTt 20 permit clerk % lie datailed TO weigh
the newspapers at the trains aud 10 srtify the
weight returns to the portm6Ster. when the pub
lilhcTS can o axe prepay ment. Another question
IS "htt.sr the pu5usheTs OF periodicals who
issue their JanuaTy numbers in December can
prepay the 0stage under the new law. This
question las already been decided by the Post
master GenCE Al in the negative. The ruling l.
mat no matter can De preIa.d Tn der the new
law until laEu&ry /, aui that auY pub alton
sent through the mails in December must pay
postage IL advance, according 70 the present
rates for quarterly oS,sge on pub ic tiiOn tran
sICnt rates. Publishers who intend TO continue
lhelT present practice O issuing their magazines
Z MOI u II advance from date VIII be compel sd
10 pay transient rates Of one cent for every two
h-hress CT else pay postage for entire
quarter tor one number The following gnes-
ton has also been submitted: Wheth or the
pCStG 20 under the new law Oh uewsnaDers ssrt
t0 and received from Canada address Il to reg
ulGr subscribers is TO be collected under tue new
rates alter 1Luary !, or under the existing law.
Ine decision in this wi doubtless be tn .t the
ne " POSTAL code Is applicable only To domestic
matter, and that the present regul atoms on
canada newspapers viii bs maintained until
changed by new treaty. 1t has also been dis
covered that the lacL Of M tOrmity IN rates
under the new law viii work a hardship t1
great news companies ard to some publishers
Inc law provides that 6wspaDer mat ar
shah be sent at the rae Of two cents Der
pound ana Periodical matter at three cents
II l. h6 custom Of large publishing houses ana
OF leWs asso"i4u rs {" mail III after Of different
gT2C IL one wrappers TO local dealers. Under
must be continued, url addit O8.I clerk hire
Will be requisite TO ella lily the mater. It will
not be be possible for postmasts-s 10 compute
tht portage on Cti;GIcnf grades of II Ill matter
lAcloscd IN The same wrapper. Il has been sug-
gested that this evil can be remecied bv an
amendment, 10 be adopted before January /
when sAail provide fer a uniform rate Of al
Glasses Of mail matter at two cents.