Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-12-14
SECOND CLASS MAIL MATTER.

Probably the most useful department
of Uncle Sans business so far as the
general public is concerned, Is that
which receives and transmits the
United States mail. If not the most
useful 1t is certaialy the department
that comes nearest the people. Few,
indeed, are there in this country, who
do not, at some time in life, have use
for the servies OF the mail department.
The cost for its use is so trifiing as to
place 1t in reach Of the most humble
citizen.
There are four classes OF mail matter,
to-wit: first class, written matter;second
class, periodical publication; third
class, miscellaneous printed matter;
and fourth class, merchandise.
The class that general public prob
ably know least about is that termed
second class, which includes only perl
odical publications. The law provides
that under the head Of second class
matter is embraced all newspapers
and other periodicals which are issued
at stated intervals, and az frequently
as four times q year. To be entitled to
second class rates, publication must
be originated and published for the dis
semination Of information Of q public
character, or devoted to literature, the
sciences, arts, or some special industry,
and having a legitimate list ofsubscrib-
scribers. Before publication can cir
culate through the mails atsecond class
rates, 1t must be entered as such at the
postoffice where published.
To do this, the publisher must make
affidavit that all the requirements Of
the postoffice department concerning
second class matter have been COM
piled with. This affidavit must be
satisfactory to the postmaster to whom
the affidavit is presented, whereupon
he Is authorized to grant a special per-
NIT to the publisher to send his publi-
cation through the mail at second class
rates-pending the examination OF the
application by the third Assistant
postmaster general. The decision OF
the third assistant is communicated to
the postmaster to whom the applica-
ton is made and If favorable, the post
master is ordered to notify the publish
er that he is entitled the privilege of
second class service.
All publications entitled to second
class rates are received and weighed by
the postmaster at the office of publica-
tion. The foreign mail, that which
goes to subscribers outside of the coun-
try of publication, and the domestic
mail, that which circulates within the
county of publication, must be weigh
ed separately, that within the county
being entitled to circulate free or with
out the payment of any postage what
ever, while all that goes beyond the
limits OF the county Of publication is
subject to charge by the government
of one cent for each pound or fraction
thereof.
This second class postage is not paid
for by the purchase of stamps as in or
dinary mail matter. The stamps used
are called newspaper periodical stamps
and are affixed by the postmaster to
the sub of a receipt given by such post
master TO the publisher Of the news
paper or periodical.
The rate Of a cent pound and that
only on foreign circulation Is compare
lively light and renders it possible fol
publishers to funish their publications
much more cheaply than could be done
were it not for the advantage thus Civ.
en- the publisher by the government
If the publisher had to pay as fol
third class matter he would be com.
PEELED to charge the readers Of his pub
lication more money for it, or in othel
words the CONSUMER" who In this
case is the reader "would have to pays
the tax"