Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-04-14
EiE LOUD BILL.
Full Text of the bill to Amend Second
Class Mail Matter Law.

Class Mail Matter Law.
There is now before congress a bill
to amend the postal laws which is meet.
ing With some disfavor among publish
ers Of country newspapers. The full
text of the bill is as follows:
Be it enacted by the senate and house
of representatives of the United States
of America in congress assembled,
That mailable matter of the second
class shall embrace all newspapers and
other periodical publication which are
issued at stated intervals, and as fire.
quently as four times a year, and are
within the conditions named in Sec
lions thre and four of this act Pro-
vided, That nothing herein contained
shall be so construed as to admit to the
second class rate publications purport-
ing to be issued periodically and to
subscribers, but which are merely
books or reprints of books, whether
they be issued complete or in parts,
whether they be bound or unbound,
whether they be sold by subscription
or otherwise, or whether they purport
to be premiums or supplements or
| parts of regular newspapers or period
icals.
Sec 2. That publications of the Sec
ond class, except as provided in sec
ton twenty-five of the act OF March
third, eighteen hundred and seventy
! nine, when sent b ythe publisher there
| of, and from the Office of publication,
| excluding sample copies. or when sent
from a news agency to actual sub
| scribers thereto, or to other news
| agents, shall be entitled to transmits
| sion through the mails at one cent
pound or fraction thereof, such post
ass to be prepaid, as now provided by
| law: Provided. nevertheless, That
news agents shall not be allowed to re-
| turn to news agents or publishers at
| the pound rate unsold periodical pub
| LEGATIONS, but shall pay postage on the
same at the rate of one cent for four
| ounces.
Sec. 8. That all periodical publica-
tions regularly issued from known
| place of publication at stated inter-
walls as frequently as four times year,
| by or under the auspices of benevolent
or fraternal societies, trades unions, or
orders organized under the lodge sys-
| TEN, and having bona fide member
| ship of not less than one thousand per-
| sons, shall be entitled to the privilege
| of second class mail matter: Provided,
! That such matter shall be originated
and published to further the objects
and purposes of such society or order
Sec. A. That the conditions upon
which a publication shall be admitted
to the second class are as follows:
First. It must regularly be issued
at stated intervals as frequently as tour
times a year, bear date of issue, and
| be numbered consecutively.
Second 1t must be issued from a
known office of publication, which shall
be shown by the publication itself.
Third. 1t must be formed of printed
paper sheets without board, cloth,
leather or other substantial binding,
such as distinguish printed books from
preservation from periodical publica-
tions.
Fourth. 1t must be originated and
published for the dissemination of in
formation of public character, or de-
voted to literature, the sciences, arts,
or some special industry, and must have
a legitimate list of subscribers who vol
UNFAIRLY order and pay for the same:
Provided, That noting herein contained
shall be so construed as to admit to
the second class rate regular publica-
tions, or any particular issue OF any
regular publication, designed primarily
for advertising purposes, or for free
circulation, or for circulation at NOM
inal rates: And provided, That all ex-
ira numbers of second class publica-
tons sent by the publisher thereof,
acting as the agent of an advertiser or
purchaser, to addresses furnised by the
latter, shall be subject to pay postage
at the rate of one cent for every four
ounces or fraction thereof; And pro-
vided further, That it shall not be per-
Missile to mail any given article or
articles, or any part O any particular
number of a newspaper or periodical,
segregated from the rest of the publ
cation, except at the third rate
cation, except at the third class rate of
postage.
Sec. 5. That publishers and others,
whose publications shall be admitted
as mail matter of the second class un-
der the provisions of this act, shall be
required, before depositing such mail
matter in the postofiice, to separate the
same into United States mail sacks or
bundles by States, cities, towns and
counties, as the postmaster general
may direct.
Sec. 6. That the act OF congress in
regard to second class all matter APP
proved July fifteenth, eighteen hundred
and ninety-four, be, and the same Is
hereby, repealed.
Sec. 7. That this act shall take effect
and be in force from and af:er July
first, eighteen hundred and ninety-slx.