Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-04-06
SsCoND.CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGES.

SECOND. CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGES.
The third assistant postmaster gene
raj, under whose jurisdiction the sub
ject comes, is devoting himself to the
somewhat Herculean task of reforming
abuses Of second-class mail privileges
that have been developing during a
great many years past.
The second class privileges referred
to apply especially to newspaper pub
lications. In order to encourage legiti-
mate publications, the department,
years ago, conceded to them, distribu-
tion free of postage in the counties in
which they were published and very
low pound rates to all points within
the United States.
Trade and other journals, published
primarily for the purpose Of circula-
ting advertisements, have taken ad-
vantage Of these privileges to such an
extent as to become a nuisance not on
ly to the postoffice department, but to
the general public as well, and it is
this fact that is now giving the third
assistant postmaster general so much
concern.
In the cities like New York and Chi
cago, trade journal publishers Of diff
ferent kinds procure lists Of all the
names to be had, and without author
ity from the persons addressed, flood
them with advertising matter in such
quantities as to tax the facilities of
the department for delivery. While
really intended for free distribution,
all of these publications have a sub
scription price, and sometimes they at
tempt to collect it from the people
whom they address by means Of the
very common subterfuge Of claiming
that they are liable because they take
the publications from the postofflce or
mail carrier.
In his efforts to curb these nui-
sances, the third assistant postmaster
has commenced work to reduce the cir
culation of trade" journals to legiti-
mate limits. He rules that under the
law the postoffice department does not
engage to carry free of charge in their
counties of publication, any papers ex-
cept those to bona fide paid subscrib-
ers, and he rules also that under the
law these journals are not entitled to
the benefit Of the pound rate except on
double the number Of copies they actu-
ally send to paid subscribers. He
holds that if a publisher has 100 paid
subscribers he may send out 200 papers
at pound rates; but, if he prints more
than 200 papers, whether for circula-
ton by private carrier, express or 9TH
erwise, he forfeits his right to free de-
livery in his county and to circulate
his paper through the mails at pound
rates.
The action of the postoffice depart
ment is in the direction of the en-
forcement of most of the provisions
of the Loud bill, which recently failed
of passage; but which was really un-
necessary for the reason that the case
is fully covered by laws already on the
statute books. The publishers of trade
journals are trying to make big fuss
about the matter; but it seems to be
Of but little avail for the reason that
the postoffice department is not only
right; but it is we'll backed up by au-
thority.
AS a matter of fact, the second-class
mail privileges are as badly abused by
daily, weekly, semi-weekly and other
newspapers as they are by the trade
journals now receiving especial atten-
ton, and there is reason to believe that
the postoffice department will take up
this feature of the case next. If such
O. thing does come about, although it
may he reckoned as a hardship by some
publishers it will be in some respects
boon to a long suffering public. By
carrying cheap papers through the
mail free, the government makes it
easy for irresponsible publishers to
victimiZe individuals and really be-
comes a party to the questionable
work. On the other hand, however
any regulation with a tendency to
make the merit and usefulness of a
newspaper the only test as to it's right
to existence, will help to elevate jour-
nalism generally and along with it the
intelligence and discrimination of the
reading public.