Evening star., 1901-07-17
Defined in San order by the Post
nast4 Ger -ral.
FAKE PUBIlcleloHs EXCLUDED
Great sH'"es in Expense of
Carrying Such Matter.
WILL LESSEN THE DEFICIT

The Postmaster General will today issue
an order which has long been discussed.
more clearly defining the nature of publica-
uons that can be mailed as second-class
matter. This order has been under con-
temptation for several months and the
form in which IS Will be issued today is
the result Of numerous suggestions. COM
ing from people from all parts Of the couu-
try and many reyisions Of the original
text An effort has been made to keep en-
tirely within the law rather than to inau-
gurate any sweeping reform which might
be subject to criticism and result In some
conntermanding order.
Enforcement of the Law.
The order will give instructions for the
careful enforcement of the law, which ex-
cludes from the mail as second-class mat
ter periodicals that are without a bona fide
list OF subscribers to the extent Of more
than half Of their entire circulation. In
order to secure this proportion Of bona fide
supscrfbers money in excess Of a nominal
sum must have been paid for the periodical
ana not Tor some premium with which the
periodical Is given. The subscription money
must be really paid for the paper This
WIN rule out all that class Of periodicals
winch are IN fact only advertising circu-
iars. subscriptions to which are secured by
ium. which is practically the sole induce
ment to the so-called subscribers. who are
Wiling to accept the periodical as an ad-
J1nct 70 the premium they buy:
IN order to prove the bona flde character
OF their periodicals publishers will be
Obliged to permit an inspection Of their
BOOKS, II necessary. by an agent Of the Post
ONCE Department. The order will not rule
out the giving OF premiums by publishers.
except so far as they are practically the
entire 1nducement offered to the so-called
subscriber.
Expected Eject of the Order.
This order Is expected by the Postmaster
General to prevent a deficiency in the reve-
nues Of the Post Office Department, which
last year amounted to $3.JO0.OO0.
This deficiency is largely caused by the
enormous quantity OF government matter
that is sent through the malls free and in
appropriating to cover the deficiency Con-
gress always considers that 1t is really
paying its postage bill But it is believed
that II the law relating to second-class
mail matter Is strictly enforced this def
cheney Will not exist and there will be
surpiy, which can be applied to Improving
the postal service in other branches. The
department thinks that from five to ten
millions Of dollars will be saved annually
to the government by barring from second
class rates publications that the law never
contemplated should be sent under them.
This saving will be effected partly by an
increase of the income of the department
and partly by a saving in the expense Of
handling such postal matter at loss. 1t
costs the government from four to five
cents a pound to handle the periodicals
that go through the mail.
The second-c1ass rate Is cent a pound,
So that It will be seen there is a heavy loss
in the handling Of such matter. In fact,
three fourths Of the postal matter is rated
as second-class, and yet of annual ex-
pense Of $11O.O60OO0 there Is collected only
100000 on second-cfass matter. The fake
or private advertising publications that are
to be barred from the second-class rate
will either not be sent at all or they will
have to pay third-cfass rate, which is
cents pound, and which gives the depart
ment a profit OF course, it is regarded as
quite likely that some Of these publications
that in their present form and method Of
doing business are to be barred from sec
ond-class rates will be modified to as to
permit them to be retained in the same
classification. but such modification cannot
take place in most Of them
A Forward Step.
The saving to be effected by this order
Will enable the department to take for
ward step In extending the usefulness of
the service. 1t will permit the further ex-
tension Of the rural free delivery service.
and may allow penny postage on letters
intended for local delivery. 1t will require
about year in order to determine lust
Mr.. Madden's Advice.
The PRONUNCIATION of this order of the
Postmaster General is a personal victory
for Third Assistant Postmaster General
Edwin c.. Madden, who has immediate su-
pervision Of the entry Of the newspapers
and periodical publications of the country
to the favored second-class or one cent a
pound rate OF postage. 1t was upon Mr..
Maddens initiative and under his advice
that the Postmaster General acted.
Mr.. Madden entered upon the administra-
ton Of the office of third assistant pos-
master general with a broad and compre-
hensive practical knowledge OF its duties,
gained through the successful conduct of
two Of the most important bureaus of one
of the largest post offices Of the country
He began Immediately a we'll defined cam
paign for reform Of the postal service aim
ing especially to reduce the constantly
growing, alarming yearly deficit in the pos
tai revenues. caused by the existing abuses
of the second-class rates Of postage
Mr.. Madden found that the pound rate of
postage, which is Of the nature Of bounty
given by the government to encourage and
aid the circulation among the people of
legitimate newspapers and publications de-
voted to the dissemination Of information
of public character and Of good literature,
was infested with class of publications
which properly had no right to carriage in
the malls for cent a pound at a cost to
the taxpayer of at least 8 cents a pound.
Fake Publications.
These publications have little or no liter
ary merit, and depend almost entirely for
public patronage upon giittering, and often
misleading. announcements to give FREQ to-
presents alleged to be worth
many times the amount paid as subscribe
tion. In most cases the subscribers found
the gifts worthless. and many would an
peal to the Post Office Department for re-
dress.
Under this questionable method these
fake" publications. have some OF them
built up enormous cireuiations upon which
they claimed the, right to food the mails
with sample copies limited in number only
by the capacity OF their presses, and which
were found. time and again, to be address
ed to fictitious names: the object being to
mail the largest, number Of copies possible
and thus securergreat amounts of advertise
ing at a high rate per line.
Mr.. Madden early In his administration
corrected the sample copy abuse BY ruling
that a publishes may mail only as many
samples as he has Legitimate" subscrib.
ers tn fde
Emboldened by, thes success of this rule
and encouraged by othe more Legitimate
publishers of the country. to whom he
communicated bis Intentions, he set to
work to eliminate from the subsidiary sec
ond-class rates 1f postage the publications
mentioned. Hei received hearty support