The Washington times., 1901-07-10
TO BAR PREMIUM PAPERS
Postmaster General Smith Hopes to
Effect a Needed Reform.

two Times Much for Sending
II is said TO be the intention OF Postmas-
ter General smith TO take final action
within a few days on the proposition to
exclude from the United States mails as
second-class matter those newspapers for
which subscriptions are obtained by pre-
miums Officials of the department are
practically unanimous in the belief that
the publications complained of should be
denied the pound rate privilege. and the
opinion among postal officials is quite gen
eraI that departmental rule against this
class of publications will soon be pro
mulgated Edwin c. Madden, Third AS
sistant Postmaster General has drawn up
a set of rules which, if adopted by the
department. would no doubt do great
in protecting the general public from de-
ceptive advertisements; it would also as
sist in wiping out the deficit in the pos
tai revenues and would render practical
ble q reduction in the rate of letter post
age.
The papers which the department would
bar from the mails at the pound rate are
those which do not come within the in
tent of the law, and which do not come
within the following class: Newspapers
and other periodical publications, which
must be issued at stated intervals and as
frequently as four times a year. must
bear a date Of issue, and numbered con-
secutively. must be issued from a known
office of publication. must be formed Of
printed paper sheets, without board,
cloth, leather. or other substantial bind
ing. To be entitled TO entry in this class.
such publication must be originated and
published for the dissemination Of infor-
nation of a public character. or devoted
TO literature. the sciences or art, OF some
special industry and must have legiti-
mate list of subscribers. and must not be
designed for advertising purposes or for
free circulation. or circulation at nominal
rates.
One cent is the amount of postage
charged on this class of matter for each
pound or fraction thereof First class
matter consists of letters. and is charg
ed 2 cents an ounce. Third class matter
consists of books and printed matter and
is charged l cent for two ounces. Fourth
class matter is merchandise. and is
charged 1 cent for two ounces. Broad
ly speaking. the rate on frst-cIass matter
IS 8 cents pound. on third-cIass, s cents
a pound. and on fourth-class, Is cents a
pound. All matter except the second-class
is limited TO four pounds in one pack
age, except single books. 1t will thus be
Seen that the matter of the second-cIass
is carried at from one-eighth to one
thirty-second Of the charge for all other
classes. Necessarily, il enjoys an enor-
nous advantage; it is carried at a heavy
loss TO the Government. and strenuous ef-
forts are made in every direction to
obtain the benefit Of the lowest rate
Il is stated that the two principal
sources OF abuse in connection with the
second-class matter are publications for
fef
books in serial form. issued at stated per
iods. These two schemes are not infre-
quently coupled together Exactly the
form which the Postmaster General in
tends to employ in his order for the re-
straint or suppression Of these abuses has
not yet been announced. The matter
seems surrounded with some difficulty.
Some OF the advertising sheets are sent
out in large numbers TO advertisers who
furnish the names Of subscribers" the
latter, nevertheless. receiving the sheets
free. Others, it IS said, are published by
the chief advertisers themselves. and
have only enough advertisements of
others to give color to the claim that they
are not purely the advertising medium of
the publishers. Large numbers Of publ
cations, it IS said. are devoted chiefly TO
the circulation OF sample copies" which
the law permits 20 be sent by legitimate
publishers at the pound rate to persons
not subscribers. for the purpose OF induc-
ing to subscribe. II can thus be seen that
it is not easy clearly TO decide within
the law exactly what publications are or
are not entitled to the pound rate
Some time ago Mr. Madden received a
set OF resolutions concerning the admin
istratiOn Of his bureau adopted By the
Postmssters' Association Of Minnesota at
their annual convention held at St Paul
May p. and that part of the resolutions
referring to the pound rate follows: Re
solved, That this convention believes that
the abuse Of the pound rate privilege is
an evil unequaled in the postal system,
and demands for it's cure the earnest
courageous attention of Congress. And
while the present law on the subject is
so defective. especially in the inexact
definition OF its terms, We congratulate
-he Postofiice Department on the degree
OF Improvement recently made in curtail-
ing and eradicaung abuses referred TO-
We recommend as q remedy for this evil
creased cents pound
II is said at the Postoffice Department
that a number Of advertising agencies
have united 10 exert pressure upon the
department circular letter has been
sent 90 thousands Of publishers. urging
them TO write to the Postmaster General
write 10 the Third Assistant Postmaster
70 your Representative" AS a result of
this there have been received at the de
partment letters from nearly one hundred
publishers. OF these 50 per cent protest
against the PRONUNCIATION Of the proposed
rule. about forty write saying they do
not approve Of the action Of the advertis-
ing agencies ana favor the adoption OF
the rule. About thirty members OF Con
gress have been heard from, who. how
ever. merely made enquiries concerning
the matter.
1t is also c)ntended that tons Of paper
are sent through the mails daily which
c23tain practically nothing but advertise
mcnts and these are written and pub
lished with evident intent to deceive In
some OF these advertisements persons Of
fer 70 give" sets Of furniture. love pow
ders. lucky charms. dinner sets Of TWEEN
ty-five pieces. and whole Libraries. The
word free Is conspicuously used, and
the advertisement is written fO- the pur-
pose of starting correspondence with
scme unduiy Ryaricious person who wants
something for nothing. Some Of the pa
pers complained Of are literally filed
Doctors and druggists take ROYAL Headache