The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-15
Would STOP PREMIUMS
P0sTOFFICE oFFICdALs SECURING
OPINIONS ABOUT CATGH-PENNY
MEANS OF ARTICULATION.
USED BY SOME NEWSPAPERS
Suggests That All Merchandise Pre-.
8 miunas, Guessing Contests. and
Similar Schemes Should
~.sss Be Cut Out.
WASHINGTON, April 14.-Having re-

WASHINGTON,f.A April 14.-Having re-
peatedly failed toi secure. remedial leg
islation from congress to prevent abuses
of the privilege of second class mail mat
ter, the postofice department officials
have under consideration the adoption
of a postofflce department rule by 'au-
thority of the department to bring about
the desired reform. With this object In
view Mr.. Edwin G Madden, third as
sistant postmaster. general, has addressed
long circular letter to about 400 pub
fishers of newspapers and periodicals
setting forth the objects sought to be
accomplished by tlfess proposed rule and
asking the following tidestions
I'm the judgmentRof those addressed,
will a departmental rule be regarded as
injurious to legitimate newspapers and
periodicals which Will stop absolutely all
premium inducements, direct or indirect,
and of whatever Character, for subscrip-
tions? In other words, after publisher
has fixed a price on his publication, any
bonus or premium given to the subscrib-
er, or any combination with another
thing except d secend-class publication,
shall vitiate that subscription in it's rela-
ton to the seconGeiass rates of post
age'' A
Mr. Madden adds:z
''It is believed that such a rule as that
proposed would be of great benefit to
legitimate journaltsIM and that in very
large measure it Will check this draft
upon the public treasury for private ad-
vantage with no cpmpensating public
benefit, through the. elimination of an
immense number of publications which
are wholly sustained in their second
class status by patronage induced by
some eXtraneous thing in conflict with
the spirit of the law. Such a consumma-
tion has much of promise in the direction
of better postal facilities and cheaper
rates for other classes of mail matter.
The circular asserts that the loss Of
revenue to the government from the
abuses of the privileges OF. second7class
matter is enormous5 being estimated con-
servatively to be. between $15,G01,001 and
$25,000,000 a year, Existing regulations,
however faithfully administered. are in
adequate to accomplish immediate re-
form, and the most prolific means by
which the law is circurnvented remains
undisturbed by regplation.
OF the many means by which publica-
tions not property entitled to this fa-
vored postage rate spring into existence
and thrive, no o1h4rs it is asserted by
Mr.. Madden, Is SCI fruitful and SO in
SAOlOuo eAo lie peIINiSSiOil-ilOl OA ldW VI
rule, but of uninterrupted practice-that
subscriptions may be obtained by offers
of premiums of mechandise, chances TO
draw prizes and in guessing contests,
and in countless n1genious schemes of
kindred character and effect. Circula-
tions running into the thousands and into
the millions, the circular says, have been
built up by this premium process for
publications which, Upon actual merit,
could command no patronage whatever.
Such subscriptions, except in an occa-
sional instance where some actually
meritorious publication employs the plan
represent in no literal sense a public in
terest in the literature or in the news to
which it is claimed such publications. are
devoted.
Mr.. Madden asks that the matter be
given prompt attention and says that
the reform proposed can scarcely be car
ried on successfully without the aid and
moral support Of the standard newspa-
pers and periodicals Of the country.