Evening star., 1901-07-18
Mail Classification of Certain Period
icals
ACTION OF POSTMASTER GENERAL
Supplemental Order Issued by
Mr.. Madden.
NOTICE TO POSTMASTERS

Postmaster General Smith last evening
signed three orders amending postal regu-
lations affecting second-class mail matter,
as indicated In The Star yesterday after
noon. Three postal regulations are changed
by these orders.
The first order amends section 276 which
is the general definition, so as to exclude
from the second-class publications which
have the characteristics Of books. This
amendment is in these words:
Periodical publications herein referred
to are held not to include those having the
characteristics of books, but only such as
consist of current news or miscellaneous
literary matter, or both mot excluding ad-
Vertising), and conform to the statutory
characteristics Of second class matter
The second order amends section 2S1 in
several particulars, the principal one being
that publications the subscriptions to which
are not founded on their value as news or
literary journals, and which by the general
use of premium or other considerations in
the form Of chances to win prizes, etc,
to induce subscriptions, in effect circulate
at apparently nominal rate, will be ex-
cluded from the second class. The essen
tial paragraph of this is as follows:
The subscription price must be shown
by the publication, and when 1t appears
from the contents from the extrinsic in
ducements offered in combination with it,
that the circulation Of the publication Is
not founded on its value a news or liter
ary journal, and that subscriptions are>not
made because of such value, but because
it's offers Of merchandise or other consid
Grafton result, in effect, in its circulation
al apparently nominal rate, such publica-
tion does not come within the requirements
of the law for acceptance as second-clasS
matter"
The third order amends section 301 so
that unsold copies of second-class pubica-
tions may not be returned at the pound
rate to news agents or to publishers.
nrHA
Mr. Edwin c. Madden, third assistant
postmaster general, today issued an order
supplemental to the orders of the Postmas
ter General made public yesterday, in re-
lation to second-class mail matter. Mr..
Madden, in addressing all postmasters,
says:
Careful study should be given to these
new regulations. Postmasters are remind
ed that they may be held on their Official
bonds for revenue lost to the department
through improper application or faulty ad-
ministration of any of the laws or regula-
tions relating to second-class matter
1T will be observed that under amended
section 276 only publications which are de-
voted primarily to the dissemination OF
current news or miscellaneous literary
matter Cor both) will be admissible to the
second class. Publications having the es-
sential or distinguishing features of books
will be excluded.
Under amended section 2S1 the 'leg!ti-
mate list of subscribers upon which entry
to or the maintenance of the secOnd-clasS
privilege is based must be founded on the
value of the publication as a news or lit
erary journal, irrespective of any eXtrnsic
inducement or consideration to the sub
scriber and must approximately equal %
per cent of the number of copies issued
and circulated. All subscriptions induced
by premiums, chances to win prizes
other consideration to the subscriber in eff
feet reducing the subscription price to a
rate apparently nominal will be held to be
not legitimate within the meaning of the
statute.
Under amended section 3O1 unsold or
return copies of second-class publications
sent by news agents to other news agents
or to publishers must not be accepted at
the pound rate.