Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1901-04-20
TO EFFECT A NEEDED REFORM.
The Opinion Of Reputable Publishers Asked
and Tho Assistance of standard
Newspapers Sought.

washington, April lo.-liaNng re-
peatedly failed to secure remedial
legislation from congress to prevent
abuses of the privilege of second class
mail matter the post Office depart.
ment officials have under c0nsidera-
tion the adoption of proposed rule
by authority OF the postmaster gen.
eral to bring about the desired re.
forms, With this object in view, Ed.
win c. Madden, third assistant post.
master general, has addressed a long
circular letter to about four hundred
publishers of newspapers and peri.
odicals, setting forth the objects
sought to be accomplished by the pro-
posed rule, and asking the following
question;
In the Judgment of those ad.
dressed, will department rule be re.
garded as injurious to legitimate
newspapers and periodicals, which
will stop absolutely all premium in,
ducements, directly or indirectly, and
of whatever character, TO subscrip,
tions?
"In other words, after a publisher
has fixed a price on his publication,
any bonus or premium given to the
subscriber or any combination with
anything except a second class publ.
cation, shall ytiate the subscription
in its relation to second class rates of
postage
Mr.. Madden adds:
at is believed such a rule as that
proposed would be of great benefit to
legitimate journalism, and that in a
very large measure it would check
these drafts upon the public treasury
for private advantage with no com
pensating public benefit through the
elimination of an immense number o.
| publications which are wholly sus
1 tanned in their second class status by
patronage, induced by some eXtrane
GUS thing in conflict with the spiri
of the law, Such a consummatiol
has much of promise in the direction
of better postal facilities and cheape
rates for other classes of mail mat
ter"
The circular asserts that the los
of revenue to the government fror
the abuses of the privileges of secon
class matter is enormous, being est
mated couscrvatively to be betWee
SIS, ,OOO,O 600 and S25,O0OOOO a year. E>
isting regulations, however faithful
administered, are inadequate to az
complish immediate reform, and tn
most prolific means by which the la
is circumyented remains undisturbe
by regulation.
Of the many means by which th
publications not properly entitled
this favored postage rate spring int
existence and thrive, no other, it
asserted by Mr.. Madden, is so fruitf'
and so insidious as the permission
not of law or of rule, but of uninte
rupted practicc-that subscription
may be obtained by offers of prem
. ums of merchandise, chances to dra
prizes in guessing contests and coun
less ingenious schemes of kindr'
character and effect. Circlations ru
ming into thousands and into the m
, lions, the circular says, have bet
= built up by this premium process, +
publications., which, upon actual mer
s could command no public PATRONS
. whatever. Such subscriptions y e
cept in an occasional instance whe
< some actually meritorius publtcati'
f employees the plan, represent in
; literal sense a public interest in t
h literature or news to which 1T
claimed such publications are devote
? Mr.. Madden asks that the matt
y he given prompt attention and sa
, that the reform proposed can scare
p w be carried on successfully witho
9 the aid and moral support Of t
= standard newspapers and periodici
v of the country.