Arizona republican., 1903-02-26
NEWSPAPER LAWS
Fictitious Regulations Kept Before the
 People by Certain Publishers.

Publishers of obscure newspapers and papers that seek to swell their cir culation for advertising purposes by fair means or foul. have been active fer several years in keeping before the people q set of so-called postal laws or regulations. most of which never did exist. These so-called laws have the effect of bluffing q great many peo- pie into paying for papers that were never ordered or that keep coming after the subscription time has expired even efter the publisher has been noti- fled to discontinue them. These ire sponsible publishers not only print the alleged laws in their papers but some times print them on their envelopes and circular letters. The so-caIad laws 1 referl ed to are as fellows:
 I. Subscribers who do not give eN- press notice to the contrary arc con sidered as wishing to renew their sub seriptions.
 ,. 1: subscribers order the discontinu- auce of their periodicals, the publisher may continue to send them until all the arrearages have been paid. 9. Ii subscribers neglect or refuse to take their periodicals from the post office to which they are directed. they are responsible until they have settled their bills and ordered them discon- tinued.
 1. If subscribers move to other places without informing the publishers, and the papers are sent to the former ad dress. they are held responsible. ,. Tie courts have decided that re- fusinG to take periodicals from the office or removing and leaving them uncalled for is prina facie evidence of intentional fraud.
 6. I; subscribers pay in advance. they are bOund to give notice at the end of the til:e if they do not wish to con- tinue taking it: otherwise the publish CT is authorized to send it. and the sub scriber will he responsible until express notice, with rayment of all arrearages, is sent to the publisher.
 :. The latest postal laws are such that newspaper publishers can arrest anyone for fraud who takes a paper and refuses to pay for it. Under this law the nan who allows his subscrip- ton to run along for some time unpaid and then orders it discontinued. or ord CTS the postmaster to mark it 'refused" and have T postal card sent notifying inc publisher. leaves himself liable to arrest and fine, the same as for thcit.
 In the February number of the Unit ed States Postal Guide is reproduced the following extract from letter written by a former assistant United States attorney general:
 There are no such laws as these en- acted hy the congress or established hT the postmaster general. Ard it has been held that when q publisher duns a party fer the price of his paper, which is not due, accompanied by q threat tc enforce such jaws if his de nand is not met he is guilty of an at tempt to obtain money under false pre- lenses if he knows these so-called laws haN2 no existence as laws The only federal statute on the subject reads:
 'Poshnasters shall notify the pub hsher CT any newspaper. or other peri nd!":l when any subscriber shall re- fuse to take the same from the office, "f neglect to call for il for the period ot enc month"; Also, Notice will b" SIN'n When q newspaper or periodical i7 uhfal!cd Fer, or refuscG or when tn" *nbsrflh"r changes his address with "ut hotli9 ln% the publisher CT order ing his mail forwarded. If the first hotlilcatIon is disregarded a second may be sent calling attention also to the fact of previous notice. Pastmast- t' Saculd make record for their own proteo tinn, etc. After the publisher has been notified if the paper continues to cone it should be holh thirty days and then placed with the waste paper
 1t is a very common practice for some newspapers to secure lists of names and send their paper for a time, thon begin dunnins the innocent rer- sons who never subscribed.