The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-12-20

'ss = II SsSr II =
The Postofiiss department Tor
'me time he's been trying to weed
" ell the 'catch penny papers and I
nagazinos that have been rum for
shat could be nade out Of the adyer-
ising alone making themselves
trictiY advertising sheets and offer.
ng tho papcr at. o ridiculously low
price, and in many instances giving
the paper away, just in order to get
a big circulation and get high rat 8
Tor advertising. All newspapers,
heretofore, have b. onallowel trans
.mission through the mails at pound
rates, but postmaster general Mail
d,n, last yenr, ;ssned an order 'h"'
u newspaper, to benllowod The" privil
rge of the mails, must show o gener
al circulation aud the Subscribers
must be paid in advance. We sri, 4
to conform to this ruling, and last
fail undertook 10 get on cash in
advance basis. but many OF our read
ers, good business men that they
wei e, got awful mad at US for trying
to conform. to law. We were
forced to adopt the plan OF cash in-
advance, or go out of business land
we didn't care to quit the business.
The ruling, as it now stands is such
that people who subscribe for a news
paper in the future will le compelled
to pay in advance. AS shown by the
following clipping from the Circula
ton Manager, a recent decision OF
the Postoffice Department bases the
right Of paper to second.class post.
age on paid-in advance circulation.
II the Sentinel. Journal is to continue
as second GLASS mail matter it must
be able to show that it has a general
circulation, that is at several post
offices, and that circulation is made
up only of paid.in advance sub
soribers. Shall wo continue as 9
newspaper? l',....A A%=,
1.-THE country publisher now has
an opportunity to arise and call the
postoffice department blessed. Mr.
Madden, in charge Of second class
mail matter, has issued an order that
newspapers and periodicals, to bt
entitled to q continuance Of the sec
ond class mail privileges must be
able to show bona tide subscription
lists, and he defines bona tide sub
: acription list as one made up o.
paid in advance subscriptions
"The old subscriber who has paid
nothing for five or ten years will
have to go. He must be made to pay
in advance, or be crossed off the list,
The fact that he has not ordered the
paper discontinued has nothing to de
with the case. As Il supposedly
tangible asset on the subscription
books he is to be counted as down
and out. The fact that he once paid
for the paper and is presumably gooc
for what he may appear to owe &C
cording to the books will not have
any more effect upon the postofic'
department than the flowers tha
doomed last GUNNER. Circulation
Manager.
We hope our subscribers see hov
d we stand Oh the matter. We have
to conform to the rulings Of th'
y Postma ster General or give up the
p newspaper business; IN fact, all news
= papers Of the country must come il
J.. under this head. II, after your time
0 paid for is up, and you do not rem CIV
8 at once, this ruling will not allow us
TO send the paper to you at all, oven
on the promise to "pay in few
daye;" We can only send it for the
3 time actually paid for. The depart.
ment's view of the case is logical
one. A newspaper with 500 cash
subscribers is much better off than a
paper with 1000 circulation on a
credit. A mans name to tho circu.
lation of paper is naught, unless
he contributes his money in support
OF the paper and pays for what he
Egets. If he has h"cn on tho mailing
list for five years and has never paid
o cent in that time, although he DO a
millionaire, he is not worth darn to
the,paper. The rnan who planks down
L