Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-20
RATES ON NEWSPAPERS
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENTS
CONSTRUCTION OF THE LAW.
Extraneous Matter Like Calendars and
Pictures Not Mailable at the Same
Charge as the Publication.

Supplemental information has been made
public by Third Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Madden, in charge of second-ciass
mail matter, showing what is construed by
the Post Office Department to mean second
class matter, particularly in its significance
to newspapers The information is addi-
tional to that issued April 10 last, when an
announcement was made that after Sep
TENDER ] next newspapers would be forbid
den to send through the mails certain &C
cessories at the rate established for news
papers alone.
Mr. Madden announces that general in
depreciation which will cover every case
that may arise cannot be given In advance,
but the meaning and effect of the law are
stated in general terms. After stating that
under the law the Enclosure of matter of a.
higher class with matter of a lower class
subjects the whole to a higher rate, and
that the law applies as we'll when an al
legged supplement IS not supplement, but
really matter of another class, and quot
ing the la relating to supplements the in
structions say: I'm all cases where appi-
cation is made for information postmasters
may state that the above law, which Will
be administered after September 1 next, ac-
cording to its plain intent, provides that
supplement, to be maiable with a news
paper or periodical at the second-class rates,
must, as the word indicates, be in truth
supplement; such, it must be germane to
the publications. and 1t must be matter sup
piled in order to complete that to which
it is alleged to be a supplement-
Function of Supplement Subsidiary.
at must appear in point of fact that the
publication itself is not complete without its
supplement; it must also appear in point of
fact that the function of the supplement is
subsidiary and not independent or complete
in ITSELF in other words, that it requires
both TO make complete copy of that issue.
By way of illustration: A newspaper having
article in relation to the Philippine ISL
ands might properly have as a supplement
a map of those islands; or, having an art-
Gle relating to person place, might have
as a supplement a picture of that person or
place; but a map of the Philippines, Il
picture of person or place, inclOSed as a
gift to the subscriber and not performing
the real function of a supplement, is an ex-
traneous thing and not mailable a second
class rates.
1T is not sufficient for an alleged supple
ment to be given notice in the main pub
lication as a sort of hook upon which to
hang something which is not a supplement
in fact, and which really has independ
ent purpose and function. That is to say, a
merely colorado reference will not suffice !;
the connection must appear from the pub
lication and the supplement taken together
that they form one integral whole.
Extraneous Matter Excluded.
IF a publisher desires to give or sell to
the purchasers of his publication some ex-
traneous thing, like calendar, cut-out pie
ture, Autograph, pamphlet, ETC., he is not
prevented from doing so; but upon such
things when sent in the mails he must
like every other citizen, pay the legal rate
of postage. He may not make his publica-
ton, itself transmissibe at the second class
rates, the vehicle for the distribution of
n ri n 10 Of hirrla -
to the detriment of the government rev.
enues The postal laws must be properly
administered, and 1t Is expected that good
faith will be observed by publishers.
Where there is doubt in any case as to
the legality of an Enclosure purporting to
be a supplement, postmasters are author
lied to accept the Observation-Disclosures
and all-under b deposit in money at the
third or fourth class rate Gas may be the
lawful rate on the Enclosure itself If it
were mailed alone) and submit the ques-
ton to the department Should the de-
cision be favorable to the publisher, the
excess over the secoRd-class rates will be
refunded should 1t be unfavorable, the
money on deposit will be covered into the
postal revenue by the usual method of
converting the amount into postage
stamps, canceling and sending them to
the department.
Constituent Parts Not Barred.
"Postmasters must not regard these in
structions as to supplements as affecting
the constituent sections or parts of a
publication issued in sections or parts. If
there be any abuse in this latter regard
it will be treated separately
Johnson's Offer Turned Down.
A disnatch from Cleveland Ohio last