New-York tribune., 1905-12-28
WAR ON POSTAL ABUSES
NeaU Mailing Regulations Hard
Bloc to M0ny Publishers.

Many magazine and periodical publishers were
thrown into excitement yesterday by the receipt of
circular issued by the fostofice Department at
Washington relating to aauses of the second class
mailing privileges.
It learned yesterday that Postofice officials
have been secretly investigating for weeks, ana
have obtained evidence that the subscription lists
OF certain periodicals inflated or otherwise
illegtimate.
Postmaster General CortelyOu intends to wage
against such publications. and in pueshing
circles yesterday It was predicted that many new
magazines of the cheaper variety VIII De ''rceo "
suspend as a result of the campaign
Many of the advertising and circulation schep1es
of more or less well established magazines are oe-
cared the ban. according 20 the circular re-
eived Yesterday The Offering of premiums 10 SUD
scribers. the Offering of special rates TO clubs the
forwarding OF magazines without request ." 'e
part OF the recipient, are among the common cir
cuIation devices prohibited
The circulation manager Of a well known iasnIoii
magazine said yesterday:
understand that under the new regulations
faSion b36ed 1saIgs n1snim # our information is
correct. the Postoice people intend 10 MAKE t rtS
Of our publications consists of paper patterns we an
rot be allowed to continue under the second class
privilege. To be forced to pay the regular Isase
as we could not raise the price Of our pu6lications
This action is tyrannical. and we shall make haIa
fight oppose IL.
The circulation manager Of another periodical
said
AS we understand 1t, the new campaign is & ee
signed with the idea Of driving the maJorlIy OF c,e
10-cent magazines out OF business 70 a.
behind this movement than care TO taih @ aooI1 Zen an
present, but Il viii come out later. nave peen
Informed that this circular is mild compared 70
follow. The Postofnce people IleL1 U.s..
ness learn that three thousand specia! ageIlls
have been sent out by the Postoff1ce TO look up
names taken at random on subscription nsts' ana
see whether the persons named really exist
From another source IT was learned that the Post
office authorities have out thousands OF letters
TO alleged subscribers to test the authenticity Oh
subscription lists OF various publications.
The government expects to be able TO DO nuch
toward putting the Postoffce Department on a pay
ing basis by this campaign. Publishers OF mag
azines said that nothing like the circular received
Yesterday had ever been known in their business
before. i
Hitherto, they said, The governments atutude
has been most Ienient kAd the sudden change they
declared to be most aIar1ning The prohibition OF
premium offers created the greatest sensation as
many of the cheap publications have relied upon
this device to maintain their circulations and
thereby secure advertising. /
The official circular. in part, says, ;
The object of these artically forced circulatloIs
IS nearly always promote some general OF pnca pao
Tjc,lisr sdvertisng purposes by the appearance
OF large circulation TO be able 70 oeidiu -es7It
prices for Advertising In all such cases | tS n,h
Is the advancernent of private interests at me p
lie expense for all copies sent in the nallS IN Iu
flment of fictitious subscriptions as wen as sLS S
copies based thereon, are transported aL t.ie
rate unawfuly and great expense 10 the govern
-, -, .,,. ,,ora
after be properly observed Mantestly Il tLLS IL
of subscribers be legitimate 1t must De WholIE
so II is not sufficient to have some percentage %
the list composed Of actual SUBSCRIBERS Inc eI.
Of actual subscribers Inc impress
sion that form only need observed and that SUD-
stance is immaterial is erroneous