The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-05-10
The POSTAL LAWS
ARE CONFUSING
Postmaster General Recommends a
Commission.
EXISTING STATUTES OUT OF DATE.
mr. C0rtelyOu Suggests That Congress Provide
Tor Body Representing the YsriOus Interests
TO Formulate a Series Of Regulations for
Seeoud-cIass Matter to Take the Place OF
ihe Present tumble Of Statutes.

Washington, D. c., (SpeciaD Post
master General Cortelyou has recon-
mended to Congress the appointment of
commission to inquire into the sub
Ject OF second-class mail matter with .
view to ascertaining what notifications
OF the present second-class laws are
necessary, the commission to render its
report TO Congress not later than Decem-
Der 10, 1906.
In order that all interests shall be
represented, he has recommended thai
The commission consist Of seven person.
and be made up as follows: One Senator
selected by the President of the Senate
one representative, selected by the speak.
or OF the House; one officer of the Post.
ofhce Department, selected by the Post.
master General; one representative oil
the publishers Of daily newspapers. one
representative of the publishers of week.
ly, semiweekly and triweekly newspapers
and one representative of the publisher.
OF periodicals. and magazines. the lasi
three to be appointed by the President
OF the United States from among those
recommended to him By representative
associations of publishers of such news.
papers and periodicals, and a seventh
member to be selected by the six whost
manner of selection is so specihcall,
provided. The commission will have
power to employ clerks and stenograph.
ers, administer oaths, send for persons
and papers, and do all things necessar,
tor the carrying out of its objects. An
appropriation Of $4,000 is asked TO dc.
tray the cost of the investigation.
The Postmaster General in his recent
annual report recommended to Congress
thorough review of the whole subecl
OF Second-class mail matter and the en-.
actment of statute to take the place ol
those existing which would render un.
necessary the consideration of such ques
tons as those upon which second-class
matter now depend.
In now recommending this commits
sion the Postmaster General in his com.
municatiOn to the Committee on Post
Offices and Post Roads of the Senate
says;
The existing statutes regulating the
second-claSs of mail matter are out OF
date; they do not meet modern REQUIRE
ments of the publishing industry. and
the administration of them unnecessarily
and unreaSonably hampers the publishers
OF bona fde newspapers and periodicals.
AS an illustration of what is involved
in administration, it may be stated that
the question of what is a bona fide news
paper or periodical is one about which
there may be and often is much differ
ence of opinion. The same is true of
what constitutes a known Office Of pub
lication; what constitutes a publication
originated and published for the dissem-
ination of information of public charac-
ter; what is devoted TO literature. the
sciences, arts or some special industry;
what is 4 legitimate list of subscribers.
"All of these questions must, however
be determined in each case before second
class entry can be granted; but publica-
ton having met all of the conditions is
positively prohibited admission if it il be
designed primarily for advertising pur-
poses, or for free circulation, or for cir
culation at nominal rates That such
questions, especially the latter. arc sub
tie and complex and render administra-
tion exceedingly difficult scarcely need
be stated"