The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-07
WANTS COMMISSION.
| Secretary Cortelyou Seeks Revision of The Mail Laws.

The Mail Laws.
 Washington. May 6.-Postmaster General Cortelyou has recommended to the Congress the appointment of commission to inquire into the subject of second class mail matter with view to ascertain what notifications of the present second class laws are necessary, the commission to render its report to Congress not later than De- cember 10, 1906.
 In order that all interests shall be represented te has recommended that the commission consist of seven per- sons and be made up as follows: One senator selected by the President of the Senate; one representative selected by the Speaker of the House; one of- ficer of the post office department, selected by the Postmaster General; one representative of the publishers of daily newspapers. one representative of the publishers of weekly. semi-week- ly and tri-weekly newspapers and one representative of the publishers of periodicals and magazines
 The last three to bappointed by tn | President of the United States from among those Recommended to him by l rpresentative associations of publish l CTS of such newspapers and periodicals. l and a seventh member to be selected l by the six whose manner of selection Is
  sion will have the power to employ clerks md stenographers. administer oaths, send for persons ard papers and dc all things necessary for the carry il out of its objects. An appropria- tion of sS25, 900 iF asked to defray the cost of the investigation.
 The Postmaster General in his recent
 annual report commended to Con gress a thorough review of the whole o1a naff rrao and the enactment of a statute to take the place of those existing which would render unnecessary the consideration of such questions as those upon which second class matters now depend.
 Tn now recommending this comnlis- sion the Postmaster General in his communication to the Committee on Postoffices 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 The existing statutes regulating the second class of mail matter are out of date; they do not meet modern re- quirements of the publishing industry and the administration of them un- necessarily and unreasonably hamper the publishers of bona fide 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 newspaper or peri odical Is one about which there may be and often is much difference of opinion. The same Is true of what constitutes a known office of publi- cation, what constitutes a publication originated and published for the dis semination of information of a public character, what is devoted to litera- ture the sciences, arts or some spe- cial industry, what Is legitimate list | of subscribers
 All of these questions. however, mus. be determined in each case before sec ond class entry can be granted; but ] publca ton having met all the condl- tions Is positively prohibited admission | if it be designed primarily for adver- tising purposes or for free circulation or for circulation at nominal rates That such questions, especially the lat :. ter, are subtle and complex and render administration exceedingly difficult, scarcely need be stated"
 Even after the right of a publication to pass in the malls at the second class rates of postage had been determined, there are six different rates of postage applicable thereto when the matter agents, and when mailed by the general public there is provided another-a seventh rate,
 Each rate is dependent upon the cir cumstances of time. place and manner of mailing the publication Postmaster General Cortelyou expresses the belief that such a commission if appointed, will be able to make recommendations to congress which will result in the passage of law that will be equita- ble to the publishers. relieve them from present annoyances and restric- tions and at the same time protect the interest of the government