Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-05-10
LAWS OUT OF DATE.
Inquiry Into Second Glass Mail Mat
ter Is Proposed.

Washington, May 7.-Postmaster-
General Cortelyou has recommended to
congress the appointment of commits
sion to inquire into the subject of sec
ond class mail matter, with view to
ascertaning what notifications of the
present second-class laws are necessary
to render its report to congress not lat
er than December 10, 1906.
| In order that all interests shall be
represented he has recommended that
the commission consist of seven per-
sons and be made up as follows: One
the senate; one representative, selected
by the speaker of the house; one officer
of the postoffice department, selected
by the postmaster general; one repre-
sentative of the publishers of daily
newspapers; one representative of the
weekly, semi-weekly and tri-weekly
newspapers, and one representative of
the publishers of periodicals and maya
zines, the last three to be appointed by
the president of the United States from
among those recommended to him by
representative publishers of such news
papers and periodicals, and a seventh
member to be selected by the six, whose
manner of selection is so specifically
provided. An appropriation of $4,000
is recommended to defray the cost Of
the investigation.
The postmaster general in his recent
annual report recommends to congress
a thorough review of the whole subject
of second-class mail matter and the
enactment of statute to take the place
of those existing, which would render
unnecessary the consideration of such
questions as those upon which second
class matter now depend. In now rec
ommending this commission, the post
master 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second class of mail matter are out of
date; they do not meet modern require
ments of the publishing industry, and
the administration of them unneces-
sarily and unreasonably hampers the
publishers of bona fde newspapers and
periodicals.
Gas an onofwhatisinetaoin
Gas an indication of what is in
volved in administration, it may be
stated that the question of what is
bona fide newspaper or periodical 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 publication, of what constitutes
a publication originated and published
for the dissemination of information of
a public character, what is devoted to
literature, the sciences, arts, or some
special industry, what is a legitimate
list of subscribers. All of these ques-
ions must, however, be determined in
each case before second-class entry can
De granted; but publication having
net all requirements is positively pro-
libited admission if it be designed pri-
narily for advertising purposes or for
rec circulation, or for. circulation at
lominal rates. That such questions,
specially the latter, are subtle and
complex and render administration ex-
eedingly difficult surely need not be
tated.'
Postmaster General Cortelyou ex.
presses the belief that such commits
ion, if appointed, will be able to make
recommendation that will be equable
o publishers, relieve them from present i
annoyance and restrictions, and at the
anne time protect the interests of the
government.