Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-23
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
An Unjust Postal Ruling.
(Maine FarmCr.)

The snap orders sprung on the
publishing business of the country il
nothing short of an imposition and
outrage perpctrated against the news
paper interests of our land. The
magnitude and farreaching effect of
these orders could not have been
sufficiently understood by those
promulgating rules 50 revolutionary.
otherwise changes which ncCessitate an
entire overhauling Of subscription lists.
books and records and complete
reorganization of accounts accounting
and conducting Of this fundamental
branch of the newspaper business
would not be overturned by strike Of
the pen with barely two weeks time in
which to revolutionize the immense
newspaper business of the country.
For example. note tho injustice of the
provision concerning the sending of
sample copies. Hundreds of asri-
cultural papers throughout the cnuIl-
try as we'll as other journals. need 20
send large number of sample copies
to those other than regular subscrib
crs to furnish reports Of special meet
incs and unusual proceedings that arc
Of general value and interest to the
section affected. Again. the ruling
which forbidS enclosing sample copies
i'll the same package with other papers
sent out t. subscribers. Every pub
Usher realizes the injustice this ruling
nil inflict on subscribers who wish an
additional copy treating Il special sub
icct. But manifcstly the most intolcr-
able ruling contained in thcs" orders is
that which requires subscribers TO
make renewal before the expiration Of
4 specified time which in the case Of
WecklieS is one year. Herein is the
entire established usage OF the ma jority
of newspapers and educational publi-
cations overturned.
Every published of experience knows
full we'll that thousands upon thou
sands of the bona fde, reputable sub
scribers entirely above reproach wish
a leaWay of from one to two years for
settlement of their subscription bills
and publishers are glad to grant such
a privilege to those known to be
deserving and trustworthy. But notice
what this arrearage ruling means to
tile publishers On the list of over
$4,000 subscribers now being sent
weekly to Farmer readers. there are
arrears beyond the prescribed one year
limit provision of the ruling. Thou
sands are thus crossing back and forth
across this quixotic time limit by pay
ing on account to agents. by mail. or as
convenience allows them to drop into
the Farmer office for settlement This
same condition holds good throughout
the country among tens Of thousands
Of high-class publications. Then con-
template for a moment what it means
to keep tabs on the tens of millions Of
subscribers accounts for each issue If
these papers in order to know Just
when Smith. Brown and Jones have
run a day over the year limit and
therefore must of necessity have to be
dropped from the list to their annoy
ance and loss or else neceSSitate the
Keeping of a constant and expensive
checking and accounting to enable the
mailing to be done separately accord
ing to the new orders.
What justification is there for such
overturning of established business
usage of legitimate concerns simply to
get a chance to strike at very limited
number of questionable publishing
houses? If the Department was
anxious to strike at postal abuses why
has it not directed its attention to
protecting itself from the frankng
robbery practiced in the free delivery
Of thousands of tons of worthless free
congressional speeches. literature and