The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-05-04

Postal Department Puts the Screws on
Two at "Nornirsw Rate.

49, ---
Postal Department Puts The Screws on
Two a. "Neminsr Rate.
Postmaster General Cortelyou OH the
last day Of his service In that position
issued an order withdrawing second
class mail privileges from two mail or.
der publications of very wide circula-
ton. These two monthlles, published
from western city. had a combined
circulation Of more than 100000 They
circulated at 10 cents year, which
rate Mr.. Cortelyou held to be merely
nominal" The postmaster general
also held that the publications were
primarily advertising sheets.
1t Is understood that the postofflce
department is after sevcra! other pub
lications with merely nominal subscrip
ton rates, anu more will be heard very
probably about this matter. Meanwhile
the publisher Of the two excluded pcri.
odicnls is threatening dire vengeance
against Mr.. Cortclyoc and other Off
cials who. according to this publisher
"robbed the people of their favorite
papers"
This incident is MENTIONED here just
to call attention 10 the recent remark
able growth Of the so called "mail or.
der papers. Of late years "A surpris
iug number of cheap, flinsy. III edited
sheets has been sent broadcast. reach
Ing every village, crossroads and rural
delivery farmhouse in the country
The chief object Of such publications
of course, Is to carry advertisements
| from the mail order houses and not tc
disseminate interesting reading mat
ter. The fact that the publications. de-
print some reading matter and are os
tensibly newspapers or magazines gives
them access to the mails at second
class rates, and In order to attain th'
largest circulation possible they plact
their subscription rates just as low al
they dare. j
The few pennies charged for such
publications are paid cheerfully by or
most anybody to whom the offer u
| u
vertisements Of the big mail order
houses In Chicago aud other large
cities, Chicago being practically the na
| tional capital of such houses, are read
by millions Of people. These advertise
ments penetrate to the remotest by
ways Of the land The townsman who
takes his local weekly paper also takes
one or more Of these monthly ten cent
ers. Usually the mail order periodical
is published under title having u spe
cial appeal to women. II Is the won
en-, as rule, who have an eye to bar
gains. They read what they deem 9
bargain offer, mail their money for II
tlcle which pleases them. The loca
storekeepers in oil probability keep tht
same grade of article or something JUS
as good at about the same figure.
But, whether the mail order buyc
gets q bargain or disappointment, IL
or she Is sending money out of thu
community which never comes back
The dollar mailed from Millville, Mo.
to Chicago is gone gosling. 1t neve
comes back to circulate around Mill
vile and make glad the hearts of tl'
people. One dollar gone astray ant
lost In the vortex of the great cit,
won't hurt Millville much, but when !,
hundred or more of Mlllvilles citizens
and the Farmers who live around Mill
vile send many dollars each in thu
course of the year to get lost in th'
shuttle afar Off Millville Is going to b
surt so that the town will feel II
Thousands OF rural communities in th'
United States have been badly hurt il
late years by this sappng Of casl
through mail orders.
To hold your home trade or to bull,
It up, IN the opinion of one who ha
studied the situation, the most impol
tant thing to do now Is to compete wit
tho mail order Journals. 1t is obvIou
that In order to do so you must NEE
advertisement with advertisement. LIZ
cal merchants who carry well assorte
stocks and find many kinds OF good
lying ON the shelves till they get shel
worn, while those who should bc tbel
patrons are mailing money away ~
the same kinds Of goods, might prof
by letting the people know just exact
what they have In stock and what til
prices are. As rule, the family tha
takes a mail order Journal also take
the local newspaper. Your local news
paper is your best weapon Of defens
in this direction.