Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-28
Commission Recommends Vital Changes in
Existing Laws.
DRAWS LINE ON sEcoND-cLAss MATTER
Not to Exceed Half Of Space to Be Devoted
to Advertising Purposes
ALL PARTS MUST Be SAME WEIGHT PAPER
Provides for Commission to Pass on Appeals
from Tulings
GENERAL WEIGHING IS RECOMMENDED
Scheme IL Proposed for Reduction in
Pay 20 Railroads for the Trans
portation of Mails on
Trunk Lines.
GENERA WEIGHING IS RECOMMENDED

WASHINGTON. Je- 1.-THE report of
the Joint postal conn 2; \ authorized by
the last session Of cont: to investigate
and report to that body. " 'nclusions on
the operation and effect OF. n visiting law
relative to second-class ma tter and
what changes 10 any. should de, was
made public today. The commfe, =. makes
a number Of sweeping recomh T. ions
looking to a reform in the postaf:,/ zee
and has drafted a measure emB> yl
such changes as It thinks ought je
made Among the most important addi-
tions TO the existing law as regards second
class mail matter embodied In this measure
are the following:
A newspaper or other periodical may be
in part composed OF Advertisements which
are permanently inserted in or attached
to the same, but such Advertisements shall
not constitute more than 30 per cent of
the superficial area Of any issue OF the
publication, nor shall any advertisement
be printed on card, cloth or any substance
other than paper, nor upon paper OF any
greater weight than the text of such pub
lication.
An issue Of a newspaper or other periodi-
cal may be composed OF parts or sections
but all such parts or sections shall be
made OF the same size, form and weight
Of paper and shall. when taken together.
form one complete and identihable whole.
All provisions OF law applicable TO a news
paper or periodical shall apply equally to
every section thereof. With a regular issue
OF a newspaper or other periodical the
supplement may be enclosed or folded.
Supplements shall not be printed on other
substance than paper nor. except In the
NN.r, % ~.
text. shall be OF different form from the
main body OF the publication. No supple
ment shall be composed of or contain ad-
vertiAements. but the same shall be con-
fined to matter geunane to the regular
issue and supplied in order to complete
matter left incomplete in the main body Of
the publication.
Bar Up on Fiction.
The proposed law refuses the second
class rate TO periodical publications con-
dating wholly or substantially Of fiction.
With each Issue q Il newspaper or other
periodical the pi or may mali at the
second-clasT rate postage samples of
such issue, but mot 10 exceed 10 per centum
of the total number of the copies of each
Issue mailed by him to actual subscribers,
~ the same appears by a sworn statement
Of such issue required to be submitted to
the postmaster Mt the ONCE OF mailing"
The appointment OF a postal appeals COM
mission in the Postofhce Department is
provided for to consist OF three members
At least one OF whom shall be a person who
has had actual experience in the conduct
u the publishing business, and at least
one OF whom shall be learned in the law
and a member OF ten years standing of the
bar OF the highest court of some state or
territory OF the United States or the Dis
trict OF Columbia. The commission is to
enter upon its duties July next
The object of this commission is to allow
the proprietor or publisher Of any news
paper or periodical publication. the applica-
ton for the admission OF which into tho
second class OF mail has been denied by
the postmaster general, TO appeal TO t.
and which commission shall hear, consider
Ind determine such appeal with respect
As well 20 matters of fact as to law. Au-
lhority Is given the postmaster general to
require a decision of the commission re-
Tarding questions of law respecting the
classification of all mail matter and the
right to admission to the second class.
COmmissfon's Decision Final.
II In the Judgment OF the postmaster
general the class privilege of any publics-
lion should be suspended revoked or an
nulled he must submit the case by petition
W " NNulHiHHion. run
fishers and proprietors are to be given due
notice OF application TO the commission,
together with the grounds on which such
suspension. annulment or revocation should
be made. Persons TO whom such notice is
given are required 10 answer such rule,
petition or application and the commission
Is empowered to hear the case and render
a decision. The findings determination.
decision or judgment OF the commission on
any appeal from a refusal 10 admit second
class publications or for the removal from
the second class or the suspension. annul-
ment or revocation OF it's second class
privilege shall be final and conclusive.
The construction or application OF any
law or statute relating to classification
OF mail matter made by the commission
shall be controlling on the postofhce and
all ia employees unless overruled by some
competent court OF the United States. Pro
prietors and publishers OF newspapers OF
periodicals may apply TO have the same
placed on q register OF the Postofice de-
partment as being entitled 20 second class
rates. such application to be verified BY
the oath OF the applicant and accompanied
by a copy OF the newspaper or periodical
as well as a fee Of IS. Pending final actor
on the Application the postmaster genera
Is authorized to issue a temporary permit
at second class rates. The requirement,
made that where an article is made fol
sale In combination with the subscription
for a newspaper or periodical admitted tC
the second class the price Of such article
shall be clearly stated In such publication
together with the price Of the publication
and In all cases the regular advertised pric,
OF the publication.
The proposed bill provides for the ap
pOlntment Of a Joint commission OF con
gress 70 investigate the entire postal sys
tenn.
General wsiHhins and Counting.
The commission urgently urges a new
Weighing similar 10 that now IN progress
but extended 20 embrace for the period 0
six months. beginning July l. 1897. weigh
ing OF all mali matter transported through
out the entire United States. class b!
class. a coupling OF all pieces Of mai