The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-28
Joint Postal Commission
Will Recommend a
New Plan.
APPEALS COMMISSION
FOR DEPARTMENT
Newspapers, Especially Sunday
Editions With Supplements,
Will Suffer Under llew
Rule-Whole Postal
Service Will Be
Investigates.

WASHINGTON, d. c., January 2i.--
The report of the Joint postal commission
authorized at the last session OF Con-
gress to investigate and report to that
body It's conclusions on the operation os
the existing law relative to the second-
class mall matter, and what changes, II
any, should be made, was made public
o-day. The commission makes num-
ber of sweeping recommendations looking
to reform in the postal service, and
has drafted measure eulbodylng suci.
changes as it thinks ought to be made.
Among the most important applications
TO the existing law as regards second
class mail matter embodied in this meas
| urc are the following:
"A newspaper or other periodical may
be In part composed OF advertisements
which are permanently inserted In or at
tached to the same, but such advertise-
ments shall not constitute more than fifty
per centum 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 greater weight than tho
text OF such publication.
Any issue of a newspaper or other
periodical 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 identi-
liable whole. All provisions of law APP
plicable to newspaper or periodical shall
apply equally to each and every section
thereof.
After Supplements.
with regular issue of newspaper
or other periodical supplement- may be
inc!osed or folded. Supplements shall
not be printed on any other substance
than paper. nor except in the case of
| maps and plans illustrative of the text.
shall be of different form from the main
body of the publication. No supplement-
| shall be composed OF, or contain adver-
| tisements, but the same shall be con-
| fined to matter gernnano to the regular
| issue and supplied in order to complete
matter left incomplete in the main body
of the publication"
The proposed law refuses the second
class rate to periodical publications con-
sisting wholly or substantially of fiction.
With each issue of a newspaper or other
periodical the publisher may mail at tho
second class rates of postage samples OF
suoh ISSUE but mot to exceed ten per
centum of the total number of the copies
of such issue mailed by him to actual
subscribers. as the same appears by
| sworn statement of such issue. required
10 De submitted 10 tlle pUSlluitSteT ldI llIu
office of mailing"
Appeals Commission.
The appointment of postal appeals
commission In the Post-Ofilce Department
| is provided for, to consist of three mems
| bers, at least one OF whom shall be n
person who has had actual experience in
| the conduct of the publishing business, and
Mt 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 District of Columbia Tho
commission is to enter upon its duties
] on the first of next July.
The object of this commission is to
allow the proprietor or publisher of any
| newspaper or periodical publication, the
application for the admission of which
to the second-class of mail matter has
been denied by the Postmaster-General.
to appeal to it, and which commission
| shall hear, consider and determine such
appeal with respect as we'll 10 matters
! of fact as matters OF law.
| Authority is given the Postmaster
General to require an opinion of thsa
commission regarding the questions OF
law respecting the classification of mail
matter and the right to admission to
second class
Decision Final.
The findings, determination, decision
cv Judgment OF the commission upon any
appeal from a refusal TO admit second-
!. class publications or for the removal
from ;Sthes second class or the suspen-
sion, rpnnument or revocation OF it's
| second-class privilege shall be tlnal anu
| conclusive.
The construction or application OF
! any law or statute relating to classifi-
| cation of mail matter made by the COM
mission. shall be controlling upon the
post Office, and all Its employees, un-
| less overruled by some competent court
| of the United States.
| Proprietors and publishers OF news
papers or periodicals may apply to have
the same placed upon a register of the
Post-Oflce Department as being en-
titled to second-class rates. such applf-
cation to be verified by the oath OF
the applicant and accompanied by
copy OF the newspaper or periodical as
We'll as fee of IS.
Pending final action upon the appli-
cation, the Postmaster General Is au-
thorized to Issue temporary permit
for the transmission of such publication
at second-class rates.
No Combinations.
The requirement is that whore an
article Is offered for sale In combna-
ton with the subscription for news
paper or periodical admitted to the se-
cond class, the price of such article
shall be clearly stated In such publica-@
ton, together with the price OF tho
publication, and In all cases the regnlar
advertised price of the publication,
The proposed bill provides for the APP
pointment OF joint committee or Cons
gross to investigate tho entire postal
system.
The commission urgently recommends
n new Weighing. similar to- that now In
progress but extended to embrace, for
the period OF six months. beginDlns July
/, 1907, Weighing OF all mail matter
transported throughout the entire United
/ states class by class; a counting OF att