Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-28
WOULD REFORM
POSTOFFICE LAWS
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
MAKES REPORT
Postal Commission Recommends Many
Changes in Rules Governing Sec
ond-class Matter-Bar Fic-
ton Publications
Rv Associated Press.


of the Joint postal commission author
lied by the last session of congress to
investigate and report to that body It's
conclusions on the operation and ef-
feet of the existing laws relative to
second-class mail matter and what
changes If any should be made was
made public today. The commission
makes a number of sweeping recon-
mendations looking to reform in the
postal service and has drafted a meas
ure embodying such changes as IL
thinks ought to be made. Among the
most important additions to existing
laws as regards second-class mail mat
ter embodied in this measure are the
following:
"a newspaper or other periodical
may be in part composed of advertise
ments which are permanently inserted
in or attached to, but such advertise
ments shall not constitute more than 80
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 any greater weight than
the text of such publication. An 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 identifiabe
whole. Provisions of law applicable to
a newspaper or periodical shall apply
equally to each and every section
thereof
with a regular issue of a newspa-
per or other periodical the supplement
may be enclosed or folded. The supple
ments shall not be printed on other
substances than paper nor except in
the case of maps and plans illustrative
nf 10 fnyt n ha of
from the main body of the publication"
Advertisements Barred
"No supplement shall be composed of
or contain advertisements, but the
same shall be confined to matter ger
name to the regular issue and sup
piled in order to complete matter left
incomplete in the main body of the
publication.
1.-The proposed change refuses the
second-class rate to periodical publica-
tions consisting wholly or substantially
of fiction.
with each issue of a newspaper or
other periodical the publisher may mail
at the second class rate of postage
samples of such issue, but not to eX-
ceed 10 per cent of the total number of
copies of each issue mailed by him to
actual subscribers, as the same appears
by sworn statement of such issue re-
quired to be submitted to the poStmaS-
ter at the office of mailing"
The appointment of a postal appeals
commission in the postoffice department
is provided for to consist of three MEM
berS at least, one of whom shall be
person who has had actual experience
in the conduct of the publishing busi-
ness 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
nf Af cot S,f H.,
United States or the District of Clum-
bia. The commission is to enter upon
its duties July l next.
The object of this commission is to-
allow the proprietor or the publisher of
any newspaper and periodical publica-
tion the application for the admission
of which to the second class of mail
has been denied by the postmaster gem
eral to appeal to it, and the commission
will hear, consider and determine such
appeal with respect as well to matters
of fact as matters of law.
Authority is given the postmaster
general to require an opinion of tho
commission regarding questions of the
law regarding the classification of mail
matter and the right to admission to
the second class.
May Appeal to Commission
If in the judgment of the postmaster
general the class privilege of any pub
lication should be suspended revoked
or annulled he must submit the case BY
petition or by information to the COM
mission. Publishers and proprietors
are to be given due notice of applica-
tion to the commission, together with
the grounds on which such suspension,
annullment or revocation shall be made.
Persons to whom such notice is given
are required TO answer such rule, peti-
tion or application, and the commission
is empowered to hear the case and rem
der decision.
The findings, decision, determination
or judgment of the commission on any
appeal from the refusal to admit second
class publications or for the removal
from the second class or the suspension,
annullment or revocation of it's second
class privilege shall be final and con-
elusive.
The construction or application of any
law or statute relating to classification
of mail matter made by the commission
shall be controlling on the postolfice
and all its employees unless oVerrulel
by some competent court of the United
States.
Proprietors and publishers of news
papers and periodicals may apply to-
have the same placed on register of
the postofiice department as being en-
plication TO be verified by the oath of
the applicant and accompanied by a
copy of the newspaper or periodical
as well as by a fee of So. Pending final
action on the application the post
master general is authorized to issue a
temporary permit for the transmission
of the publication at second class rates.
The requirements made that where
an article is offered for sale in COM
bination with the subscription for
newspaper or periodical admitted TO
the second class, the price OF such ar
tice shall be clearly stated in such
publication, together with the price of
the publication and in all cases the
regular advertised price of the publl-
cation.
The proposed bill provides for the APP
pointment of a joint commission by
congress to investigate the entire postal
system. The commission urgently
recommends a new weighing similar
to that now in progress, but extended
to embrace for the period of six months
T,,1 oil