Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-14
Postoffice Department Makes
Drastic Ruling Relative to
Unpaid Subscriptions
WHEN 3 MONTHS IN ARREARS
Ruling Leaves Publisher No Choice
But to Cut Off Those Who Do Not
Pay Prom ptly-SchooI and Other
Papers Affected by the Decision
Effective in January
Special to r,mes-Repup11can.

SOeClAl 10 I1t1GS- SpuDllCdH
Dubuque, Dec. 14.-The Dubuque
postmaster is in receipt of a drastic
order which will be effective on jan
uary / whereby subscribers to daily
and weekly newspapers, monthly a
azines and all periodicals entitled to
second class postage rates must pay
their subscriptions practically up to
date il they wish to receive the pub
LEGATION after January l.. The order
does not leave any alternative to the
publisher than to collect the subscrip-
ton price or stop the paper.
The order provides that daily news
papers must not be sent thru the mails
to subscribers who are not more than
three months in arrears in their sub
scription, thru the mails to cmfw mtWy
scription. Monthly publications must
not be sent thru the mails to sub
scribers who are more than four
months in arrears, or Weeklies to sub
scribers who are more than a year in
arrears. Each publication cannot send
sample copies to more than 10 per cent
as many as there are paid subscribers
on its lists.
The order is effective January 1. 1t
came as a surprise to the publishers
and it is feared that it may work a
hardship on some of them, as many
publishers have been in the habit Of
continuing to send their publications
to many who are con siderably more in
arrears than the limit set by the order,
their expectancy being, of course, that
the subscribers were only neglecting to
pay When due and would pay the bill
before long anyway.
Des Moines publishers have taken
action looking towards the extension of
time on the matter n it is expected
that publishers turnout the country
will do the same. For Dubuque the
enforcement of the measure would
mean the utter abolition of the school,
college and church publications issued
here.
1t is believed by the publishers that
if the enforcement of the regulation
is postponed a few months. giving time
III WHICH, 10 uOllly SuDSCTlDeIS WHO are
further in arrears than the rule per-
mits. it could be complied with much
better than at present. The early en-
forcement of the regulation will make
1t bothersome for subscribers affected
as it will mean that their papers will
have to be stopped in case they do
not remit the amoun of their sub
scription at once. The publishers can
not continue the paper unless this is
done, as the penalty imposed by the
postoffice department for violation
of the paper from second class privil-
eyes.
1t is believed that the order is aimed
at the mail order publications, as the
department has for some time been
Investigating the charges that many
papers are being circulated merely as
circulars, the publishers being merely
intent to get them read by a large
number Of people for the benefit of
the advertisers. II IS also charged
that these papers did not aim to collect
the even small subscription prices gen
orally charged, thus flooding the mails
with matter that the patrons did not
desire.