The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-04-08
The New Postal Law.

on which the subscription price Is
not paid. Some seem to feel that
the ruling Is a scheme gotten up by
the newspapers to compel payment
OF subscriptions; on the other hand.
some newspapers have been liberal
In their denunciations Of the rule as
Injurious to their business. However.
that may be We are not prepared to
say. as the ruling has not yet be-
come effective. After April 1sl, the
date fJr the rule to become affective
we can tell more about 1t. We i,
not. however, see where it can VIC rk
hardship either 10 the subscriber or
the newspaper. The subscriber pays
for his paper (tflat is, the great ma
1ority do), and 1t Is only q question Of
paying for 1t as II comes due, or let
ting 1t run for years, then paying four
or five dollars at a time. If the naw
rule IL complied with it will, we think
he moro satisfactory all around. 1t is
easy to ray for paper one year at g.
time. and 1t is hard sometimes, after
running on credit for years and years
to come down with from IS to SO.
That, too. Is an injustice to the news.
paper, and If practiced to a great
extent would swamp half the weekl,es
In tho State for the simple reason that
the newspapers cannot carry accounts
year after year with their supply
houses except on q basis Of paying i'll
terest on bills. 1t brings 1t down to a
simple proposition Of the newspape
paying cash for material, supplies and
labor and selling the output on credit
with no interest; or, lacking cash,
forces the newspaper to borrow at
interest and sell on credit without in
terest. Both of the propositions are
totally lacking in sound business prin.
ciples. and either. II practiced to =
great extent. will prove disastrous.
As a matter Of fact. We fail to see
where there Is any injustice in tho
postoface ruling.
The following statement OF facts
by Third Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Lawshe, the author of the new
regulations. may prov, inter- sting to
many:
Certain publications which ar,
sprca1 broadcast over tho &C untry
merely for the sake Of setting the ad-
vertisements they contain before the
people practically will be driven out
Of business. Hundreds OF periodicals
heretofore have been publ!shtd whose
subscription l:sts were padded to che
utmost limit It made Nd difference
to tho publisher whether people paid
the subscription price OF the pcriodi-
cal or not. The price was purely
nominal In mos: instances. TIE ad-
vertisers paid the freight. 50 they
say. and the government carried the
pike publications practically free
through tho mails.
"Now the situation has been
changed. Hereafter the government
will not have the mails turdened
with enormous subscription lists that
are not genuine or with sampls
copies OF this publication or that
which does not Fay It's own way
through the mails During the
month Of January nearly 10000. 900
less copies CT purely advertising pub
iications were carried In the mails
than were carried during the month
OF December before the new regula.
tons became effective. Heretofore
these publications have been trans
ported by the department at pound
rates. precisely as real newspapers.
This constituted abuse Of tho
mail privilege that never was within.
contemplation Of congress when that
part Of the postal law was enacted.
The sending Of vast amounts Of Sec
ond class matter through the mails
does not increase the revenue Of the
department to any great eAtent, but
1t does increase tremendously the
expense and trouble. The sample
copy abuse has also been carried TO
extremes.
1T isf an absolute fast that some
puglishcrs rarely. II ever. take a
name from their subscription lists
after 1t has been placed ;hcreon, not
withstnnlire the fact that the sub
scriber no longer wants the publica-
don. These conditions are dealt with
In the regulations, AID once they nrs
understood ind informed to by pub
fishers the result will be hencficiai
not only to the government but ais,
to publishers and subscribers.
Heretofore the second class matter