The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-03-26
A WORD WITH OUR SUBSCRIBERS.

This notice is intended for all of our
delinquent subscribers. Those to whom
we are now mailing the Banner and those
who we were forced to drop from our reg
ular list during January. And, not more
for one than another.
In our issues of January 9th and 18th
we ran displayed notice in prominent
position calling attention to the new ruling
by the Postoffice Department, making it
compulsory for all publishers to demand
cash for subscriptions. The law however,
does not exactly amount to this Gas the
announcement also stately for credit can
be granted for twelve months. For that
length of time only. Any publisher not
complying with this new regulation places
himself in a position to be denied the priv
ilege of second-class rates.
This we explained to our readers in print,
and marked copies of the Banner were
mailed to all subscribers then twelve
months or more in arrears. Despite this,
some of our former readers do not seem
to understand why we are not now mailing
them the Banner, and some who have
since that time made remittance COM
planned that for several weeks past they
had not received copy of the paper. We
thought the matter had been made plain
to all, and certainly we went to enough
trouble and expense to achieve this end.
1t occurs to us that we have done our
mart and If bnrt oil oo,11 ID in
view of the fact that the Department took
a snap shot at the publishers. No warning
was given at all.
The new ruling was intended as a stab
at the mail order journals and all other
such trashy literature that has heretofore
been granted the privilege Of second-class
rates the same as bona fide newspapers. 1t
will greatly handicap the circulation of
such, and the Department will in future be
spared the trouble and expense of handling
tons upon tons Of such printed matter that
has been thrust upon suffering public
annually for some time past.
This is the actual benefit of the ruling
But, on the other hand, many poor, hard
working country publisher (who is not a
mullet and who ever has his eyes open and
knows who to credit) will suffer great
losses. That's the other side.
In our issue of January 9th we said:
''While this new regulation will prove a
blessing to publishers and subscribers in
the long run it operates as a hardship on
/ hofh - Wn oh
the publisher wants to grant credit why
should he be denied that privilege? Coun-
try weeklies, the backbone of the whole lot
/ in the field, and whose editors and pro-
honorable and clever set, should be placed
in a class to themselves. The proprietors
of the country weeklies Cor any legitimate
newspaper, for that matter) have not been
trying to :'wild hog the Postoffice De-
partment, or any one else. It's the other
fellow who is doing this. The man who
has something to give you for nothing
something entirely .free.' But he succeeds
SO well in giving CD that he can afford to
establish dime -year weekly, which he
mails out regularly by the million copies
and is SO pleased to do it that he forgets to
collect the dime. But he keeps on sending
out his papers. These are the fellows
Uncle Sam is after.
AS for the Banner. the new ruling did
not greatly effect it. We placed 1877 sub
scribers on our suspended list, and Of this
number fully thirds have since paio
up and are now receiving the Banner reg.
. ularly. Only two months have passed ano
!, we feel safe in asserting that before two
more months have lapsed more than hal
the remaining third will again be back or
our regular list. We hope SO, anyway.
Remember, dear readers, that this is oul
, only way to solicit at present. If we hae
the time to spare from our office work WI
, would be pleased to solicit your subscrip
tons in person, and make such furthe
explanations as you might demand
Before another issue of the Banner on
list will again be gone over and all thos
! subscribers who have their paper paid TO
only until some time in April Of 1907 vii
be dropped. We expect to comply witt
the new law, but have not the time t
revise our list more than once a month
which in the future will aways be on tn
>, 1st. If you are eleven months in arrear
!; and want your paper continued, pleas