The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-01-17
GOOD POSTAL LAWS IN EFFECT.
New Laws Governing Newspapers.
People Must Pay Back Subscrip-
tion. Publisher Must Stop
Sending Paper II Pat
ron Does Not Pay.
A BLOW AIMED AT FAKERs.

The government is apt to be slow
In doing things, but when it moves
it hits the mark. For the past thir-
ty years while print paper was cheap
and postal laws were framed to en-
courage the spread of literature and
enlightenment, the growth of fake
advertising mediums has been phe-
nominal. Papers having tremendous
circulation could make so much out
of advertising that it mattered little
whether they ever got the subscrip-
tion price or not; II once they got an
address, the paper was sent year aft
er year, even though the addressee
refused to take 1t out of the office.
Again, If person took paper, and
the publisher continued to send it
for years after the paid subscription
expired, he could be made to pay for
1t, the theory being that If he did, not
want to pay for the paper he must
not accept the goods. Many publish
ers took advantage of this and forced
their paper upon unwilling custom
ers, and on the other hand, many
people take the paper for long periods
and when asked to pay claim they
had not received it.
The government has taken steps to
put an end to all these things by
framing amendments to postal laws,
so that papers will not be delivered
to persons who are not bona fide
subscribers or who have not paid
up their subscriptions within certain
limits. If papers are carried to dis
tant offices and it Is found that the
addresses are not subscribers or
have not kept within the proper
limits by their payments, the pub
Usher must pay for their return to
him and can destroy them himself.
If the publisher wishes to send out
sample copies, they must be plainly
marked on the face of each paper OF
the wrapper of each paper, Sample
COPY" and he must not send more
than three copies to one person with
in year, nor more than ten per cent
of the total amount of his entire sub
scription list during the year. On
sample copies he must pay higher
rate of postage than on those sent to
his regular subscribers. Special edi-
tions gotten up for advertising pur-
poses also take a higher rate of
postage, so the newspaper man of this
year, must succeed on honest news
paper lines based upon the demand
of the people for his paper, or he
must quit
A publisher Is no longer permitted
to give his paper to people through
the mails, unless he pays prohibit
i've rate of postage. To announce In
the columns of the paper they are
to receive it free, and that no bill
will ever be presented for 1t, Is to
furnish evidence against himself that
depriyes him of the usual mailing
privilege. He must furnish some
thing worth the price, and there
must be demand for 1t sufficient
to make 1t sell for fixed price, or
he must pay the prohibitive rate Of
postage. This, and the high price OF
print paper, will make any publisher
get busy on business lines. The new
rules went into effect on January 1st,
and are much more strict than the
that went into effect last
year, that put so many of the big
fake publishers out of business.
The result of this will be to make
fewer and better newspapers, and
higher rates of advertising. The sub
scription rates have been rising for
several years in a general way, but
1t Is doubtful If this will continue to
advance by reason of the new limi-
tations and new protection given to
both patron and publisher 1t will
simply bring the takers to terms.