Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-04-09
THE REASON FOR 1T.

Lie 1ollOWl1S OdACO11d1 IN
Monroe Journal sets forth so clearly the
purpose and the effect of the recent
order of the postoffice department for
bidding second class privileges onpapers
sent subscribers who are in arrears
more than a certain length of time that
we copy it with the hope that our SUBJ
scribers will read it carefully.
"a. newspaper and the subscribers
who read it from year to year stand i'll
very intimate relations to each other.
They ought to be able to have a little
talk with each other occasionly on bus
mess matters without misunderstanding
each other. You feel very close to the
editor whose words you read week by
week, year in and year out. We know
this both from u own experience,
from what others have told US, and from
the fact hat unless you did have some
such feeling coupled with respect you
would not continue IN the relation of
subscriber. P~resuming, therefore, that
our subscribers will take what we have
to say at its face value, we want to
speak a few words in candor.
"You have noticed from time to time
the statement that after April the first
the p~ostoffice department will not de
liver papers to subscribers who are one
year in arrears with their subscriptions.
Have you stopped to think why this rule
has beer made? 1t is no mere whim of
the department, but a dire necessity,
Xoolo 60 ~, tbo rood IF tho n17hli. &c
we'll as by the needs of the department.
Why are you able to buy a paper like
The Journal and have it delivered a. |
your door ffty-two tines year for til,
small sum of one dollar? One reason
is that the government does not charge |
you anything for carrying it to you. |
Many people do not know this, but it is |
so, that is if you live in the county in |
which the paper is published. If you
live out of the county, the government
charges at the rate of one cent a pound
for carrying the paper to you. Now, |
why does the government do this? Be !
cause it considers that the distribution !
of good newspapers and periodicals is
necessary to the welfare and happiness
of the people and that it is right for the
government to aid in distributing these
as cheaply as possible.
CHOW, here is the point: Under this
ruling a great many worthless public;-I
tons have sprung up that serve no use
full purpose but are printed and distrib-
uted for private gain. Most Of them
are no good, the people do not subscribe
for them and in many cases do not want
them in their homes. Yet if your
name ever gets in the hands of one of
these sheets they will be sent to you
forever whether you refuse to take them
or not. The publishers do not expect
you to pay. All they want is to get
them into your hands for some ulteriol
purpose. Sometimes that purpose iste
preach socialism, anarchy, or often,
however, the publishers expect to make
money, and to make millions out of the
fraudulent schemes which they adve1-
tise and expect you to bite at.
These advertisers can't get in re
putable papers thai the people sub
scribe for and pay for year by year
Now the mass Of this literature ha.
grown SO great that it is costing tn,
government millions of dollars to carry
it and it is swapping the mail service.
Therefore a ruling must be made that
will shut these out and still let legiti-
mate papers go the people free or at a
low rate. This ruling, requiring that
no papers except those whose readers
subscribe for and pay for them will be
sent, is the only way the department,
can get rid of the evil. So you see the
reason for the ruling. The government
thinks that if you want a paper you
want it bad enough to pay for it with
in the year in whichit is sent. 1t isnot
a desire of the department to regulate
your business or mine, but merely to
protect itself and it will not be a hard
ship IN any honest man."