The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-12-08
Why You Failed to Get Your Echo

This is to remind you, in the event
you failed to note the fact, that you did
not get your Echo last week. If so, it was
because The Echo contained an adver-
tisement OF diamond ring contest in
violation of the postal regulations. On
November II The Echo unknowingly
violated the law in advertising watch
contest. To put it more plain, the
advertisement did not come under the
observation of the publisher until four
days after the paper appeared-Tues-
day following the publication day, when
Postmaster Davis called the attention
Of the publisher to the prohibited ad-
vertisement and handed him twenty
four copies Of The Echo which had not
been called for and still remained in
the postofice. Previous to printing
the offending advertisement of the dia-
mond ring contest in the issue OF No
vember 81, the publisher and the ad-
vertiser. F. E. Carlquist, called on the
postmaster and submitted copy OF the
ad for inspection and approval and
was told by Postmaster Davis that he
could see nothing wrong in it. With
this assurance the advertisement was
printed in the issue Of November "a
and repeated in the issue OF December
1. In the meantime, however, MIR. J..
w. Corcoran got busy and mailed a
marked copy Of The Echo containing
the watch contest ad and the diamond
ring ad, together with copy OF the
placard displayed in Mr.. Carlquisps
window in which the method OF award
ing the ring was detailed, to the
acting postofice inspector, at Spokane.
This officer interpreted the law differ
emily and advised the postmaster at
this place that the diamond ring ad
was in violation OF the postal laws and
not mailable. Mr.. Flavin's letter was
dated at Spokane, November %, 1911,
and was received here on the morning
of the 30th. Had Mr.. Davis felt, know
ing he had advised the writer it was
mailable, that he was under moral
obligation to advise the publisher OF
the department decision at the earliest
moment the advertisement could have
been left out Of the paper. But he did
not so consider the matter. The issue
of December l was made up and the
city list taken to the pastoffice on De-
cember 1st at 1880 a. M, and given
TO Mr.. Davis by the publisher and he
did not say anything about the paper
not being mailable. About one hour
afterwards he sent word to this Office
by an employee that The Echo con-
tanning the ad he had the week previous
said was mailable could not go thru
the Office. OF course Mr.. Davis made
a mistake in interpreting the law, and
who does not make mistakes is too
good for this world, but still if he had
told this Office of the decision of the
postal authorities about the receipt Of a
letter which laid in his Office al least
twenty-four hours, The Echo could have
been made to conform with the law.
Whether the publisher makes a prac-
tice of wilfully and persistently violating
the laws of the country is left to the
community in which he has resided
the past eight or nine years. Mr..
Davis told the writer that he did not
read the letter dated November %
until after the publisher had delivered
the city mail on the morning of the
first of December.
In the strict sense Of the word it is
the duty Of any good citizen, knowing
another has violated the laws of his
country, to make complaint against
him, and, sctuated by this pure and
patriotic motive Mr.. Corcoran may
have made the complaint against the
publisher of the Echo. Gagged by
this standard he is better citizen than
the writer who was derelict in his duty
Of good citizenship some six weeks ago
when Mr.. Corcoran violated the law
right in The Echo Office by starting