The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-09-27
A FOOL NEWSPAPER LAW
ames VI. Beck i'm New York Sun
Argues That New Rule Violates
the Constitution.

the Constitution.
The Citizen prints the opinion of
James NJ. Beck on the constitution
Rlity of the new Federal law regu-
ating newspapers, reproduced from
Wednesdays New York Sun. This
aw was passed in the last hours of
Congress; in fact, sneaked through
hs a rider" on the postoffice appro-
priation bill, and became a law in
spite of the unusual opposition of the
Federal authorities. The motive for
- his mysterious legislation was prob
ably retaliation; but at all events
it is so inquisitorial and unjust that
the majority of the newspapers of
the country are opposed to it.
The Citizen mas nothing to conceal
about its business, but in common
with other newspapers believes that
unjust legislation of this sort should
at least be reviewed by the highest
courts and its constitutionality de-
cided.
In an opinion written by James
I'M. Beck of So Wall street for the
I BAmerican Newspaper Publishers AS
sociation the new Federal law affect
ing newspapers and other periodicals,
a rider of the postoffice appropriation
bill, approved on August "a, 1912,
is set down as unconstitutional and
void"
The law requires such publica-
tions to make sworn reports twice a
year to the Government of owner
ship, management, evidence of debt
and net paid circulation and fixes
| penalty of complete exclusion from
every class of the mails for non-com-
plianCe.
4 ;c nI ~ hot
later than April l and October / of
each year it shall be the duty of the
editor, publisher, business manager
or owner of every newspaper, maya
zine or other periodical to file with
the Postmaster General and the local
postmaster of the municipality at
which the publication is entered a
sworn statement, on Government
blanks, setting forth their names and
postoffice addresses and also those of
the stockholders if the publication is
owned by a corporation.
1t is further required that the
statement shall contain "the names
of known bondholders, mortgages or
other security holders, and also, in
the case of daily papers, there shall
be included in such statement the
average of the number of copies of
edCn ISSUE VI Sdlu puDIICdllOu SOIu VI
distributed to paid subscribers dur
ing the preceding six months"
The provision of this paragraph
does not apply TO religious, fraternal,
temperance, scientific and other SINH
lar publications.
Statements so filed must be print
ed in the second issue of a publica-
tion after the day of filing.
The act further provides:
That all editorial or other reading
matter published in any such news
paper, magazine or periodical, for
the publication of which money or
other valuable consideration is paid
or accepted or promised, shall be
plainly marked advertisement" "
Any editor or publisher printing edi-
torial or other reading matter for
which compensation is paid, accept
ed or promised without so marking
the same shall, upon conviction in
any court having jurisdiction, be fin
ed not less than $50 nor more than
$500.
Instructions have been issued to
postmasters directing them to give
careful attention to the filing of the
statements and to report promptly
the failure of any publisher to file a
statement or to neglect to publish
such statement in his paper on time
Valuable Considerations.
According to Third Assistant Post
master General James j. Britt's in
depreciation of the act if a dramatic
critic enters a theatre on a compli,
mentary ticket and writes an ac.
count of the performance the account
must not be printed unless the word
advertisement" be printed either
below or above it. BY the same
token, 'if books for review are given
in consideration of the publishing il
paper of an article" according tc
Mr. Britt, the book review mans
piece must be marked Advertise
ment" or the editor or publisher MAY
be fined, for such publications are
made according to the law, in view
of other valuable considerations
Under the law, also, no accounts o
baseball games, banquets, strawberr!
sociables and other events at whicl
admission is charged could legally b,
Continued on Page Four.)