Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-04-09
READY PRINTS
Admitted to Mails and May
Now Be Carried BY
Parcel Post
Rights Of Publishers Recognized 6y
the Postotfice Department and
the Postmaster General.


papers all over the United States to
learn that Postmaster General Burle-
son has decided to admit ready-prints
TO the privileges OF the parcel post and
ut the postage rate which controls in
that branch of the service. This will
be a boon to the craft, as Partially
Printed Newspaper Service" has not
enjoyed mail privileges, and great diff
Guilty has often been experienced in
securing delivery to publishers.
The credit for securing this victory
for the country publishers is due to
Charles c. Hart, of Spokane, Wash.
secretary to Representative Lafollette,
OF that state. Mr.. Hart formerly was
country publisher in Indiana and is
familiar with all the hardships OF the
man who prints paper in the rural
districts
Determined to ReIieve Situation.
He determined that he would relieve
the situation as regards the delivery
OF Partially Printed Newspaper Serv-
Ice, and his first step was to secure
the cooperation Of Senator Jones, OF
Washington. Together they went TO
call on the Postmaster General. Rep.
resenting the publishers. Mr. Hart
made statement which convinced the
Postmaster General that Partially
Printed Newspaper Service" should be
entitled to the parcel post privilege:
In his statement Mr. Hart said
sre<
pers represent an unfinished product
and consequently should be classed as
manufactured article. rather than as
printed matter
These sheets are not completed
until they reach the office Of publica
tion, and therefore may be said TO be
only in course of manufacture when
shipped to the country publisher This
Involves question which is a serious
one to the country newspaper OF a vast
section OF the country, particularly In
The West and Southwest.
State and Nationwide information.
by the present classification these
ready-prints are denied admission to
the mails, the only system Of trans
portation which reaches into every vii
lage and town. The express compa-
MICS fail to operate to many points
where newspapers are published
Races remote from ariroads- thus
compelling the publisher, already ham,
pered by limited field to have his
ready prints delivered either by some
special messenger arrangement, at
great expense, or deny his readers the
advantages of the general news infor-
nation which the ready-print makes II
possible for him to supply. Where the
enterprising publisher persists In CIV.
ing his patrons this Statewide and ma
sion-wide information, the heavy ex
pense Of transportation for the deliv
cry of his ready-prints, It should be re
membered, can not be saddled upon
the subscribers While the best OF liv-
ing and OF Injuries has steadily ad-
vanced in the last few years, the sub
scription Of the country newspaper has
remained stationary, and the rate per
thousand circulation for advertising
has not been Increased.
IL ID nOl Jul tOhttHttOf< ttAuL tit
country publisher is being discrimi
mated against purposely, but we be-
lieve that when the present classified
ton was made it was then too early
to take into account the fact that the
country newspaper business is unlike
other lines Of publishing
THE country newspaper, we submit,
is quasi-public utility, in evidence OF
which is the fact that II is being main
tanned in scores of towns and villages
by pubIic-spirited citizens who receive
not one penny of dividends on their
investment. There is but very small
expansion possible to the business 3f
the larger number OF these rural pub
LEGATIONS, and the publisher, as rule,
earns little more than a living, yet the
existence OF such paper in practical
" every town of 300 or more is deem
ed public necessity It reflects pub
lie sentiment in The community and
voices the local needs, and therefore
can not be regarded solely as a COM
mercial enterprise
Postmaster General Burleson issued
the following order (7,S00), which
gives the country publishers the relief
asked
THE limit of weight for misceilane
GUS printed matter constituting third
class mail, the rate Of postage or
which is cent for each two ounces
or fraction thereof, is four pounds.
Parcels of miscellaneous printed mat
ter weighing more than four pounds,
but which are within the limit OF
weight and size for matter Of the
fourth c.ass. come within that class
and are variable at the pound rates
of postage prescribed for fourth class
matter in Section ass.
This order was signed by the Post
master General himself.
The =. Government and Postoffice
authorities by the above order reeog-
uiza the rf2hfs nf Publishers and the !