Mountain advocate., 1914-03-27
READY PRINTS
Admitted to Mails and May
Now Be Carried BY
Parcel Post
Rights Of Publishers nseognlzcd BY
the Postoffiee Department and
the Postmaster General.


learn that Postmaster General Burlc.
son has decided to admit ready-prints
to the privileges Of the parcel post and
at the postage rate which controls in
that branch of the service. This will
be 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
a country publisher in Indiana, and iy
familiar with all the hardships OF the
man who prints a paper in the rural
districts.
Determined to Relieve 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 a 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:
I'VE wish to submit that these pa.
pers represent an unfinished product
and consequently should be classed as
a manufactured article, rather than as
printed matter.
These sheets are not completed
until they reach the office OF publica
ton, and therefore may be said to be
only in course of manufacture when
shipped to the country publisher. This
involves a question which is n 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 10
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 arilroads-thus
the publisher. already ham
pered by a 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 it
possible for him to supply. Where the
publisher persists in Civ.
ing his patrons this Statewide and ma
;ion-wide information, the heavy ex-
pense OF transportation for the deliv.
cry of his ready-prints, it should be re-
can not be saddled upon
he subscribers. While the best OF liv-
ng and OF luxuries has steadily ad-
vanced in the last few years, the sub
of the country newspaper has
remained stationary, and the rate per
thousand circulation for advertising
has not been increased.
ut is not our contention that the
country publisher is being discrimi-
iated against purposely, but We be-
ieve that when the present classified
ion was made it was then too early
o take into account the fact that the
newspaper business is unlike
'ther lines of publishing.
"The country newspaper, we submit.
S a quasi-public utility, in evidence OF
which is the fact that II Is being main
aimed In scores OF towns and villages
" public-spirited citizens who receive
lot one penny of dividends on their
There is but very small
possible TO the business OF
he larger number OF these rural pub
ications, and the publisher. as rule,
arms little more than living, yet the
of such paper in practical
y every town of 800 or more is deem
ID a public necessity. II reflects pub
ic sentiment in the community and
Toices the local needs, and therefore
an not be regarded solely as a COM
nercial enterprise.
Postmaster General Burleson issued
he following order (7.S00), which
ives the country publishers the relief
Isked:
"The limit OF weight for mlscellane
rus printed matter constituting third
lass mail, the rate OF postage or
which is 1 cent for each two ounces
IT fraction thereof. is four pounds.
Parcels OF miscellaneous printed mat.
er weighing more than four pounds,
nut which are within the limit OF
weight and size for matter of the
ourth class, come within that class
nd are variable at the pound rates
4 postage prescribed for fourth class
natter in Section 456.
This order was signed by the Post
Master General himself.
The U. s. Government and Postoflice
by the above order recog'