The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-07-22
Why
. Your
Paper
Was
Discontinued

With the first of 1908 there be-
came effective a ruling of the
Postoffice Department which reg
ulated the terms to be granted
publishers in future in securing
subscription renewals to their
publications. This resulted from
the many abuses of the past of
the second-class mailing privilege.
OF course, all must see the pro-
priety of the Government officials
enforcing such regulations. There
are three parties to subscription
the publisher, the carrier and
the reader. All have their un-
denied privileges.
Since the ruling in question
became effective (now more than
seven years ago) the publisher of
the Banner has devoted columns
OF space in an effort to make it
plain to all. The following ex-
cepts from "The Postal Laws and
Regulations Pertaining to the
Second Glass of Mail Matter" /"
should make it clear why the pub
Usher of a aOeekly newspaper can
not grant credit on subscriptions
for a term in excess of twelve
months.
The third paragraph of Section
436 reads:
3. A reasonable time will be allowed
publishers to secure renewals of sub
scriptions, but unless subscriptions are
expressly renewed after the term for
which they are paid, within the following
periods:
Dailies, within three months;
Triweeklies, within six months;
Semiweeklies, within nine months;
Weeklies, within one year;
Semimonthiies, within three months;
,Monthlies within four months;
Bimonthlies, within six months;
Quarterlies, within six months;
they shall not be counted in the legitimate
list Of subscribers, and copies mailed on
account thereof shall not be accepted for
mailing at the second-class postage rate
OF one cent pound, but may be mailed at
the transient second-clsss postage rate of
one cent for each four ounces or fraction
thereof, prepaid by stamps affixed The
right OF a publisher to extend credit for
subscriptions to his publication is not de-
MED or questioned, but his compliance or
noncompliance with this regulation will
be taken into consideration in determine
ing whether the publication is entitled to
transmission at the second-class postage
rates.
Two paragraphs of Section 467
read as follows:
Section 467. Postmasters should scru-
tinize mailings of publications entered at
their offices as second-class matter to as
certain whether the publishers are COM
plying with the law and these regulations.
2. Every postmaster having reason to
believe that a publication passing in the
mails as matter of the second-class is not
entitled to the second-class mailing priv
ileges, either by reason of the character
of the publication itself or of irregular
methods or practices pursued by the pub
Usher, is expected to report the matter
promptly, with any evidence or facts in
his possession tending to support such
belief, to the Third Assistant Postmaster
General.
We had thought all along that
the Banners readers as whole
were familiar with the substance
of the above, and were surprised
to recently learn to the contrary.
The management Of the Banner
positively treats all subscribers
alike. At present credit is being
granted many and has never been
refused any reputable person.
When subscription has not been
renewed after a lapse of twelve
months the name is dropped from
the mailing list.
These practices have, however,
caused some confusion, and occa-
sionally contention on the paE Of
the subscriber, so beginning with
1916 a ash-in-advance plan as
regards subscriptions will become
effective. 1t will be adhered to in
the strictest sense. 1t occurs to
US that that is the last resort, the
real business-like plan, and one
which will give none grounds for
complaint.