Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-05-17
E DIT 0 A L
NEWSPAPER FREE CIRCULATION.

Third Assistant Postmaster General A. M. Dockery has issued
dated March 80, 1917, with respect to publications entered IS sec
ond-class mail matter obtained at a nominal rate
For years the postohlce department has been seeking to rid the
mail system of a handicap which amounts to free circulation, o so
closely akin to it as to be, in effect, the same thing.
The new ruling goes to the root of the legitimacy of a papers
eircnlation-whether it is bona fe or whether it is fictitious, or
whether the publisher seeks to effect a combination of the two sys-
TENS
declares this departmental ruling, ''cannot be included as a part of
ahe legitimate list of subscribers required by law
Subscriptions are regarded as at a nominal rate, continues the
circular, when obtained in connection with methods or offers
very material respects.
The third assistant postmaster general AYERS that in as sub
scrptions are obtained through reductions amounting to fifty per.
cent of the published rate, or through the offering of socaied
premiums involving reductions amounting substantially to the same
Will the postofice department carry such subscriptions through the
The. department is obviously trying to weed out the Legitimate
subscriptions, 50 as to accord to the newspapers all that they are
been prachced by a large number of publishers.
The paper that advertises its mail subscription rate as four dol
purpose, in order to secure a list Of subscribers i that appeals saiai to the he
advertisers or to the public because of the bigness of the figures,
ment. Such subscriptions tmn viii will not be- carried ar se IT tba w uaparsr
pound rate, declares the assistant postmaster general.
let us bring the matter nearer home 50 that all may comprehend
and understand the situation. There is a periodical published in the
twin cities that derives the greater proportion of it's circulation in
sodlngton county from some sort Of contest, involving a considerable
maintains ia considerable list, a large portion Of it's circulation in this
locality 5 based substantially upon a nominal rate and not upon its
Another newspaper that we might name, and that circulates to
aome tAbeht IN Soungton county, supplies It's mail subscribers in
the county at practically one-third to onefourth its published rate
Tor mail subscriptions.
This class OF subscriptions, the third assistant postmaster gen
eral says in this circular to which we have called attention. is not
legitimate, IN the opinion of the postal authorities, and must not
e included IN future statements of circulation made to the depart
ament every SIX months; nor will the postal system cary through the
mails copies OF the paper for this class of subscribers at the news
paper pound rate.
The publishers Of legitimate newspapers-the kind Of news
papers that have built up business through the use of legitimate
methods and maintain fair subscription lists through the same meth.
onss-Wln lend encouragement to the postofice department IN it's
Ae1.eaas TO distinguish between the legitimate and the Legitimate
subscription lists.
Tine day IS not Ear distant when no newspaper will be able to
malntaln itself by playing the ends against the middle, and vice
Versa. q dollar a year in a special field where there happens to be
compehtlon.. and four or five dollars, more or less, in localities where
y competition oetlah exists, will not be tolerated by d governmental depart.
Menl winch demands that business shall be conducted without dis
examination and upon a basis Of equity.
N copies OF publications sent in ful6lment of subscriptions
lalh under such3 offers or arrangements made hereafter de-
sa .ares 4 recent circular, referring to- great ednctions in price or
ahrough.a system OF premiums which effect such reductions. twill he
accepted at the eent-arpound rate Of postage but such copies will
M shargeaple with the transient second-class rate OF one cent for
s sa1aaI Tour four ounces % fraction thereof AS provided ii paragraph s.
section 435, Postal Laws and Regulations. ~
Nnless some publishers succeed I'M filing false statements and in
shayang them approved by the department, some newspapers within
the ensuing lew months Will lose no inconsiderahle portion of their
subscriptions.