The Holly chieftain., 1923-10-25
NEWSPAPER THIEVES

questions and were Immediately
answered by the paper. Here fol
low the questions and answers:
l. Kindly state federal postal de-
partment ruling on continuing a
subscribers name OH the mailing
list of a country weekly newspa-
consent after the first years sub
scription. which has been paid in
advance, has run out? Answer:
The ruling does not affect sub
seriber's liability
2 Can the Editor collect for this
period? Answer: Yes.
g. Should the subscribers name
have been dropped from the mail
ing list at the end of the first
year, even without notice or re-
quest? Answer: When the paper
continues beyond the expiration
date the proper thing for the sub
subriber to do, if he does not want
the paper, is to refuse the paper
to be returned to the office of
publica. ION.
These questions and answers
lead the writer to certain serious
reflections.
There are some people who
would beat the publisher out of
a years subscription if he could
who would not think of stealing
from anybody else. Stealing isl
stealing and one is Just as much
thief whether he robs an editor
of $500 subscription or sneaks
in and purloius money from a
merchants cash drawer
Such thief tries to justify him
self by thinking that the fedel-
al postoffice rules do not require
him to pay for papers sent beyond
the period of expiration. But
this is mistake. Taking the paper
from the Office makes him liable
for the subscription price and the
debt is legally collectable.
Some excuse themselves on the
ground that the Editor should stopl
the paper when the gear that l.
paid for is ended l4c. us reflect
on this.
In the first place if every paper
were to be discontinued at the
moment of its expiration, it would
require one man several hours
every week to sort out from hun
dreds of subscribers the names toi
be dropped each week, and to
make up and reprint new galley
lists With the paper paying the
publisher less than A cents per
week, the clerical work alone
would cost more than the subscrip-
tion price of the paper, involving
as it would, an enormous amount
of bookkeeping.
In the second place We're we. to
stop each paper at the end OF the
paid period it would be a matter
of inconvenience and disappOint-
ment to hundreds of people who
wish the paper but sometimes for
get to pay a year in advance on or
before the date of expiration
Even now, with our policy of con
tinuing subscriptions, we get calls
from vexed or even angry subscrib-
ers whose paper is accidentally
omitted for a week. They have
the suspicion that the publisher
has dropped the name for fear he
will not get his pay.
This leads to a third considerat-
ion. Al refusal on the part of the
Editor to continue the paper be-
yond the date of expiration would
make him countless enemies.
There would always be the feeling
that the publisher did not trust
him. The subscriber of n foreign
periodical has no such feeling
since he knows that he can not
expect credit abroad but he does
expect credit where he is well
known. The publisher is in some
what the same position that the
home merchant is in respect to
the mailorder house. We send
the money to Chicago but go in
debt to the home merchant who
knows us. SO the subscriber eN-
poets the editor to carry him along
for few months In case of need.
And the Editor dislikes to anita
pnnize his fellow tOMnsmen and