Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1874 — The New Law Relating to Newspaper Postage. [ARTICLE]

The New Law Relating to Newspaper Postage.

Washington, Dec. 6. The following instructions have been approved by Postmaster-Gen. Jewell in relation to the prepayment of postage on papers and other printed matter on and after Jan. 1,1875, under the act of June 23, 1874:

Section 5 of said act divides the matter therein described into two classes and fixes the rate of postage oh each as follows: On all newspapers and periodicals issued weekly or oftener two cents per pound or a fraction thereof; and on all those Issued less frequently three cents per pound or a fraction thereof. Under Sec. 6, upon the receipt of such matter at the mailing office, properly assorted into the two classes, it must be prepaid (after deducting the weight of the sack) by special adhesive stamps furnished by the department for this purpose. Ordinary postage stamps cannot be used for this purpose, nor can these stamps be used for any other purpose. Postmasters will make the following deductions for the weight of sacks, viz.: No. 1 jute sack, two and a half pounds; No. 2 jute sack, two pounds; No. 1 cotton sack, three and a quarter pounds; No. 2 cotton sack, three ana a half pounds. On receipt of the postage the Postmaster will give a receipt from a book of blank forms furnished by the department. The stamps will then be affixed to the stub of the receipt and canceled by perforating them with a punch, and the blank spaces in the stub be fillec to correspond with the receipt. The stubbooks are to be kept permanently in the office, to be ready to be produced whenever demanded by the department. The Postmaster will render promptly at the end of each quarter, in blank forms furnished for the purpose, a statement of the postage collected from each publisher or news agent during the quarter. These special stamps will be charged to Postmasters, and accounted for in the same manner as ordinary postage stamps. Newspapers, periodicals and circulars deposited in a letter-carrier office for delivery by the office or its carriers are subject to postage at the following rates: On newspapers, regular or transient, not exceeding two ounces in weight, one cent each; on periodicals, regular or transient, not exceeding two ounces in weight, one cent each; on periodicals, regular or transient, exceeding two ounces in weight, two cents each; circulars, unsealed, one cent; weekly newspapers to transient parties, one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof. These rates must be prepaid by postage stamps affixed. Weekly newspapers to regular subscribers will be five cents per quarter. Under this section county papers pass by mail free to subscribers actually residing within the county, but when delivered at letter-carrier offices or by a letter-carrier they are subject to the rates of postage fixed in the laws and regulations, page 67, Sec. 158, namely: On publications not exceeding four ounces in weight, issued less frequently than once a week, one cent for each eopy, and when issued once a week five cents additional per quarter, and five cents additional per quarter for each issue more frequent than once a week. An additional rate shall be charged for each additional four ounces or fraction thereof. These rates must be paid quarterly before delivery of such matter, either at the office of mailing or delivery. When not so paid, postage must be collected on delivery of each copy at transient jwfes, viz.: One cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof. The foregoing instructions are to take effect on the Ist day of January, 1875, and to continue in force until modified or superseded by the department. In regard to the question where newspapers and other printed matter must be weighed for prepayment Of postage under the new* law on and after Jan. 1, 1875, it may be stated, by authority of the Postoffice Department, that the general rule requiring the weighing to take place at the rostoffice where the matter is mailed will be modified for convenience of publishers in any locality where It is shown to be desirable that weighing should be permitted elsewhere than at tne Postoffice. It is understood that New York newsjpaper publishers prefer the weighing to be done at the Postofflce, while at Chicago and other cities it is desired to have printed matter received and weighed at the railway depot. Each application for a modification of this rule will be decided on its individual merits.