Providing for the Application and Recording in the Bureau of Posts of Names and Addresses of Officials of Newspaper Publications

February 4, 1916

ACT NO. 2580

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND RECORDING IN THE BUREAU OF POSTS OF THE NAMES AND POST-OFFICE ADDRESSES OF EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, MANAGERS, OWNERS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF NEWSPAPER PUBLICATIONS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the editor, publisher, business manager or owner of every newspaper, magazine, periodical or other publication, to file with the Director of Posts not later than the first day of April and the first day of October of each year, on blanks furnished by the Director of Posts, a sworn statement setting forth the names and post-office addresses of the actual editor, managing editor, publisher, business managers, and owners, and, in addition, the stockholders, if the publication be owned by a corporation; and also the names of known bondholders, mortgagees, or other security holders; and also, in the case of daily newspapers, there shall be included in such statement the average of the number of copies of each issue of such publication sold or distributed to paid subscribers during the preceding month: Provided, however, That it shall not be necessary to include in such statement the names of persons owning less than one per centum of the total amount of stock, bonds, mortgages, or other securities.

SECTION 2. The provisions of the foregoing section shall not apply to religious, fraternal, temperance, and scientific, or other similar publications.

SECTION 3. A copy of the sworn statement mentioned in section one shall be published in the second issue of the newspaper, magazine, or other publication concerned, printed next after the filing of such statement. Any such publication shall be denied the privileges of the mail if it shall fail to comply with the provisions of this Act within thirty days after notice by registered letter of such failure by the Director of Posts.

SECTION 4. Any editor, publisher, business manager or owner of a newspaper, magazine, periodical or other publication who shall knowingly file with the Director of Posts any untrue or false statement of the information required to be so filed in section one hereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand pesos nor more than five thousand pesos and imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than two years.

SECTION 5. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this Act, the same shall take effect on its passage. IHCacT

Enacted, February 4, 1916.