Publishers' Department.
By Editor
IMPORTANT TO THOSE REMAILING THE "SENTINEL."
WE are indeed thankful to our friends, and the friends of the cause of present truth, who have united with us during the past few months in giving the American Sentinel the largest circulation that it has ever enjoyed; but while we commend the efforts already put forth, we are compelled to say that more good might have been accomplished had one important feature of the work not been neglected in so very many cases. That to which we refer is the sending of a card or letter with the first paper sent, notifying the party to whom it is sent that he is to receive the paper for a few weeks, and remarking, incidentally, that it is to be free. This has in the past been insisted upon by those who have had charge of the work of remailing our periodicals, and it certainly should not be omitted, except in special cases. During the past three months we have received directly from persons to whom the Sentinel was being sent, and through postmasters, hundreds of requests to discontinue the paper, as they had never ordered it and did not wish it. Most of those who thus refuse the paper are evidently under the impression that a demand will be made upon them to pay for the paper, and they are offended at what they regard as a trick of the publishers to force them to take and pay for a paper for which they have not subscribed. Of course the note at the head of the last page ought to correct this impression; very few, however, read it, and some who do evidently do not believe it, and feel that an effort is being made to victimize them. The result is that they are prejudiced not only against the Sentinel but against the truths which it seeks to teach, so far as they have examined it to know what they are. Another evil which results from this neglect to write letters is that it makes enemies for us among the postmasters. Many of these papers are sent out by those who are entitled to pound rates of postage, and there is nothing to show that they do not come from the office of publication. In two or three weeks the papers are refused, and the postmaster notifies us to stop sending them, as it is his duty to do. But the names are not on our list, and we cannot stop. This offends the postmaster, for he thinks that we have intentionally disregarded an official notification. Of course we generally explain that we are not sending the papers, but as they bear no stamps appearances are against us. Sometimes we receive orders to send the Sentinel to certain addresses. This we of course do; but it not infrequently happens that even when a date several months in the future is plainly printed upon the little yellow address tab, the parties to whom the paper is sent, not knowing how they come to be receiving it, refuse to take it from the post-office. It is safe to say that in nine cases out of ten if a letter or card were written when the first paper is sent, or when the order is sent to us, the Sentinel would not only not be refused, but it would be read with a very different feeling from that with which it is received. It may cost a little more both in time and money to do this work as it should be done, but is that cheapest and easiest way always the best way? In such a matter as this it certainly is not. We firmly believe that it would be better to send out fewer papers, accompanied by letters or cards, than to send out a greater number as they have been sent during the past few months. We trust that our friends everywhere will inquire after "the old paths" in the matter of remailing periodicals, especially the American Sentinel, and make it a rule to always notify those to whom they either send papers or to whom they direct us to send them. PUBLISHERS AMERICAN SENTINEL.