Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-12-05

making three-fifths of the mail in
weight, it furnished only one twenty
eight part Of the revenue. The trans
portation Of the mails is paid for
chiefly by weight. The enormous dis.
proportion of return to cost in second
class matter is thus apparent at a
glance.
1t is difficult to determine accurate
ly the exact ratio which the cost of
handling and carrying the second
class mail bears to the aggregate cost
Though three-ffths in weight, it mani
testify could not be fairly charged
with the same proportionate share of
the cost. A considerable portion of it
is handled in bulk. Or the other side,
the cost in time, space and labor in
handling individual pieces of second
class mail is greater than that of the
irst-class. To reach the best at
tainable estimate, superintendent of
the railway mail service and 80 post
masters of representative cities,
were asked to give their judgment,
based upon the practical work of
their respective branches, as to what
proportion Of their total expense is
justly chargeable to second-class mat
tier. The railway mail service
answered 80 per cent The answers
Of the postmasters range from 10 per
cent. to 40 per cent, though most of
them vary but little from 20 per
cent. Taken altogether, the average
Is 20 per cent, and this may be ac-
cepted as the substantially correct
ratio. But this is the relative cost
only in the post-ofices. 1t takes no
account of transportation. In that
! branch weight is the decisive item
! Including this service with the other
estimate, it is extremely conservative
to say that the secOnd-class mail,
which makes three-fifths of the weight
of the mails, may fairly be charged
With one-fOurth of the cost. This,
declares Mr.. Smith, certainly under
states rather than overstates the
truth. The cost of the mails for the
last fiscal year was $115, 554 800. One
fourth Of that amount is $28, 1888, 730.
i
was $4,294,445, leaving an actual net
cost and loss to the government of
$24,594,285.
Throwing aside all the expense of
handling and combining the examina-
ton to the single item of traspOrta-
| ton, the result may be more definitely
stated and is no less striking The
expense of carrying the mails, making
the whole cost diyisible by the
whole volume, has in the past been
generally reckoned at 8 cents pound.
It is now believed that this figure is
excessive. A more accurate weighing
and a closer analysis place the cost of
carrying the mail as a whole at 6
cents a pound, and, making all allow
ances, put the cost on second-class
matter at about cents a pound.
This figure is clearly within the
truth The second-c class mail mat
ter which paid the pound rate
amounted for the last fiscal year to
( 429, 444 BIB pounds. At cents
pound it cost $21.472,228 to carry it.
It paid in postage s4,294445, leaving
a net loss to the government of ST.
277,783 on transportation alone.
If the mail thus carried at a heavy
loss were limited to what the law in
tended, there would be nothing more
to be said. In that case it would be
a deliberate and rational public ex-
penditure for well-defined, justifable
and worthy public object, and taking
the service as q whole there would
| be no loss at all. Our free institu-
| tions rest on popular intelligence,
and it has from the beginning been
our fixed and enlightened policy to
| foster and promote this general diff
fusion of public information. Con-
gress has wisely framed the postal
laws with this just and liberal con-
teeption. It has uniformly sought to
encourage intercommunication and
the exchange of intelligence. AS
| facilities have Cheapened it has gradu-
ally lowered all postage rates. 1t has
never aimed to make the postal serv-
ice a source of profit, but simply to
make it pay it's own way and to give
the people the benefit Of all possible
advancement. In harmony with this
sound and iudici0us policy it has de-
iiberately established low rate of
postage for general newspapers and
periodicals, with the express design
Of encouraging and aiding the distri-
button of the recognized means and
agencies Of public information. It
is not a matter Of favor, but of ap-
proved judgment. 1t is not for the
publishers, but for the people. But
ia adopting this special rate for a
legitimate public end congress has
sought TO restrict its privilege to
legitimate publications with mani
fest public aim and a clear public
demand. It never meant to open the
food gates for an inordinate stream
of purely private enterprises which
have no public object whatever with
In the contemplation of the law, and
which have seized upon the low rate
of postage solely for private profit at
the public expense.
Intent OF the Law.
The intent of the law, continues Mr..
Smith. IS clear from its terms. 1t
seeks to define boundaries and to
prescribe conditions which shall
limit the privilege to the kind of pub
locations really designed to be in
Guided. First of all, it provides that
to be entitled to the second-class
rate the publication must be ''origi-
mated and published for the dissent