Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-18
FOR new POSTAGE RATE.
Third Asst. Post. Gen, Recommends One Of
-Four Gents Pound for Certain Matter
Includes All Publications Not ADMIT
ted TO second Class vail, Except
Newspapers.

Washington, Nov. 1S.-Edward C..
Madden, third assistant postmaster
general, in his annual report just made
public, recommends the establishment
Of the following new postage rates: A
Lew rate at four cents a pound on all
publications not admitted TO the sec
ond class mail except daily tri-weekly,
stmi-weekly and weekly newspapers IN
the generally understood sense of the
word newspaper. This rate is 10 be
paid on the bulk weight without regard
90 the number Of pieces, the same as is
now the case under the pound rate.
The consolidation Of the third and
fourth class of mail matter, and that
the postage thereon be at the rate Of
enc cent for each two ounces or frac-
ton thereof, to be prepaid by stamps
affixed.
Congress also is asked to authorize
the postmaster general to accept under
suitable regulations meilings Of large
quantities OF Identical pieces of printed
matter and small articles of merchan-
disc without the necessity OF afiXing
postage stamps TO the individual pieces.
The recommendation for the four
cents a pound rate Is an outgrOwth OF
the investlga ton into the abuses OF the
second class mail privileges. Mr.. Mad
den says that many OF the cheaper
class OF periodicals would be given
away II the law would permit. The
practice, II Is said, is TO maintain the
fiction OF a subscription price and to
give back its equivalent In premium.
The solution Of the whole problem, he
says. is that new postage rate be
created and applied TO all publications
now admitted to the ondclass ex-
cept dallies, tri-weekly, semi-weeky
and weekly newspapers from the sense
the word newspaper is generally under
stood. Mr.. Madden says: mo one Will
question the public benefit OF genuine
newspapers and for these an absolute
liz free rate might be- granted II the
privilege could be properly confined.
But am constrained to say that II IL
rnjustIfable to longer tax the people
for any part Of the cost Of distribution
IN the mails Of any other class Of per-
iodical publications
Concerning the public impression that
one cent postage Is probable In the
o. .-- s-.v-~ - N'odf~- Ha-e q -
together too soon TO consider reduce
t ... ~ tac .D..-G adtt t. post~s- "a
the mere basis that the reforms In Sec
ond class mail matter viii save enough
10 the government 10 compensate II for
the loss Of revenue through the redue-
ton Of the letter rate.
Had the proposed four cents per
mound rate and this anticipated rate ~
one cent per one half ounce for letters
existed during the last fiscal year" Mr..
Madden says. "the result. based uron
an estimate would have been an aggre-
gate estimated deficiency Of 100000.
Thus. even under an increase In the
rate Of postage on periodicals. as rec
commended. Il will not be practicable 20
establish a one cent letter rate before
the postal service Is thoroughly adjust
ed not only to the reforms I'm second
class mail matter. but also 10 the enor-
nous expenditures necessary TO COM
pie,ely and satisfactorily establish tie