Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26
MAIL MATTER RATES
RAILROADS SAID TO BE GETTING
TOO MUCH.

CHICAGO, December 26.-StatiStics COM
piled by the representatives of the United
Typothetae of America and the American
Weekly Publishers Association which or
CARNATIONS are vigorously fighting the
movement to increase the rates charged for
second-class mail matter, show that the
government is paying the railways three
times as much, on the average, for the
transportation of mail matter as the eX-
press companies pay the roads for like
services. On the basis of the POSTMASTER
Generals estimates the publishers assert
that the government during the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1907, will pay the roads al
most $50, 1000 more than the express COM
panies would pay them for hauling an
equal tonnage.
Printers Compiled Statistics.
The printers and publishers organiza-
tons compiled the statistics to show that
the government, for the purpose of reduc-
ing the annual post office deficit, rather
should reduce it's outlay for the transpor-
tation of mails than increase the rate for
second-class mail matter.
Zone of the chief needs of the govern
ment is an expert traffic manager, said
w. D. Boyce, a Chicago publisher yester-
day. 1T then would get as good rates as
the express companies.
This Post Office Department has been
working for some time past on the subject
of mail weight and compensation, but 1t is
not yet in position to make any definite
statement on the subject. The figures avail
able for mail weights are most of them
old and others depend largely on guess
work. The department has been having all
first-class and penalty mail weighed for
some time past and it is understood the
Postmaster General wishes to have the
whole of the, mail weighed for some time
SO as to give accurate figures on which to
base a report
Report to Congress.
There will be a report made to Congress
in February that may result in some
changes to railway compensation, but it
is not considered likely that there will be
any change in the rate OF the cent a
pound matter that will hurt the publishers
of legitimate newspapers. When Postmas-
ter General CorIelyOu was before the Sem
ate committee some time ago, he was
asked the direct question whether he ia
vored an increase of the second-class rate
from one cent to four, and he said that he
did not. This is about as much definite in
formation as is obtainable as to the atti-
tude of the department.
The whole matter of mail compensation
is decidedly involved. There is great deal
of difference in the care bestowed on mall
and express matter, and the congressional
commission which last investigated the
subject, after considering it for three years
admitted that they did not know much
more about it afterward than before. There
Is one matter likely to be revised when a
change is made, and that is in the rates of
payment for railway mail cars. The rates
were formulated when fortyfoot cars were
the rule, and extra payments were made
for lengths over that Now however, that
the standard car is sixty feet long, the or
ders for forty-foot cars are usually filed
with sixty-foot ones and this works
against any attempt by the department for
economy in this direction.