The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-08-13
THEN POSTAL TELEGRAPH SER.
VICE WILL SURELY FOLLOW
VIEWS OF An OFFICIAL
Who Believes That Universal One.
Cent Postage for Letters and
Newspapers 10 Near at Hand.
Use In England.

Nhsnlhkton, aug L. lHousn
postal telegraph may not come for
some years yet on account of eX.
listing telegraphic commercial condi.
tious and the promises OF wireless
telegraphy said an official who has
been prominent in such matters for a
OF years. all the signs are
favorable for its ultimate adoption.
It will be preceded, however, by al
universal postage OF cent for letters
and newspapers In this country. The
fact that the postotfice department
does not favor reduction of letter
postage to | cent, or l-cent trans
mission for newspapers, does not
count as much as may be supposed
to an universal postage of | cent now
than II was to the reduction OF pos
tage to . cents for letters some years
since. All kinds of dire predictions
were furnished by the department
against the reduction to : cents, tn"
heaviest OF all being that 1t would
not pay. The experience Of years
has shown to the contrary. though
of course, the postoffice service as
a business does not and probably
never will pay its own expenses. The
reduction to cents as an incident
to the service does pay, however
and should not be complicated with
the rural free delivery service, which
is too new to show what can be done.
though admittedly expensive. The
postal card, taken all In all, has pald
hand somely. So. also, has the stamp
ed newspaper wrapper. Both were
strongly opposed by the postoifice de-
partment for years. The strong ar
gument against the adoption OF the
former-for It was In use for a mum
her of wears i'm England and in Eu
rope before we took 1t up, was that
peoule would not send communlca'
tlons on an open card. The millions
in use annually has answered that
objection suniciently IL happened
that was among those who argued
the adoption of the postal card, as
did the stamped newspaper wrapper
have lived to see both great sue
cess.s and think that | will live
long enough to see the universal pos
tage of cent go into operation. Eng
land has but recently adopted the
letters throughout the kingdom oil
Great Britain. and while ! do not care
much for what they may do, this Is
very significant deed, for England
seldom goes into any operation or en-
terprise unless they are very liable
to pay.
Congress has not had up the ques'
ton of universal postage Tor some
years. but It is not a new one by any
means. Charles summer of Massa
chusetts was the pioneer in that di
rection over thirty years ago. IL
argued a reduction to | cent when
cents was the letter rate, and while
he did not succeed his efforts brought
the postage down TO cents.
thought then, and | think now, that
an universal postage of | cent was
the thing to do then, and that II
would have been even a greater sue
cess than the halfway step OF cents
The experience of all countries Is
| that a reduction of postage increases
| the number of letters so that what Is
| lost In the rate Is more than made NJ
/ in the increased amount OF mail sent
| Parcels post in universal use in Eu
rope will undoubtedly come in time
notwithstanding the opposition of the
express companies, but the prelimi
nary step will have TO be an univer
sal postage OF l cent for letters and
newspapers"
l. IL.