Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-12
ALLEGED MAIL
RATE JUGGLING
Mr.. Murdoch Says Railroads Are
Being 0verpaid for Garry.
ing the Sacks.
CLAIMS S5,0o0,0O0 is WASTED.
Kansas Congressman Alleges Unro,,
Method of Weighing Mall Matter
Reform Proposed.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Washington. Jan. s.-Represenia-
tive Victor Murdoch of Kansas is "a.
ceiving many letters commencing him
for the movement he has inaugurataa
to reduce the amount of money na,d
to railroads by the government for Tho
transportation of mail. After looking
into the matter very closely Mr. Muir.
dock is convinced that the TAXPAYER,
are mulcted out OF approximately
100000 each year as result of the
system of mail weighing now In use.
He offers resolution calling on the
postmaster general for all valuable in.
formation in the premises and has In.
troduced a bill providing for a new
method of weighing and for the seal.
ing down of the rate of pay for the
use of mail cars, The house commit.
tee on postoffices and post roads az
which Mr.. Murdoch is a member ha,
taken cognizance of the matter and
1t is expected that it will report the
Murdoch bill or one based on the same
principles
PRESENT SYSTEM NOT SQUARE.
The government pays the railways
for transporting the mails on basis
determined by weighing the mails for
80 days. That is, the average weight
carried per day during this period Is
supposed TO be determined, and the
carriers are paid so much per pound
on that average. OF course this does
not accurately represent the daily av-
erage throughout the year. 1t has
been charged on more than one occa.
sion in the past that members of con.
gress who are interested in railways
have caused enormous quantities Of
frankable matter TO be sent through
the malls during the weighing period
thus increasing the daily average and,
of course. the aggregate compensation
of the railways This charge has never
been pushed to point that would de.
mand action by congress. but many
people believe it is true, nevertheless
HOW FIGURES ARE JUGGLED
There is another abuse which is even
more important, however. The proper
way to determine the daily averag
during the 90 days weighing peril
would be to divide the total nurabE
OF pounds of mail carried during Isl
time by 90, the total number of dsA
Instead of doing this, however b.
ure representing the aggregate weight
to be divided by rs, which is the fig
ure representing the total number o.
days in the Weighing period less the
number of Sunday in that period. OF
course this increases the daily average
unduly and by the same token the
total payments to the railroads,
which are based on that dail rage
On one route-that betweer York
and Buffalo via the Neg Cen
tral-the total amount thu terpaid
in 1905 is figured by Representatiye
Murdoch to have been $257,0OO
OF INTEREST TO PUBLISHERS
One feature of the matter which is
of particular interest to newspaper
publishers all over the country Is the
fact that If the existing methods were
changed in such a way as to save the
S5.000,000 per year which Is now vast
ed, according to the congressman from
Kansas, there would be no reason Tor
further agitation of the plan to In.
crease the rate on second class man
matter from l cent per pound TO
cents per pound. This plan has been
under consideration by the joint POI,
Office committees of the senate anu
house, and, while It is said to have
been originated as result OF a con
viction on the part of some memDeIs
that the magazines pay too litlie ior
transportation through the mails, lno
fact remains that law increasing inc
rate would affect newspapers as wen
and would work a great hardship III
many quarters.
PRESIDENT TAKES REST.
President Roosevelt has returned
from his visit to Pine Knob, his little
country place In Virginia, where No
went shortly after Christmas TOT
real rest. A part of his family N,
Guiding Mrs. Roosevelt, Accompanies
him. The Roosevelts spent their Chris,,
mas much as did everybody eiss 90,
Washington. No Christmas tree is se'
up at the White House, but the mem,
bers of the family exchange gitts, anu
everybody has a gloriously good tllne
This Christmas all the Roosevelt po!s
and girls were at home from schopl nv ~
helped the president to celebrate w
day. A family dinner was given Chtlsr
mas night, at which the on'y Sun
were Mr.. and Mrs Nicholas LongwoIl"
DOES NOT LIKE TITLES.
There is at least one government ON
cial in Washington who prefers 10 ~
called plain mister" than to De az AZ
dressed by any title. He Is John ":
Yerkes of Kentucky. commissions "
internal revenue. This Is the NoiS'
place for titles | ever saw" he saiu
disgustedly In discussing the mattel mattel
why, have even heard the coloI es
help around the treasury address,us
each other as Mr., Messenger OF ~"
Doorkeeper' or Mr.. Elevator Man.
am from Kentucky, but every un'o
anybody calls me colonel ! haNe ."
impulse to feel aggrieved. WehneNrt,,
man does call me that or Mr.. Commn'
sioner' turn around and call him ,ssn.
eral' or admiral or something OF ps
kind. don't want any titles III hiiN'