The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-07


 through investigations recently insti- tuted by the department. While has heen impossible without better control of franking to determine the exact expense to the government of this practice, there can be no doubt that It annually reaches into the mil- lions. It is believed that many abuses of the franking system could be pre- vented, and consequently marked economy effected, by supplying through the agencies of the postal service spe- cial official envelopes and stamps Tor the free mail of the government all such envelopes and stamps to be ls- sued on requisition to the various branches of the federal service requir- ing them, and such records to be kept of all official stamp supplies as will en- able the postoffice department to nam tain a proper postage account covering the entire volume of free government mail As the first step in the direction of this reform special stamps and stamped envelopes have been provided for use instead of franks in the free transmission of the official mail result ing from the business of the new postal savings system. By properly recording the issuance Of such stamps and envel- opes accurate records can be Kept of the cost to the government of handling the postal savings mail. which is cer- tain to become an important item of expense and one that should be separ- ately determined. In keeping with this plan 1t is hoped that Congress will authorize the substitution of special official stamps and stamped envelopes for the various forms of franks and congressional mail matter. During the past year methods of accounting simi- lar to those employed in the most pro- gressive ol our business establishments have been introduced in the postal ser vice and nothing has so fmpeded the departments plans in this regard as the impossiblity ofq determining with any exactness how far the various expenses of the postal service are increased by the present unrestricted use of the franking privilege. It Is believed that tn e adoption of a more exact metho of dealing with this problem is pro- posed will prove to be of tremendous advantage in the work of placing the postal service on a strictly business like basis.
 Second-cIass Mail Matter
 Tn my last annual message I invited the attention of Congress to the made quacy of the postal rate imposed upon second class mail matter in so far IS that includes magazines, and showed by figures prepared by experts of the posto.fice department that the govern ment was rendering a service to the
 
 excess of the compensation paid. An answer was attempted to this by the representatives of the magazines. and reply was filed to this answer by the postoffce department. The utter inadequacy of the answer considered in the light of the reply of the post office department 1 think must appeal to any fair-minded person. Whether the answer was all that could be said in bshalf of the magazines is another question. I agree that the question Is one of fact; but I insist that if the fact Is as the experts of the postoffice department show, that we are furnish ing to the owners of magazines ser vice worth millions more than they pay for it, then justice requires that the rate should be increased. The in crease in the receipts of the department resulting from this change may be de- voted to increasing the usefulness of the department in establishing a par cels post and in reducing the cost of first-class postage to cent It has been said by the Postma ster General that fair adjustment might be made under which the advertising part of the magazine shoud be charged for at a different and higher rate from that of the reading matter. This would re- lieve many useful magazines that are not circulated at a profit. and would not SHuL them out rom Ine use or the mails by a prohibitory rate.
 Parcels Post
 With respect to the parcels post. l | respectfully recommend it's adoption on all rural delivery routes, and that II | pounds-the International limt-be | made the limit of carriage in such post, | and tEis with a view to it's general ex- tension when the income of the post office will permit it and the postal savings banks shall have been fully | established. The same argument is made against the parcels post that was made against the postal savings bank that 1t is introducing the government into business which ought to be con- ducted hy private persons and is pater- nalisGl. The postoffice department has a great plant and 9 great organiza- ton, reaching into the most remote hamlet of the United States, and with this machinery it Is able to do a great many things economically that if a new organization weIe necessary it | would be impossible to do without ex- travagant expenditure This Is the req son why the postal savings bank can be carried on at small additional cost, and why 1t Is possible to incorporate al | o very inconsiderable expense a par cells post in the rural delivery system. general parcels post will involve much greater outlay.
 NAVY DEPARTMENT
 In the las. annual report of the Sec retary of the Navy and in my annual | message. attention was called to the | new detail of officers in the navy de- pertinent by which officers of flag rank | were assigned to duty as aides to the secretary in respect to naval operation | personnel, Inspection and material | This change was substantial com | plianoe with the recommendation of | the commission on naval reorganiza- ton, headed by MT. Justice Moody, and | submitted to President Roosevelt on | February 26, 1909. Through the advice | of this committee of line officers, the | Secretary is able to bring about a proper coordination of all the branches | of the naval department with greater | military efficiency. The Secretary of | the Navy recommends that this new or | ganization be recognized by Legislation | and thus made permanent. l concur in | the recommendations.
 The secretary, in view Of the conclu- | sions of recent court of inquiry on cer- | tain phases of marine corps administra- ton, recommends that the major general | commandant of the marine corps be ap- pointed for four years term, and that | officers of the adjutant ana inspector 5 l department be detained from the line. He also asks for legislation to improve the | conditions now existing in the personnel of officers of the navy, particularly with regard to the age and experience of flag officers and captains, and points out that it is essential to the highest efficiency of the navy that the age of our officers be reduced and that nag officers, par