The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-03-17
NEW LIGHT ON
POSTAL DEFICIT
PoSTOFFIcE DEPARTMENT COMES
NEARER
BEING SCI. SUPPORTING
THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE
GOVERNMENT SERVICE.

After thoroughly threshing out the
supposed causes of the postal deficit,
and considering the presidents atti-
tude on the subject, from the publish
ers point Of view, why not look at the
shortage in the second-claSs mail re-
ceipts in an entirely different light?
The postal service is of more real
benefit to the SO, 000, 900 people Of these
United States, than any other pu' lie
service department maintained by the
government.
Rapid means Of communication by
letter, at a low cost, is the very basis
of u present financial system. Wide
distribution of magazines, farm jOurn-
ais and trade papers, at prices within
the reach Of the masses, has been a
wonderful educational factor. Resi-
dents of rural or remote districts are
enabled to Keep in touch with the cur
rent issues of the day and learn the
views of the most intelligent writer's.
ioPuiai Iho5oLiiC PtiSCo Oh lhudC pOo-
sible by low cost Of distribution. An
increase in second-class mail rates
would without question force the pub
fishers Of many standard periodicals
to either increase Their selling price
or close their doors. A move of this
kind would mean a great loss to the
readers of America.
The Postal department Is nearer to
the people, and renders more real SER
vice than the departments of War.
Agriculture, or State.
Why then should the chief execu.
tive insist that this department be
conducted IN an absolute revenue pro
ducing basis? Why not demand that
the army and navy be made self-sup-
porting?
There is a current deficit Of $4,000
600 in the operations of the Postofice
department what does. the main
I tenance alone of our national defense
cost the United States Government?
The total actual expense of the war
department for 1908 was $40, $50, 1O2. "a;
and for the navy was sis, 444,9 5O.33.
The estimated appropriation for the
coming year is $3.50, 200, 900. Many
millions more are set aside for the I'M
provement of our rivers and harbors,
to keep up u diplomatic corps, for
estry service, and department OF State
and Agriculture. No one of these
comes as neal being self-supporting as
the Postal department.
For forty years or more the short
age in postal receipts has been a
thorn in the side of successful post
master generals. Recommendations
for in creased rates have been made
first in one place, then in another. 1t
is pointed out hat most European
countries have placed their postal SER
European countries allow free use OF
the mails to country weeklies, do they
permit their Legislators to send tons
Of free printed matter through the
mails annually and do they counte-
nance a wholesale distribution of seeds
in every congressional district, without
one cent of postage? Hands off, is
the cry. Do not touch u most veneer
able customs. Long usage OF the mails
in this way has established a prece.
dent. To tamper with these sacred
regulations would cause q storm Of
protest to sweep the country. Very
well then-let the government make
up the shortage, and do not expect the
business man to support time-honored
customs at the expense of his own pri-
vate affairs.
An enormous source of revenue, and
unfortunately one upon which the gov
eminent can have no accurate tab, is
the volume OF first-class business
which is created by the magazines.
Advertising is divided into two classes
as far as the publisher !, concerned
general publicity, which aims to in
duce customers to p~atronize retail
stores in person; and direct adver-
Using, which requires some cores
pondence between the publisher and
the prospective purchaser. before a
sale may be effected. Thousands Of re.
putable firms depend upon this latter
class Of advertising to secure bust
ness. Their Joctage expense alone
runs into thousands Ut dollars, an.
nually, instead OF going to pay the
salaries Of travelling statesmen. Put
the publishers out Of business and you
curtail the merchants volume of sales.
He a reach the public only through
advertising, and II the number of ad.
vertising mediums is greatly reduced
naturally, he is able to reach fewer
c~uafOmora hlow ofmoH NJ oocr,H