Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-07
FORT|FY PANAMA CANAL; IMPROVE
ARMY, IS TAFT'S MILITARY NOTE
Executive Calls for Commission to Determine Reorganization of
Regular Army and Volunteers and ReneWs Appeal for Mer
chant Marine, Calling Attention to Value in War

who are the most important subordinates Of
postmasters will add much to the efficiency
OF their offices and an economical adminis-
tration A large number OF the fourth class
postmasters now in tho classified service
think II would be wise to put In the classi-
fed service the first, second and third class
postmasters 1t is moro logical to do this
than to classify the fourth class postmas-
ters, for the reason that the fourth class
postoflces invariably small and the post
masters are necessarily men who must COM
bine some other business with the postmas-
tership, whereas the FIRST, second and third
class postmasters are paid sufficient amount
TO Justify the requirement that they shall
have no other business and that they shall
devote their attention to their postofhce du-
ties. To classify first. second and third
class postnasters would require the passage
of act changing the method OF their ap-
pointment so as to take away the necessity
for tho advice and consent Of the senate
am aware that this is inviting from the
senate concession In respect to It's quasi
executive powers that is considerable but
believe 1t to be in the interest OF good ad-
mnistration and efficiency OF service To
make this change would take the postmas-
ters out Of politics, would relieve congress-
men who are now burdened with the neces-
sity Of making recommendations for the
places OF responsibility that must be iri-
some and can create nothing but trouble:
hnu IL Woulo result IN securing greater at
tention to business greater fidelity and con-
sequenty greater economy and efficiency IN
the postofhces which they conduct.
Second Class Mail Matter
In my last annual message 1 invited the
attention OF congress to tho inadequacy of the
postal rate imposed upon second class mail
matter IN SO far that includes magazines,
and showed by figures prepared by experts
Of IA tAat ~.
ernment would be rendering assistance to
the magazines costing many millions in ex-
cess Of the compensation paid. An answer
was attempted to this by the representa-
tives of the magazines and a reply was
filed to this answer by the postoffice de-
partment. The utter inadequacy Of the an
ever considered In the light Of the reply
OF the postofnce department, I think must
appeal to any fair minded person Whether
the answer was all that could be said in
behalf Of the magazines is another question.
1 agree that the question is one Of fact but
1 Insist that IL the fact is as the experts OF
the postofhce department show, that We are
furnishing to the owners of magazines a
service worth millions more than they pay
for II, then Justice requires that the rate
should be increased. The increase in the re-
ceipts of the department resulting from this
change may be devoted to increasing the
fulness OF the department in establishing a
parcels post and in reducing the cost of
first class postage to cent 1t has been
said by the postmaster general that a fair
adjustment might be made under which the
advertising part OF the magazine should be
charged for at different and higher rate
than that from the reading matter This
would relieve many useful magazines that
not circulated for profit and would not
shut them out from the use Of the malls
by a prohibltory rate.