Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-28
CLAIM LOSS ON
2NDCLASS MAIL
POSTAL AUTHORITIES REPLY
TO PUBLISHERS
DECLARE PRINTED STATEMENTS
ARE MISLEADING
Make Rates on Magazines High
Enough and Letters Can Be
Carried for Cent, Says
Hitchcock
ASSOCIATED Pressl


WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-"Erroneous
or misleading is the way the post
Office department characterizes the
statement published by the Periodical
Publishers association, entitled IAN
Argument on Second Glass Postal
Rates from the Business Standpoint
Alone"
The answer of the department was
made public today. 1t declares the
based is faulty, and consequently every
important conclusion reached is fall
lacious.
Postmaster General Hitchcock de-
clares: IF the rate on second class
mail were made high enough to cover
the entire cost of transporting and
handling it, (which has not been sug-
gested, it would be possible, without
creating a deficit, to reduce the post
age on letters to l cent Every time
2-cent stamp is placed on a letter it
defrays not only the expense Of hand
ling and transporting the letter, but
helps pay in almost equal measure the
cost of distributing through the mails
the periodical publications of the coun-
try"
The departments statement is an
elaborate discussion of the cost to the
government of handling mail, particu-
larly second class matter, and by rural
free delivery.
1t is shown the average length of
the haul of magazines is 104S miles,
while that of daily newspapers, also
second class matter, is only 291 miles.
The department announces: 1.-The
conclusion there is no more expense to
the government in carrying magazines
an average distance of 104S miles than
in carrying newspapers 291 miles is so
palpably wrong as hardly to deserve
comment"
Publishers Protest Charge
It was con+ended by the publishers
that the second class matter should
not be charged with the proportionate
cost of rural free delivery assigned to
it by the department, because that
branch of the service was "a govern
mental policy" conducted at a great
loss. and because, further, the periodi-
calls have no need of that service.
In reply to TINS point, Postmaster
General Hitchcock says; "The depart
ment was conservative in charging sec
ond class mail 40.22 per cent of the cost
of rural delivery. Statistics show that
As per cent of the pieces of mail
handled in this service consists of
second class matter. Were 1T not for
the rural delivery service the circula-
tions of magazines would be materially
reduced"
In response to the publishers asser-
ton that with proper allowance for
rural delivery there is a surplus OF
more than $1O,O0O,O0O in all the opera
tions of the postoffices,'' Mr.. Hitch
cock declares, with equal force 1t
might be said, with proper allowance
for second class mail there is sur
plus of over $46,000,000 in all the opera
tions of the postal service Even If
there were no deficit, the fact the de.
partment is conducting one branch OF
its business at a loss Of 4'OOo'OVo
usually would demand attention."
1t is pointed out that the govern
ment is losing over 8 cents pouhu on
second class matter sent through the |
mails. the annual loss to the national
revenues approximating $64,OoO,OOo."
There are q, 900 publications enjoying |
the second class privileges, large |
proportion of which are magazines