The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-12-06

the franking system could Be prevent
ed and consequently q marked econo-
my effected by supplying through the
agencies OF the postal service special
omcial envelopes and stamps for the
free mail Of the government, all such
envelopes and stamps to be issued on
requisition to the various branches Of
the federal service requiring them and
such records to be kept of all ofiicial
stamp suppliec as will enable the post
Office department to maintain q prop
er postage account covering the entire
volume Of free government mail.
As the first step In the direction Of
this reform special stamps and stamp
ed envelopes have been provided for
use instead Of franks In the free trans
mission OF the Official mail resulting
from the business OF the new postal
savings system. BY properly record
ing the issuance Of such stamps and
envelopes accurate records can be kept
OF the cost to the government OF han
ding the postal savings mail. which Is
certain to become an important item
Of expense and one that should be sep
arately determined.
In keeping with this plan 1t Is hoped
that congress will authorize the sub
stitution Of special official stamps and
stamped envelopes for the various
forms OF franks now used to carry
free Of postage the vast volume OF de-
partmental and congressional mail
matter. During the past year methods
Of accounting similar to those employ
ed in the most progressive of our busi-
ness establishments have been intro
duced in the postal service. and moth
ing has so impeded the departments
plans in this regard as the impossible
ity Of determining with any exactness
how far the various expenses OF the
postal service are increased by the
present unrestricted use Of the frank
ing privilege. It is believed that the
adoption Of a more exact method Of
dealing with this problem as proposed
Will prove to be Of tremendous ad-
vantage In the work Of placing the
postal service on a strictly business
like basis.
Second Class Mail Natter.
In my last annual message I invited
the attention of congress to the mad
equacy Of the postal rate imposed upon
second class mail matter in SO far as
that includes magazines and showed by
figures prepared by experts OF the
postofiice department that the govern
ment was rendering a service to the
magazines costing many millions In
excess Of the compensation paid.
An answer was attempted to this by
the representatives Of the magazines,
and a reply was fled to this answer
by the postofice department. The ut
ter inadequacy Of the answer, consid-
cred in the light Of the reply Of the
postofnce department, 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.
l agree that the question IS one OF
fact, but I insist that II the fact Is
as the experts Of the postoffice depart
ment show. that we are furnishing to
the owners Of magazines q service
worth millions more than they pay for
1t, then Justice requires that the rate
should be increased. The increase in
the receipts Of the department result
ing from this change may be devoted
to increasing the usefulness OF the de-
partment in establishing a parcels post
and In reducing the cost Of first class
postage to 1 cent.
It has been said by the postmaster
general that fair adjustment might
be made under which the advertising
part Of the magazine should be charged
for at q different and higher rate from
that Of the reading matter. This would
relieve many useful magazines that are
not circulated at a profit and would
not shut them out from the use Of the
malls by prohibitory rate.
... Parcels Post.
With respect to the parcels post
respectfully recommend its adoption
on all rural delivery routes and that
eleven pounds. the international limit,
be made the limit Of carriage In such
post. The same argument IL made
against the parcels post that was made
against the postal savings bank-that
1t il introducing the government into
a business which ought to be conduct
ed by private persons and Is paternal-
ism.
The postofiice department has great
plant and a great organization. reach
Ing into the most remote hamlet OF the
United States. and with this machinery
1t IL able to do a great many things
economically that II a new organiza-
ton were necessary It would be I'm
possible to do without extravagant ex-
penditure. That Is the reason why the
postal savings bank can be carried on
at a small additional cost and why It
Is possible to incorporate at very
inconsiderable expense a parcels post
In the rural delivery system.
the NAVY Department.