New-York tribune., 1910-01-27
MAGAZINE POSTAGE
PUBLISHERS REPLY.
Blame for Deficit Laid on
Rural Free Deliuery.

The postal committee of the Periodical
Publishers Association Of America has is
sued pamphlet containing a brief sxsmi-
nation into the statements OF the admins
tration dealing with the current deficit in
the Postof5ce Department and the effect
of second class mail in causing the deficit
The committee, by aualyzing the reports
of the Postmaster General. answers the
charges made against the magazines and
suggests remedy as we'll as makes a de-
mand.
The administration reasons for urging
an increase in the second class rate OF
postage on periodicals other than daily
newspapers are set forth as follows. That
there is a current deficit OF s17,oo0.n1o in
the operations of the Postofice Depart
ment: that second class mail costs the post
Office s73.co0co0 and pays only 100000; that
the average haul of magazines is about
three and half times the average haul
OF newspapers, and that due 70 this longer
average haul IL costs five cents 10 trans
port a pound Of magazines as against two
cents TO transport a pound of newspapers.
while magazines carry more advertising
than newspapers and are heavier
According 70 the committee. the deficit in
the operations Of the Postofice Depart
ment Is not due to the second class mail.
but rather to the extension of the rural
free delivery. The reports of the depart
ment are authority for the figures which
are set forth to prove this statement.
In 1870 there was a deficit of PA OF its
turnover in the operations or the depart
nlent- Since that year the second class
mail matter has steadily increased. while
the deficit in the department decreased
until in 1902 it was "a per cent. the small
est percentage of deficit in eighteen years.
But the year 1902 saw the introduction OF
an added expense OF $4,000 for rural free
delivery With the cost of rural delivery
eliminated. there was a surplus OF sl1,000,O0o
in 1906, according to the reports Of the de-
partment, IL is declared.
The pamphlet OF the committee alleges
an error in accounting the weight OF sec
ond class mail matter. The figure of 1872
SO, ,967 pounds carried includes free second
class matter, while the true paid-at-the-
pound figure is given as. 6s4 500 SSi pounds,
or 12-3 per cent lower. The department
charges the magazines with SIS, Slo,000 as
its share OF the free delivery expenses.
while the committee declares that the
magazines would not be affected il rural
free delivery were discontinued. though
this charge, IL assessed, would annihilate
hundreds Of publishers. An improper aIlot-
ing to 900 is also charged TO the ac-
count of second class mail matter. accord
ing TO the committee.
The pamphlet also presents figures to
show that the magazines carry less adver-
tising proportionate to reading matter than
the newspapers. and that the newspaper
advertising is of local nature, while that
OF the magazines is of a nature to induce
correspondence and so benefit the depart
ment-
The pamphlet next gives the demand of
the magazines, whicn is that Congress shall
provide for a competent cost expert 10
work in the Postoffice Department, and
that this expert shall have full oppor-
tUnity to get what the department has
never produced. namely. the facts and fig
ures which show just how much the sec
ond class mail is costing the government
in excess Of the revenue ii produces.