New-York tribune., 1910-12-07

masters out OF politics: would reliev. Con-
Eressmea who now are burdeusd with In.
necessity OF making recommendations for
these places Of a responsibility that rnrr-
he irksome and can create nothing BIZ.
trouble and II would result fn securing
from postrnasters greater attention -
business. greater fidelity, and consequently
greater economy and efficiency in the posi-
Offices which they conduct
Tn. Frsnkins Privilege
The unrestricted manner in which ~.
franking privileges Is now being used By
the several federal services and by Con-
p es< has laid it open 10 serious abuses.
a fact clearly established through investi-
cations recently instituted By the depart
rnent While IL has been impossible with
out better control Of franking TO d.
terrnine the exact expense to the govern
Inent of this practice. there can be no
doubt that il annually reaches into the
millions. II is believed that many abuses
OF the frankins system could be prevented
and cor sequentiy a marked economy ef-
fected, by supplying through the agencies
of the postal service special Official envei-
ores and stamps for the free mail OF IN.
government. all such envelopes and stamps
10 be issued on requisirion 20 the various
branches of the federal service requiring
them. and such records 70 be kept OF al
official stamp supplies as viii enable ths
Postoffice Department TO maintain a prop
or hostage account covering the entire VOL
time OF free government mail rs The
first step in the direction OF this reform.
special stamps and stamped envelopes
have been provided for use instead of
franks in the free TRANSMISSION OF the
official mail resulting from the business 0t
the new postal savings system By prop
erIv recording the issuance OF such stamps
and envelopes accurate records can b.
kept of the cost 10 the government o.
handling the postal savings mail. when
is certain 20 become an iHportanr item of
expense and one that should be separately
determined. In keeping with this Plan Il
is hoped that Congress viii authorize ire
s,,bs4itutiou of special official stamps and
stamped envelopes for the various forms
of franks now used TO carry free OF post
age the vast volume OF departmental and
Congressional mail matter During me
rasr year methods OF accounting similar
Ia those eupIoyed in the most pTosTessivs
of o,1- business esta taoIiShmenfs have oeen
introduced in the postal service, and notn-
ing has SO irupeded the department.
plans in this regard as the lmPosslDtil1s
of determining with any eXactness now
f,- tho vario,,s expenses OF the postal SER
v,ira are Increased By the present unre-
stricted 1se Of the franking privtisge. IL
is believed that the adoption Of a more
exact method OF dealing with tF1ts PROB
lem as proposed will prove 20 be Of tTe-
,nendo,is advantage IN the work OF piac-
ing the postal service on a strictly husl-
ueSSIike basis
Second Class Mail Matter
In nv last annual message I invited tHs
attention OF Congress 10 the iuadequaey OF
the postal rate imposed upon second class
mail matter in 50 far as that fnciudes
magazines. and showed by figures pTepaTed.
BY experts of the Postofice Departmens
that the government was rendering a ser
vice 70 the magazines. costing many nix
lions in excess OF the compensation Paid.i
A. answer was attempted 10 this oT ths
representatives OF the magazines. and q
rerIv was filed to this answer BY the Post
office Department The utter tradequzcT
of the answer. considered IN the light @
the replv 81 the PostofTice Department.
think must appeal TO any fair minded per
son Whether the answer was At tnal
could be said in behalf of the magazines -
another question 7 agree that the question
IS one OF fact. but I insist that + tn7 fart
iz as the experts Of the PostotIce Depart
ment show. that we are furnishing - tho
owners OF magazines a service worth MI
lions more than they pay for Il then 1us-
tice requires that the rate should es n
creased. The increase in the receipts of me
department resulting from this cnanss may
be devoted TO increasing the usefulness ot
the departTnent IN establishing 2 ParCes
most and in reducing the cost Of flrst class
postage TO one cent. II has been SAID "
the Postmaster General that a fair ADJUST
nerr might be made under which the ad-
vertising part Of the magazine should -
charged for AT A different and higher rats
from that of the reading matter. tnis
would relieve many useful magazines that
are not circulated at a pro1t, and wolld
not shut them out from the use OF tns
mails by a prohibitory rate
Parcels Post
with respect TO the parcels post -
spectfully recommend its adoption CT 80