Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-06
CONGRESS 70 De URGED TO PASS
BILL CUTTING RATE IN
HALE.
DEFICIENCY THUS CREATED
TO BE TAXED TO MAGAZINES
Second Class Mail Service Costing
Country Nor. Than Any other Item,
in Postal Department It Penny
Postage Comes, Second Class Rates
Must Bs Raised.
Especial Correspondence

Especial correspondence
Washington, Dec 6.-Now that 1t has
become certain that the administration
will urge congress to pass a bill which
will make penny postage on letters
possible, calculations are being made to
see how this condition can be brought
about.
In order to give the country penny
postage on letters it will be necessary
for the postoffice department to make
little more than $4,000. 900 than it is
now getting in revenue, If the depart
ment is to be run upon a self-sustain-
ing basis.
Last year the receipts OF the depart
ment from first class postage amounted
to $132,302,s44. This means that II
penny postage becomes reality the re-
ceipts will be but half that sum, that
is, on first class matter The s66O0o.-
900 thus lost will have to be made up
in some other way or else the postal
service will become a far greater bur-
den on the treasury than it has ever
been
In 1909 the postal deficit amounted to
about $4,000, 600 Last year this was
Gus economies in the various branches
Of the service. 1t is the confident pre-
diction Of Postmaster General Hitch
cock that next year will find the deficit
entirely wiped out.
1t Will only be necessary therefore,
in order for congress to promise penny
postage, to raise one-half Of the re-
ceipts on first class matter.
nnIu n-> M>&Lol Hoo.;A>.>l
Only one method of increasing the
revenue Of the postal service is now
under consideration by the administra-
rate on second class matter. including
that on magazines.
Under the present system the sec
ond class mail service cost the country
about s7o.oGo. 900 more money than 1t
brings into the treasury each year. In
the year 1909 the loss from this ser
vice amounted to $4,000. 900. This was
just about S1O.000,o00 more than the
profits accruing to the government on
first class matter. II therefore. the
handling of second class matter can
be made to pay for itself the profits
from first class mail will be practical
~ enough to justify penny postage.
This is the way the experts in the
postoffice department reason out the
problem OF giving the people the adj
vantage Of cheaper mail service on
first class matter.
1t is certain that the administration
will again urge that the rates for car
rying magazines be raised. This was
put up 10 congress last year but no ac-
ton was taken. Instead OF making a
general recommendation this year. the
postoffice department will specifically
ask that the rates for delivering the
advertising section Of the magazines
be increased.
If given a higher magazine rate and
authority to make some other minor
reforms in the postal service. the post
master general believes that he can
raise enough money to put his penny
postage ideas into effect.
1t has been the ambition OF every
postmaster general in the last twenty
Ave years to first wipe out the postal
deficit, and then, to give the country a
cheaper rate on it's letters and other
first class mail matter From what
postal officials now say. this dream is
nearer realization than 1t has ever been
in the history of the department.