Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-28


the revnue derived from such matter doe.
not exist. II II did exist, no inquiry would
be necessary TO determine whether the
several classes OF mail matter we're pay.
ing revenue in proportion to the cost In.
CURED in handling them. On such a theory
II no revenue whatever were derived from
second-class mail. It would not cost any
Trims . handle it in the postoffice.
Again, the associations represenativ,
asserts that no part Of the expense foi
rent. light and fuel for postoffices should
be charged to ~second-class matter, bu'
gives no reason for this contention. TIL,
amount paid for postoffice quarters Is reg
ulated In general by the amount OF floor
space required Owing to the great bulk
Of second-class matter a larger percentage
Of space is needed for its handling than
for any other class of mail There is nc
good reason why It should not bear q
share In the expense for rent, light anJ
fuel proportionate to the amount OF hand
ling it receives in postoffices.
Rural Delivery Proper Charge.
The associations representative con-
tends, also, that ~second-class matter
should not be charged with the proper
tlonate cost Of rural delivery assigned to
II by the department, the reason urged
being that the rural delivery is a govern
mental policy and Is being conducted at a
great loss, and. further, that the period
calls have no need Of that service.
The contention that second-class mail
should not be charged with its proportion
ate share of the cost OF rural delivery Is
most unreasonable. Rural delivery Is no
more "A governmental policy than city de-
livery. These two services perform SINH
lar functions, one making delivery to n
rural and the other to the city population
The department was conservative In
charging to second class mail 1923 per cent
Of the cost Of rural delivery. Statistics
show that IS per cent of the pieces of mail
handled in this service consists of second
class matter. Were it not for the rural
delivery service the circulation Of the mag
azines would be materially reduced.
Turning Deficit Into "a Surplus.
THE associations representative states
With proper allowance for rural delivery
service there is a surplus Of over $40, 600, 900
in all the operations of the postoffice.'
The reason given for emitting rural de-
livery service seems to be thai it Is un-
profitable. With equal force 1t might be
'e piOpNi aiAOWdAlO0 TOT SECOND
class mall there Is a surplus Of over 49,
0O,OO0 In all the operations of the postal
service Even If there were no deficit
the fact that the department is conduct
one branch Of its business at a loss
OF S64,OoO,OO annually would demand atten-
ton.
Periodicals Never Decreased Deficit.
1T is Implied In the associations argu-
ment that the decrease in the deficit be
tween 1870 and 1902 was the result of the
increase in quantity OF second-class mail.
This is man''estly faulty, because It as
only two selected facts and totally
disregards all other elements affecting the
and expenditures Of the service.
demonstrated loss OF more than s
cents a pound in handling ~second-class
mail makes 1t clear the the deficit de-
creased in spite Of, and not because of,
the increase in the quantity OF such mail.
great growth Of the profitable bust
ness of the department during the period
cited was more than sufficient TO offset
the increased loss from the Improbable
second-class mail.
No Change in Estimate
The departments estimate Of the cost
of handling and transporting the several
classes Of mail matter was based pri-
marily on the data procured with such
great care by the special welghings and
of mail In 1896 and 1901 Each
process Of computation entering into the
results obtained has been verified in a
most painstaking manner by officers of
the service having expert knowledge OF
the subject. A thorough analysis Of the
argument advanced by the Periodical Pub
fishers association regarding the depart
ment's figures discloses nothing to Justify
their modification in any essential par
ticular. The government Is losing over 8
cents a pound on second-class matter
sent through the mails, the annual loss
to the national revenues from this cause
apProximating $64,OOO,OCO. Under present
conditions this loss is bound to grow
larger from year to year. Surprising as
it may seem, there are now about 1900
publications in this country enjoying the
second-class privilege, a large proportion
Of which are magazines, and the number
is rapidly increasing.
THE vast sum the taxpayers of the
are annually expending in order
to permit the distribution Of these period
lcals through the mails at a rate of post
age so far below the cost to the govern
ment could be applied in other ways for
the benefit of the postal service with much
greater advantage to the public generally.
example, If the rate on second class
mail were made high enough TO cover
the entire cost Of transporting and hand
ling 1t, which has not been suggested, It
would be possible, without creating a
deficit, to reduce the postage on letters
from 2 cents to 1 cent. Every time a 2
cent stamp is now placed on a letter it
defrays not only the expense Of handling
and transporting the letter. but helps 10
pay in almost equal measure the cost Of
distributing through the mails the period
lcal publications of the country"
Sore Lungs and Raw Lungs.
Most people know the feeling, and the
state Of III health it indicates.