New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-22

, bility and benefits 10 be derived from a.
general parcels post system be authorizes
and that an appropriation ~ NU'OO) DO
made to meet the expenses thereof ne
urges that provision be made for postal
notes o. fixed amounts and not 20 exceed
80 I'm value He urges that official stamps
be substituted for the present ranking
system. which has been productive OF grave
abuses. lie urges a simple postal suoVeh-
ton measure 10 effect the establishment or
direct and reasonably expeditions ocean
mail service TO Panama, South America
the Philippines. the orient and Australasia.
He asks authority 20 deal more hoeraly
with postal employees injured in the Iine
NJ their duties. He urges a higher rate
~ hostage for the advertising pages or
periodicals admitted to second class matter
nointing out that all second class matter
is now carried at loss OF oHy i'ec-
| ton under cents pound.
The Postmaster General points out that
whereas In 1905 there was loss In the
handling Of second class matter OF W.
GOO 600 frst and fourth class matter yielded
profts OF 900 and 100000 respective
| w. and from these figures Mr.. HitchcooA
is led TO predict that II Congress can be
induced to follow his recommendations ana
take the steps necessary TO curtail the loss
OF second class matter there is every
reason to believe that first class maii-that
is sealed letters, etc.-can soon De cal
rod for one cent an ounce. instead or
two, and without creating dehcit' COM
nariny the service rendered by the post
office in carrying magazines and In carry
ing newspap ers Mr.. Hitchcock shows that
on an average the government hauls mag
azines three and one half times as far as
newspapers. and miscellaneous periooicais
four times as far and yet the charge for
transporting magazines and periodicais Us
the same as for carrying newspapers
namely, one cent pound.
And how far will this enterprising ana
efficient head Of the postal service sue
coed in accomplishing the reforms ne mas
mapped out7 All, there's the run. IL all
depends on the board Of directors. III ne
were working for a corporation whose oi-
rectors merely wanted results VINO ap-
preciated efficiency and economy and VINO
as most any old board OF directors ~ouio-
felt that the showing already MADE war
ranted them in giving such business
manager full swing TO achieve further re-
suits Mr. Hitchcock would accomplish
all these things But as matter OF iact
he is working for a board or directors
composed OF 4S3 members They are gen.
arelIv known as Senators and Representa-
t,ves And on this board are many men
actua,sd nv other motives than a desire
for efficiency and economy. The factor
" hich controls their actions is popularity
and they spell It with big 'P.
MANY OF Mr. Hitchcock's reforms are not
popular. chiefly because they are not wei
understood. Moreover. the stockholcers
Tho elect these directors don't care whit
FIR economy. On, yes, they may think
,bav do They like Il I'm the abstract OF
course but as a concrete proposition they
do not. Every member Of Congress knows
what popularity is. That is how he got 10
Congress. And he knows that the people
of his district will re-elect him II he gets a
lob for "Bnl Jones's son or the Wido"
Smiths daughter. even though the salaries
they draw are just so much dead loss 10
the Arm OF Uncle Sam & Co."
Tb.v know. too. that when their con-
..i,uents read in a popular magazine that
n Is "a shame and an outrage and In the
,ntersst OF the system" for the government
IN increase the rate OF postage on the ad-
, vertis,nz pages of said magazines they
, will believe It; and that when those same
= constituents are told by some blatant DEM
/ azogue On the Quachautau circuit that II IL
, SOLELY IN the interest Of the system that
the Postmaster General is trying to get
| adequate mail service 10 South America
and the Orient they will believe that, too.
That is why IT is a question II Mr. Hitch
{ cock will achieve the reforms for which ne
is working, despite the fact that he has the
, ardent and answering sympathy and sup
port Of President TAFT.