The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-16
PARCELS POST
IS FAVORED
Postmaster General Hitchcock Wants
Experiment Made Next Year on
Some Rural Delivery
Routes.
ADJUSTING MAIL RATE
trying to Furnish the Best Postat
Service Possible Without In
ereasins the Present
Rates.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.--H POST
master General Hitchcock succeeds in
convincing congress OF the justice of
his position he will get legislation at
the coming session affecting second.
class postage rates, making change
In the method Of compensating rail-
roads for carrying the mails and pro-
viding for the establishment of an en-
perimental parcel post on rural routes
and In cities.
Mr.. Hitchcock wants 1t clearly UNI
derstood he Is not seeking to iniure
the publishers, whine insisting on a
readjustment of second-class postage
rates
1--WE have heard some hard things
said Of the department about the sec
ond-class mail question: said the
postmaster general There has been
much said in the way of misrepresen-
tation, due, let us believe, to selfish
interest or to misinformation.
we are not trying to increase the
rates Of postage and we are not try
| ing to run the department at prof
| it. We are not trying to roll up big
surplus for personal aggrandizement.
What we are trying to do is to fur
i nish the best postal service possible
! at no greater cost.
We don't believe it right that the
general public should be denied piivi-
leges 1t might, have, OF that it shoald
be unfairly taxed for special inter-
! est We are not unmindful of the in
1 J;er bla nJ, ,tap nf fha
4 to the country for educational and
other purposes but we do think the
J time has come for a reasonable dis
crtmination.
December / the presidents spe-
cial commission, the personnel OF
which cannot be questioned, will be
prepared to submit its report upon
this troublesome question. Aside from
[ the question of postage rates, it is the
purpose to submit to congress rec
t ommendation for the revision of the
+ statutes, especially those affecting
/. second-class mail matter
t Our experience in limited way in
, the dispatch of magazines by fast
freight has taught that the estimated
cost Of former years for the trans
/ portation of second class mail matter
, must be reduced. We do net want a
{ high rate of postage, but we do want
, TO reduce expenses-an and we are sue
, ceeding.
, "our main object is to readjust the
t rates so as not TO tax the whole pub.
lie for it's mail matter that special
. class and comparatively small class,
{ NAV have its mail matter carrieA at
, less than cost Personally, | am more
!, anxious to reduce the cost of postage
; on the mail matter carried for the
whole people than l am to increase
. the rate on second-class mail matter.
Careful investigation by the de-
partment has shown that the method
) of computing the pay OF railroads for
carrying the mail is unscientific and
t unreliable. For years there has been
, comment reflecting upon the depart
, ment's dealings with railroads in the
matter of mail transportation. We
, have given the subject the most care
full consideration and are convinced
r the only just and scientific way to es
i innate the compensation is to pay for
a the car space actually used for that
S purpose.
r Discussing the parcels post, Mr.
/ Hitchcock. said: We have success
!. fully naugurated a postal savings
system. and its operation is admir-
able. In the same way we can inaugu
rate a parcels post system. To at
tempt to take over the express bust
ness of the country at one bounc
, would be disastrous. 1t would close
the mails and inflict irreparable in
jury upon the business interests
n which must above all things be guar
anteed a safe and certain service o
unwavering regularity.
But we can prepare to take owe
this service. We can confine 1t at tn
rs outset to local mail only on thos
Is routes. Gradually, we can equip an
e- organize the service to meet the dc
y mands and then extend it. In tn
ST same way we can begin such a SCI
ie vice n the free delivery cities.
n Last year a recommendation wa
is sent to congress providing for an al
" preparation for experimental servic
lie of this kind 1t never got out of tn
II committees to which it was referret
le This year we have asked for specif
90 appropriations and congress mus
Concluded on page six.)