The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-01-13

type of publications, which aid so eff
fectively in the educational and NOR
al advancement Of the people, thai
the government can hest afford tt
encourage. For these publications
and also for any other legitimate
reading matter in period cal form. The
department favors continuation OF
the present low postage rate of one
cent pound, and recommends tina,
the proposed increase in rate be ap.
piled only to magazine advertising
matter. This plan would be in full
accord with the statute governing
second-class mail, a law that never
Justified the inclusion under the sec
ond-class rates of the vast amounts
of advertising now transported by
the government at tremendous loss.
Newspapers are not included in
the plan for higher rate on adver-
Using matter because, being chiefly
of local distribution, they do not bur-
den the mails to any such extent as
the widely circulating magazines.
Under the system proposed it Will
be possible, without increasing the
expenditure of public funds, to util-
ize for the benefit of the entire peo-
pie that considerable portion of the
postal revenues now expended to
meet the cost of special privilege
enjoyed by certain publishers.
In view of the vanishing postal de-.
ficit it is believed Tat j. Ill: MIA IA.
zines could be requir,.l to pay what
it costs to carry their advertising
pages, the departments revenue
would eventually grow large enough
to warrant one-cent postage on first
class matter.
Rural Mail Service.
Next to the heavy loss resulting
from the low postage rate on second
class NAL, the principal inroads in
to the profits of the postal service is
that made by the excessive cost of
rural delivery. The large eXpendi-
lures for rural mail service are far
more justifiable, however, than are
the much heavier payments required
TO meet the losses incurred on &C
count of second class mail. Millions
Of dollars disbursed each year for
the latter purpose are paid out cut
chiefly for the benefit of a compar-
at.vely small class of publishers,
while the appropriations annually
granted to maintain and extend the
rural delivery system are expended
Fin the interests of vast population.
The advantages Of rural delivery are
such as to warrant its further ex-
tension even at a considerable loss
to the government. 1t is believed
however, that without checking the
proper development of this branch of
the postal service a material reduc-
ton can be made in the rate of ex-
pense incurred. The consolidation
during the year of the star route and
rural delivery systems will undnubt-
eddy accomplish much in this d.
rection.
Postal Savings System.
The board of trustees created by
act of June 25, 1910, to control. SUI
pervise, and administer the postal
savings system has made substantial
progress in perfecting the plan Of
operation.
After most careful investigation
and numerous conferences with -.,o
leading bankers, the board u1ani-
mously decided to adopt the plan OF
using certificates of deposit instead
of pass books.
In order to make the first trial Of
the new system as comprehensive us
possible under the limited appropria-
ton provided by Congress a single
post-office in each state and territory
has been selected at which postal say
ings will be received from January /,
1911.
Parcel Post.
The recommendation made in the
last annual report of the department
| for the introduction of limited
parcel-post service on rural routes is
earnestly renewed. 1t is believed
that as socn as the postal savings
system is thoroughly organized the
| Postoffice department should be
prepared to establish throughout the
country general parcel post. AS
the preliminary step in the develop
ment of such a service it is hoped
that congress will authorize the de.
livery on rural routes of parcels
weighing as much as eleven pounds
which is the weight limit for the
international parcel post. This
form Of service can be conducted
with little if any additional expense
to the government.
Postal Note.
1t is again recommended that the
authority of congress be obtained