The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-09
PERIODICAL RATES
 DEBATED IN SENATE Question Is First Taken Up At
 the White House SYSTEM OF WEIGHING Point At Issue Is Whether Magazines Shall Pay One Cent a Pound or
 Four Cents . Pound on
 { Advertising
SYSTEM OF WEIGHING

Washington, February S-The much eontroverted question of whether mag azines with extensive advertising sections arc paying the government a reasonable price for carrying the periodicals through the mails was debated at length. today in the Senate committee on postoffices and post roads. The discussion was in con nection with an amendment proposed to the postoffice appropriation bill which would increase from l to 4 cents per pound the rate on advertising sections Of magazines when carried as second class mail. No decision was reached, but the controversy will be continued tomorrow
 Until today there had been no indica- ton that the fight between~the ,postoffice department and the magazine publishers was to be renewed at the present session of Congress. This morning, however, the question of advancing the rate on maga- zine advertising was taken up at the White House at conference in which President Taft, Vice President Sherman, Postmaster General Hitchcock. and Sen ators Crane and Carter participated. The President it is said, supported the contention of the Postmaster General that some action should be taken at the pres ent session to aid the department in it's efforts to reduce the postal deficit
 System of Weighing
 The method suggested was to provide for a system of weighing the periodicals so that separate rates should be paid on reading matter and the advertising. The magazines are now carried regardless of the size or amount of advertising at the rate of l cent per pound which is the seeond-class rate A proposal was made by MT. Hitchcock that the reading mat ter should continued to be carired for l cent, but that the advertising, which in some magazines Is twice the weight of the reading matter, should go at rate of cents a pound.
 Senator Carter. it is understood, took the position that such an amendment Ii incorporated in the bill by the commit tee would be subject to the point of order that it was new legislation and therefore should not be offered as a part of an appropriation bill. It was at this point that the Vice President was called into the conference. MT. Sherman is said to held that if the point of order were made when he was in the chair he would be compelled to sustain 1t. If offered when scnle senator was in the chair however it probably would be presented to the Senate for a vote.
 An Exchange of Views
 After Senators Carter and Crane re- turned to the capitol and there had been an opportunity for an exchange of views 1t was decided to hold a meeting of the committee. The entire membership and Postmaster General Hitchcock were there. In explaining the proposition of increas- ing the rate on advertising he asserted that, if adopted the postal deficit would be reduced $5.00o,000 to s6,00o,0O0 year. It was indicated that majority of the com niittee probably favored the change, but it is believed the vote will be close.
 Several amendments favored by Post master General Hitchcock were made tc the bill One provides for an appropria- ton of s5000O for an investigation by all actual experiment of conducting parcels posts on rural routes. It is proposed that such a parcels post route be established and packages not exceeding Il pounds be carried. and in that manner the actual cost to the government ascertained. Another amendment would simplify the accounting of postal bank funds.
 No action was taken by the committee senators that the government take over t.e penumatic service which is operated ir half a dozen cities. The purchase by the government of this property was op- posed by MT. Hitchcock, who urged that a commission, partly of postal and partly of business men. be appointed by the President to make an investigation of the worth of the tube systems.