The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-10
MAY take OVER
EXPRESS LINES
SAVINGS BANKS A GREAT SUCCESS
IN POSTAL DEPARTMENT
WORK.
x IisH'
HAVE OTHER SCHEMES
SECRETARY HITCHCOCK WILL ASK
CONGRESS FOR AN APPRO-
PRIATION TO Ex-
PERTINENT
HAVE OTHER SCHEMES
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

cheney of the Postonce Department.
Postmaster General Hitchcock con-
templates making three important
changes in the postal service. These
are readjustment of the rates OF
postage, especially those governing
second class mail matter the extern
sion OF the parcel post system. not
only on rural routes, but in cities that
have free mail delivery. as well as
on railway and steamship routes. and
change in the plan of compensating
railroads for transportation OF mails
and readjustment of this compen-
sa ton.
Much criticism has been heaped
upon the Postoffice Department be-
cause OF second class mali This has
been caused largely by misinforma-
ton, according to postal officials. This
question has caused the department
SO much trouble that it is being
given exhaustive consideration by pos
tai experts. and their recommended
tons for the remedy of this weak
spot in the postal system are being
looked forward to with much inter-
est
NO effort Is being made by the de-
partment to increase the rates OF sec
ond class postage. as has been
charged, declare the officials There
Is no desire on the part of the Post
master General to run the depart
ment at Il profit What the officials
of the department are striving to do
Is to furnish to the public the best
possible service at cost
May Recommend Policy.
ON December l, according to the
terms OF the law. the Presidents
special postal commission will be pre-
pared to submit Its report upon this
question. What its recommendation
VIII be is not known. hut it moy rec
ommend the policy advocated of the
Postmaster General.
The experiment in the dispatch of
magazines by fast freight instead of
the move expensive way in which
they were formerly sent has taught
officials of the Postof;ice Department
that the estimated cost OF former
years for transportation of second
class mail must be reduced.
The main objects of the proposed
reform of the rates Of second class
mail Is to SO adjust the rates that
the public is not forced to pay a tax
on the transportation Of the enor-
nous bulk of newspapers and Pc
riodicais that are annually sent
through the mails, 1t is not the pur-
pose OF the postal officials. they say,
to discriminate unfairly against
newspapers or magazines, for their
educational value is fully appreciated,
but they form such large portion
OF the mail and the cost is so much
greater than for transportation of
mail of other classes that something
had to he done.
Investigation by the department has
SHOWN that the present method of
computing pay of railroads for carry
ing mail is unscientitic and unreliable
1t is impossible with trial weiehinys
to correctly determine what compen
sation should be made for CARRYING
the mails. The mails might be padded
during the weighing period, and tina,
would work an injustice upon TIE de-
partment. for 1t would be forced to
pay n sum much larger than the
average would call for.
For many years there has beer
more or less comment rejecting upon
the departments dealings with the
railroads IN the matter of mail trans
portation. After study OF the prob
conclusion that the only fair and
scientific way to determine the com
pensation OF the roads for the trans
portation Of mail is To pay for car
space actually used for that purpose
Extra Pay Tor Railroads.
The department has not ATTEMPTED
to arbitrarily set price upon tn,
space. The railroads have been re.
quested to furnish data showing cost
OF such space to them This infor-
NATION mas been studied and checked
The department fees that this cog,
and an increase OF 6 upper cent. above
II should be paid the roads for the
transportation OF the mail. An add
tional compensation should be pait
Tor special fast mail trains.
The old plan of computing compen-
sation OF the railroads does NOT nro.
vide fair basis for Increased bust
ness. and yet every year there Is an
increase in the amount OF mail mat.
Ter that IS carried. The railroati.
enjoy many advantages at the hands
OK the government. The fact that they
carry the United States mails is a
protection to their property. 1t II
no more than fair. declare the postal
officials. that this should be. River
S~'NAe NDN'"''Ni avn III ESTIMATING IN ell
compensation
Parcel Post Next.
Now that Postmaster General Hitch.
cock has seen the successful inaugu-
ration OF his pet plan OF a posta'
saving system. he is preparing to urge
congressional action on another OF
his plans and that is parcel pos,
system. The department realizes that
1t would be folly to attem2t to take
over at one time the enormous bust
ness OF the express companies. II
would clog tho mails and infiict ire
parable injury upon the business OF
the country. The idea of the depart
ment is to prepare gradually to take
over this business. Experiments can
be made upon rural routes, combining
the business at first to local mails
on those routes. Gradually a service
can he reorganized to meet the de-
mands OF the public. In similar
way such a service can be inaugural
ed in the cities
An appropriation will be asked this
year of Congress to carry on these
experiments. Fifty thousand dol!a rs
is wanted to try the system on rural
routes. Fifty thousand dollars in the
ciftaS and ffty thouSnud do1lare f.,r