New-York tribune., 1912-02-23
PRESIDENT AGAINST
GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPH
Postmaster General HitChCoCk'S
Suggestion DisapproVed in
Message to Congress.
OF NO PUBLIC BENEFIT NOW
Postal Commissions Recon-
mendation of 2-Cent Mag
azine and Newspaper
Rate Indorsed.

-IfDgtOn. r
e,.r,,,sd Congress to-day that he did not ap-
,,,,,.c Postmaster General Hitchcock's sug-
..og.ion that the government buy and oper-
.te The telegraph lines as an adjunct OF the
,ostaI system. He said that if it could DC
shown that the public would benefit by ser
vice at lower price than is now paid ne
might think differently Of the plan, but ne
was not convinced that It would nave l"a'
effect.
After referring to the practical wiping ou,
Of the postal deficit and other features o.
Mr.. Hitchcocks administration OF ahaiIS
Mr. Taft said:
There is only one recommenoa'loh ~ ~
which | cannot agree-that Is one MniSn ~,
recommends that the telegraph lines III wy ",
TTnited States should be mace part "
ths postaJ system and operated IN con
junction with the mail system, IIsphi, II,Is ptii
sents a question Of government oWheLaii,,l i,l
of public utilities which are gr,ise Io" nndei
franchises from the government. uo.
I believe that the true principe - sne' a.
Y,rivafe enterprise should be permitted "
carry on such public utilities or ui1ug ibority Ey
rather than that the government sIiI"tn ta,to, 90
sell conduct them. This principle ! ianol ',ci
ht-rauSe i DO not lDlDk IL III oSSSi
with the best public policy thus greauS "
increase the body Of public Servants, -.
or course, II It could be shown that lele-
graph service could be fmnished 10 uiIe
1rbIic al a less price than IT is now lur-
nished 10 the public by telegraph com
ranies and with equal efficiency the dIsu u,
nent might be a strong one IN idN1I ~
the adoption of the proposition. but "ti
not satisfied from any evidence tndt -
ifese PROPERTIES were taken over by the
government they could be managed aiiN i
more economically or any more efnclehlI,
or that this would enable the goTeILIlet,' m !,
"a furnish service at any smaller rat'
than the public are now required 10 pa!
by private companies. a.. a.,
More than this, ii seems TO me that tht
consideration of the question ought 10 .,
postponed until aIter the poslal saNllss
banks have come into complete ana sIhoooi
operation and after parcels post IdS
Toutes and the city deliveries but alsC
throughout the department. IL VIII takt
some time to perfect these addluons u
the activities Of the Postofice Department a
and We may well await their complete and
successful adoption before we take on d
new burden in this very EXTENDED depart
ment.
Tho President found much 10 commend in
Mr.. Htchcock's department. Il cannot
speak with too great emphasis" he said
''of the Improvement in the Postofhce De-
partment under the present management.
He pointed out that there was surplus OF
SZl9,11s II at the end Of the last fiscal year
compared with a deficit Of s17479.77o d two
years before. This was not to be ac'
counted for, the President said, by reduc-
lions OF force or numbers of postoffices OF
n salaries, but by scientific economy
VI Mr.. Taft approved the adoption Of par
= cells post. recommended by Mr.. Hitchcock
said that the placing of assistant post
masters under the service regulations
should be followed by placing postmasters
in the classified service. and commended
the postal savings system. Preparations
are being made. he said, to establish this
system at about forty thousand fourth class
offices.