Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-24
TWO POSTAL MESSAGES, sent
TO CONGRESS BY PRESIDENT
Hitchcock Praised for Show
ing Made, in Report, but
Government !. Ownership
Plan is Opposed. V
WOULD NOT LOWER
THE RATE OF SERVICE

| Washington, D. c., Feb. 22.-Presi
dent Taft today informed congress
that he did not approve of Postmaster
General Hitchcock's suggestion that
the government buy and operate all
telegraph lines as an adjunct of the
postal system. Mr.. Taft said that If III
could be shown that the public would
benefit by receiving service at less
price than is now paid he might think
differently of the plan, but that he was
not convinced such would be the eff
feet. .,|. /
After referring to the practical wip.
Ing out of the postal deficit and other
features of Mr. Hitchcock's admins.
tration of affairs, Mr.. Taft in trans.
hitting the post office department s
REPORT to congress today said: -
| There is only one recommendation
in which l cannot agree-that Is one
which recommends that the telegraph
lines in the United States should be
made part of the postal system and
operated in conjunction with the mail
system. This presents question of
government ownership of public utili-
ties which are now being conducted
from the government .=-osa-..-, - --.-..-
Il believe that the true principle is
that private enterprise should be per-
mitted to carry on such public utili-
ties under due regulation as to rates
by proper authority rather than that
the government should itself conduct
them. This principle I favor because
do not think it in accordance with
the best public policy thus greatly to
increase the body Of public servants.
"Of course, if it could be shown that
telegraph service could be furnished
to the public at, a less price than it is
now furnished to the public by tele-
graph companies, and with equal eff
cheney, the argument might be a
strong one in favor of the adoption OF
the proposition. But | am not satisfied
from any evidence that if these prop
critics were taken over by the govern
ment they could be managed any more
economically or any more efficiently
or that this would enable the govern
ment to furnish service at any smaller
rate than the public are now required
to pay by private companies"
more than this, it seems to me
that the consideration of the question
ought to be postponed until after the
postal savings banks have come into
complete and smooth operation and
after a parcels post has been establish
ed, not only upon the rural routes and
the city deliveries, but also through
out the department. 1t will take some
time to perfect these additions to the
activities of the postoffice department
and we may we'll await their complete
and successful adoption before we take
on new burden in this very extended
The president found much, he said,
to commend in Mr.. Hitchcock's de-
partment II cannot speak with too
great emphasis of the Improvement
IN the postoffice department under
the present management said
the president. He showed that there
was surplus Of $219,11S,12 at the
end of the last fiscal year compared
with deficit of $17,479,77O.47 two
years before. This was not to be &C.
counted for, the president pointed out,
by reductions of force or of post
offices or salaries, but by scientific
economy. .ES.N
Mr. Taft approved the adoption of
a parcels post recommended by Mr..
said that the, placing of as
sistant postmasters in, the civil SER
vice should be followed by placing I'M
der the classified service of postmas-
ter, and commended the postal saw
ngs system Preparations are being
made, he said, to establish this sys-
,em at about 100000 fourth class offices.