The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-02-22

nation OF public Intelligence and have
consequently borne worthy part in
the development Of thc country all
must admit but It IS llkcvlsa true chat
the original purpusc 0f congress in pro-
vidlug fOr them a suhycntion by way
OF nominal postal churgcg In coueidera-
iion Of their value ua mediums OF pub
lie information ought NOS to prevent an
increase, because they are now not
only educational. but highly profitable.
There is no warrant FOR the great dis
parity between cSieting postage rates
on periodicals ana tho cost cf the scrv-
ice the government ucrfurms for thcm.
The aggregate postal rcvcnres for Che
fiscal year 1911 were S237S19. .e23.GO.
derived mainly from the postage col
lected on the four classes OF mail mat
Ter. II IS carefully estimated by the
postoiiicc department. that tho revpnuo
derived from mail matter Of the flrst
class is approximately one aud one-half
times the cost Of handling and carriage,
that the returns fr3n third and fourth
class matter are slightly in excess Of
their cost of handling and carriage and
that while cecoud class matter en-
braces over GJ rcr ccat OF the entire
weight of all the nail carried it never
theless yields little more than per
cent Of the postal rcvende9
Revisws Recommendations
The Recommendation Of the commits.
sion as TO the postage rates on second
class mail are as follows:
Trst.-Tho rate Of cents q pound on
copies mailed hy publishers TO subscribers.
20 news agents and us sample copies and
by news agents 70 thelr rubscribcrs or 20
other news agents.
Second.-Tho rate of ! cent Cor each four
ounces for copies mailed by other than
publishers ana news ugcnts-thnt is the
present transient rate.
Thiid.-Thc present free IN county privi-
lego retained. but not extended.
The commission also recommended
that the cent n copy rate for newspa.
pers other than wecl;iies and for peri
odlcals not exceeding two ounces in
weight and the . cent a copy rate
for periodicals exceeding two ounces in
weight when mailed at city letter
carrier Office for local delivery be abol.
ished.
AS to the effect and adequacy Of the
proposed increase OF 1 cent pound in
postage the commission Says:
Such an Increase will not. In the opinion
OF the commission. bring distress upon tho
publishers OF newspagef5 and periodicals
or seriously interfere with the dissomIna-
tion OF useful news or information A
reasonable time should be allowed after
the rate Is fixed before t is put into effect.
While the new rate viii be very far from
compensating the government for the car
rlaGe and handling Of second class matter,
| It VIII TO some extent relieve tho existing
burden and result IN q more equitable ad-
| justment Of rates.
Suggests a Cost System.
The commission suggests that the de-
partment maintain an adequate cost
system so that the effect of the new
rates may be closely observed and q
| proper basis may be secured for the
consideration OF any future proposals.
In these recommendations the post
master general and | heartily concur
and commend them 10 the early atten
ton Of congress-. The proposed in
crease Of cent pound in the second
class postage rate believe to be most
reasonable, and if sufficient time Is
allowed before the change goes into
effect Il should work little serious IN
jury 10 the business of the periodical
publishers, while equalizing. at least in
a measure, the burdens of postal taxa
ton. WILLIAM ii. TAFT.