The Elbert County tribune., 1912-03-01
RAISE POSTAL RATES
PRESIDENT coNcuRs IN RECON-
MENpATIoN REGARDING SEC
oNo-cLAss MAIL
SENDS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Transmits Postmaster Generals Re
port Which Shows Profit In Postal
Department for First Time In His
tory-ParceI Post 10 Urged

Washington, Feb GA raise in
the rate on second-class mail matter
Is recommended in the annual report
transmitted 20 congress today, accom-
panied by a special message from the
president For the first time in the
history OF the department a profit II
shown for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1911.
Accompanying the document was
the report of the commission on sec
ond-class mali matter appointed by
joint resolution of congress on March
4 Of last year and a brief message OF
the president. In which he called at
tenticn to the principal features of the
two reports.
The report of the commission on
second-class mail matter makes the
following recommendations
/. The rate of cents pound on
copies mailed by publishers to sub
scribers. to news agents. and as sam
pie copies. and by news agents to their
subscribers or to other news agents.
2. The rate OF l cent for each
ounces for copies mailed by other
than publishers and news agents: that
is, the present transient rate.
3. The present free-in-county priv
flege retained, but not extended.
The commission also recommended
that the cent-a-copy rate for newspa-
pers other than weeklies and for pc
riodicals not exceeding 2 ounces in
weight, and the 2-centa-copy rate for
in
weight. when mailed at a city letter
carrier office for local delivery. be
abolished.
AS to the effect and adequacy Of the
proposed Increase OF / cent a pound
in postage the commission says:
Such an increase will not. In the
opinion Of the commission, bring dis
tress upon the publishers of newspa-
pers and periodicals. or seriously in
terfere with the dissemination OF use
full news or information. A reasonable
time should be allowed. after the rate
is fixed, before 1t is put into effect
While the new rate will be very far
from compensating the government
for the carriage and handling of sec
ond-class matter, It will to some ex-
tent relieve the existing burden and
result in a more equitable adjustment
of rates"
Both the president and the postmas-
ter general concur in the recommenda-
tons.
President Taft again concurs in the
recommendation of the Postmaster
General for the adoption of parcel
post system. suggesting the inaugura-
tion OF such a service on rural routes
and In the city delivery service first.
Hitchcock's Recommendation for
government ownership of the tele-
graph lines under the supervision OF
the postal service is not approved OF
by the president Regarding this he
says:
There is only one recommendation
in which l can not agree-that is one
which recommends that the telegraph
lines in the United States should be
operated in conjunction with the mail
system. This presents a question OF
government ownership Of public utili..
ties which are now being conducted by
private enterprise under franchises
from the government. l believe that
the true principle is that private en-
terprise should be permitted to carry
on such public utilities under due regu-
lation as to rates by proper authority
rather than that the government
should itself conduct them. This prin-
ciple favor because do not think 1t
in accordance with the best public pol
icy thus greatly to increase the body
Of public servants"
The report of the Postmaster Cen
eral is full of statements of changes
in the organization and methods OF the
postal service made since the last an
nual report, and OF tentative drafts of
legislation embodying certain recon-
mendations OF the department which
need legislation to carry them out. It
also calls attention to the fact that
the revenues for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1911. amounted to 1921. .879.-
$3.50 and that the expenditures
amounted to s237. $50. .705.4s. making =
surplus of $21s. 1912.
The report shows that the postal
savings system was begun experiment
tally In January, 1911. and that It has
now been extended 30 as to include
1900 presidential post Offices. which
includes practically all of the post
Offices Of that class. Preparations are
also being made to establish the sys-
tenn at about 10000 fourth-class ofices.
The deposits in IL months have reach.
cd total of $11.000.0 900. distributed
among 2.710 national and state banks.