The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-02-23
First Time in History, According
to Report of Cabinet
Officer.
RAISE IN RATES is FAVORED
President concurs in Recommends
ton Of Commission on Second
Class Mall Matter-Assin sua-
gests Adoption Of Parcel
Post System.

time In the history OF the postal serv-
ice that department of the government
showed a profit for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1911. according to the
annual report of Postmaster General
Hitchcock transmitted to congress to-
day. Accompanying the document
was the report OF the commission on
second-class mail matter appointed by
joint resolution Of congress on March
Of last year and a brief message OF
the president, in which he called at
tention to the principal features OF the
two reports.
The report Of the commission on
secondclass mail matter makes the
following Recommendations:
1. The rate of 2 cents a 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 cent for each 4
ounces for copies mailed by other
than publishers and news agents: that
II. the present transient rate.
3. The present free-in-county priv
ilege retained. but not extended.
The commission also recommended
that the centa-copy rate for newspa-
pers other than weeklies and for pc
riodicals not exceeding ounces In
weight, and the 2-cent-acopy rate for
periodicals exceeding ounces 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 l 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
IL fixed. before it is put into effect.
While the new rate will be very far
from compromising the government
for the carriage and handling of sec
ond-class matter. II will TO Some ex-
tent relieve the existing burden and
result in q more equitable adjustment
of rates"
Both the president and the postmas-
ter general concur In the recommends
lions and regarding the proposed in
crease In newspaper postage the presi-
dent says: The proposed increase of
/ cent a pound in the second class
postage rate. believe, TO be most
reasonable. and II sufficient time is al
lowed before the change goes into eff
feet Il should work little serious in
jury to the business OF the periodical
publishers. while equalizing. at least
In a measure, the burdens OF postal
taxation"
Rates Should De More Equal.
Commenting further On the pro
posed increase. the president says:
"The postal service is now. for the
first time In years, operated upon 6
selfsustaining basis. and in my judg
ment this is a wise policy: but Il
should not be carried out at the ex
pense OF certain classes Of mail mat
ter that pay revenue largely in ex
cess of their cost. Ii Is not just tina
some classes of mail should be ex
brilliantly taxed to meet a deticienc.
caused by other classes. the revenu
from which is much below their cos
OF handling and carriage. Where sue
Inequalities exist they should be RI
moved as early as practicable. Tn
business enterprises of the publisher
of periodicals. however. have bee
built w on the basis of the presen
second-class rate, and therefore
would be manifestly unfair to put int
immediate effect a large increase !
postage That newspapers and mag;
zines have been potent agencies fo
the dissemination of public INTEL
gence and have consequently borne
worthy part in the development of tn
country all must admit: but II is like
wise true that the original purpose {
congress in providing for them a sui
vention by way OF nominal posts
charges In consideration OF the
value as mediums of public inform;
ton ought not to prevent an increas
because they are now not only educi
tional but highly profitable. There
NO warrant for the great disparity b
tween existing postage rates on p
riodicals and the cost Of the servie
the government performs for then
The aggregate postal revenues for II
nscal year 1911 were s237.s7s,s23 G
derived mainly from the postage &
lected on the four classes OF ma
matter. II Ii carefully estimated
the postoffice department that u
revenue derived from mail matter
the first class is approximately oil
and one-half times the cost OF ha
ding and carriage; that the return
from third and fourth class matter a
SLIGHTLY In excess of their cost
handling and carriage: and that viii
second class matter embraces over
M cent. OF the entire weight of I
ths usii carried. 1t. nevertheless
yisaAs little more than per cent.
the postal revenues."
Tts crunisslon On second-cla