The Detroit times., 1912-02-22

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eFaL together with minor othcers OF
the department, We're critically cross
examined by the counsel ana repre-,
sentatiNes OF the periodicals, ana All
the various phases OF the second class
posi-. re problem were made the SUI
----F-vf-ST-tTrvst- r1fusrTKtTTg TrvcstrETr-
ton.
The dndings of the commission con-
firm The view that the cost OF hahdllhh
ana Transporting secopd-class mpil
matter Is greatly in excess OK tlr
postage paid. and that an increase IN
the rate IS not only Justified by tue
facts hpt is desirable.
The commission reports that the eNl-
dcnce submitted for its consldefatl"n
is sufficient 60 warrant tmulhS OF
the approximate cost OF handing ana
transporting the several classes OF sec
o:fyt-riass matt known rs paid sat- the-
y, una rate. free-in county, ana tram
silent matter, In 80 Tar as relates 10 the
services OF transportation postoihce
care, railway distribution, rural DEW
cry. and certain other Items or cost
but that 10 Is without adequate data
10 determine the cost OF the general
IcStotfice service and also what por-
ton OF the cost OF certain other agBre-
gate services is properly Gssignable to
second class mail matter. IL hnds that
in the fiscal year 1908, the period Tor
which the statistics for the post oihee
department were compiled, the COST OF
handing and transporting second-class
mail. in the items of transportatloh'
postoftce cars. railway distribution
rural delivery, and certain mlscella-
neous charges. was approximately SIX
cents a pound for paid the- pound
rate matter, and for free-i n-county ana
transient matter each approximately
five cents pound, and that upon TINS
basis, as modified by subsequent reuuc-
tons In the cost of railroad transportn-
| ton, the cost of paid-at-the-pound-
rate matter. for the services menlohea
lis now approximately y cents u pound,
while the cost OF free-in county ana
transient matter remains as formerly,
namely. each at approximately cents
IA pound
Since the commission has determined
that the cost OF handling and trans
porting second-class mail Is approx
mately 5ls cents for matter pald -at
the pound rate and approximately nFe
cents each for free-in- county ana tran
| sient matter, without taking into ac-
count the cost OF the general postotnce
service and certain unassignaDle items
| OF expense. IT is apparent that the ag-
grcgate cost OF all service performed
Inv the postal establishment in connec-
ton with this class or man matter Is
considerably above That amount
The postal service is now. for the
| first time in years. operated upon n
seif-sustaining basis, and IN my 1uug
ment this is wise policy put u
should not be carried out az the ex-
Ipense OF certain classes or mail mat
| ter that pay revenue largely In excess
or their cost IL is not Just that some
ella sses OF mail should be eNorpltahtiy
taxed TO meet denclency causcu y
other classes the revenue from Wntch
| Is much. below their cost or handIlhe
and carriage Where such lnequaH-
tics exist they should be removed as
early as practicable. The business en-
terprises OF the publishers or perlou :
| icals however have been built up on
the basis OF the present seconu-class
rate. and therefore II would be man,
testify unfair 10 put into Immediate 81
feet a large increase In postage. lhdl
newspapers and magazines have Deen
potent agencies for the dissemination
! or public intelligence and have cohsc-
quently borne a worthy part In the ue-
velopment of the country, all must az :
nit: but IL is likewise true that the
original purpose of congress in PROVO :
| ing for them subvention py way d
nominal postal charges In consideration
OF their value as mediums OF puDllc IN
formation ought not to prevent an IN
crease. because they are now not only
educa tional. but highly = prontaDle'
There is no warrant for the great dls-
nar.ty between existing postage rates
on periodicals and the cost OF the ser
vice the government performs lor
them. The aggregate postal revenues
for the fiscal year 1911 were S23t,St9,-
S2S. CO. derived mainly from the postage
collected on the four classes OF mail
matter. IL is carefully estimated by
/ the postoffice department that the
revenue derived from mail matter OF
the first class is approximately one
and one-half times the cost or handllng
and carriage; that the returns from
| thirG and fourth class matter are
slightly in excess OF their cost or hand
/ liaL, and carriage; and that while sec
| on6- class matter embraces over 90 per
cent OF the entire weight OF all the
mail carried, IL. nevertheless. yields lit
tie more than five per cent OF the postal
revenues.
The recommendations OF the COM
| mission as 10 the postage rates on Sec
! ond- class mail are as follows
l. The rate OF two cents pound on
copies mailed by publishers TO subscrib-
ers. TO news agents, and as sample cop
les and by news agents 30 their SUD-
| scribers or 10 other news agents.
! 2. The rate OF one cent for each TOUT
ounces for copies mailed by othcr than
publishers and news agents: that Is.
the present transient rate.
B. The present free-tn-connty prlV-
Ilece retained. but not extended,
The commission also recommended
that the cent-a-copy rate Tor neWspa-
pers other than weeklies and Tor per-
iodioals not exceeding two ounces in
weight. and the two-cent-a-copy rate
for periodicals exceeding two ounces
in weight. when mailed at city letter
carrier office for local delivery be
abolished
AS TO the effect and adequacy or the
proposed Increase OF one cent pound
in postage the commission says:
such an increase VIII not. In the
opirion OF the commission, brins dis
tress upon the publishers or newspa-
pers and periodicals. or seriously inter.
fere with the dissemination or useful
news or information. A reasonable