Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-29
First Time In History, according
to Report Of Cabinet
Officer.
RAISE IN RATES IS FAVORED
President coneurs In Recommends
tlon Of Commission on Second
Glass Mall Matter-AeaIn suo-
eests Adoption Of Parcel
Post system.


showed q 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
4 Of last year and a brief message of
the president. In which he called at
tention to the principal features OF the
two reports.
Would increase seeond-cIass Rates.
The report of the commission on
second-class mail matter makes the
following recommendations
!. The rate of cents q 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.
Q. The rate Of cent for each
ounces for copies mailed by other
than publishers and news agents; that
In, the present transient rate.
3. The present free-in-county priv
ilege retained. but not extended.
The commission also recommended
that the cent-a-copy rate for newspa-
peFs other than weeklies and for pc
radicals not exceeding ounces in
weight, and the 2-cent-a-cOpy rate for
periodicals. exceeding . ounces in
weight, when mailed at q city letter
carrier once for local delivery, DO
abolished.
As to the effect and adequacy Of the
proposed increase Of cent q 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
terEere with the dissemination OF use
Sul news or information. A reasonable
time should be allowed. after the rate
10 fixed, before 1t 10 put into eRect.
While the new rate will be very e
from compromising the governs nj
for the carriage and handling of Sec
ond-class matter, It will to some ex-
tent relieve the existing burden and
result in 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: 'srhe proposed increase OF
/ cent q pound in the second-class
postage rate. l believe. to be most
reasonable, and II sufIlcient time IL al
lowed before the change goes into Of
feet It should work little serious IN
fury to the business Of the periodical
publishers, while equalising. at least
in o measure, the burdens OF postal
taxation"
Rates Should Pc More Equal.
Cammnnting further on the pro-
posed increase, the president says:
''srhe postal service 10 now. for the
arst time in years. operated upon .
self.sust aiming basis, and in my 1udg-
ment this ia . wise policy: but II
should not be carried out ut the OK
nenae of certain classes OF mail mat
ter that pay revenue largely In ex-
cess OF their cost It 10 not just that
some classes Of mail should be ex-
brilliantly taxed TO meet . deficiency
caused by other classes, the revenue
from which Is much below their cost
OF handling and carriage. Where sucn
inequalities exist they should be- re-
moved ID early as practicable. The
business enterprises Of the publishers
az periodicals, however. have been
built up on the basis OF the present
second-class rate, and therefore Y
would be manifestly unfair to put into
immediate effect q large increase y
postage. That newspapers and maya
zines have been potent agencies for
| the dissemination OF public intelli
wence and have consequently borne
worthy part in the development Of the
country all must admit; but It u like
wise true that the original purpose q
congress in providing for them sub
yention by way Of nominal posta
charges in consideration Of theil
value as mediums Of public informa
tion ought not TO prevent an increase
because they are now not only educa
tional but highly profitable. There y
no warrant for the great disparity be
tween existing postage rates on pc
riodicals and the cost of the servic'
the government performs for them
The aggregate postal revenues for tn
ascal year 1911 were 1921, So, S2s. 6e
derived Iiiniiiy IRON tho p0stase' 20
lected on the four classes Of mai
matter. It Is carefully estimated b.
the postoHlce department that tn
revenue derived from mail matter Q
the first class is approximately on
and one-half ttmes the cost Of haz
ding and carriage; that the return
from third and fourth class matter Ar
slishtly IN excess Of their cost 9
handling and carriage; and that wal
second class matter embraces over s
psr cent Of the entire weight Of q
the NAH carried. a. neyerthslesI
rioias little more than per cent 8