The Calumet news., 1912-02-22
Approves Finding of Postal Com
mission to Double Rates
for Publishers
INEQUALITIES POINTED OUT
Receipts From Other Classes Of
Mail Show Profit
Costs Five and Half Cents Per Pound
to Handle Second Class. Rate
Only One Cent.

Washington. Feb. 22.-President Taft
today approved and forwarded to Con-
gress the report of the commission
ON second class mail matter and rec
cmmending that the postal rate on
magazines and newspapers be raised
from one cent to two cents pound.
Postmaster General Hitchcock orig
inally recommended a four cent rate,
but later changed this to two. The
commission finds that the cost of hand
| ling second class matter is about five
and half cents pound. In approx
ing the two cent rate. however, Presi-
dent Taft declares that the business
| enterprises of the publishers of period
icals have been built up on the basis OF
the one cent rate and therefore it
would be manifestly unfair to put in
to immediate effect a larger increase
in postage.
AS to the effect of the proposed in
crease from one to two cents a pound
President Taft quotes from the report
of the postal commission the following
paragraph:
Such an increase will not, in the
opinion of the commission bring dis
treSs upon the publishers of newspa-
pers and periodicals. or seriously inter-
fcre with the dissemination of useful
news or information. a reasonable
time should be allowed after the rate
is fixed, before ii is put into effect
While the new rate will be very far
from compensating the government for
the carriage and handling of second
class matter, IL will to some extent re-
llcve the existing burden and result in
u more equitable adjustment OF rates"
Notes Discrepancy.
That newspapers and magazines
have been potent agencies for the dis
semination Of public intelligence and
consequently have borne worthy part
in the development of the country, Mr..
Taft says, all must admit.
But" he adds 1t is likewise true
that the original purpose of Congress
i'm providing for them subvention
by way of nominal postal charges i'm
consideration of their value as med
sums of public Information ought not
to prevent an increase, because they
are now not only educational but high |
~ profitable. There is no warrant for
the great disparity between existing |
postage rates on periodicals and the /
cost of the service the government |
performs for them.
The aggregate postal revenues for
the fiscal year 1911 were $237,S79.-
S23.6O, derived mainly from the postage
collected on the four classes of mail
matter. 1t is carefully estimated by
the Post Office Department that tn,
revenue derived from mail matter Of |
the first class is approximately one
and one-half times the cost Of hand
from third and fourth class matter
nre slightly in excess Of their cost OF
and carriage; and that while
second class matter embraces over 65
per cent of the entire weight of all the
mail carried, it, nevertheless, yields lit
tie more than per cent of the postal
revenues"
Commissions Work Approved.
The postal commission on second
class matter was appointed by Presi-
lent Taft following the controversy
caused by the Postmaster Generals
original recommendation for the in
,rease i'm rates The matter was TAX
m up by magazine publishers before
committees of Congress and a sharp
ssue was raised as TO the correct
ness OF the Postoflice Departments fig
ires. Congress finally passed a joint
resolution authorizing the appointment
If the commission which was made up
If Justice Charles II. Hughes, of the
supreme Court: President A. Law
'ence Lowell, of Harvard University |
md Harry A. Wheeler, President of
ho Chicago Association OF Commerce.
"The findings of the commission"
iays the president, confirm the view
hat the cost of handling and trans
,orting second-class mail matter isl
md that an increase in the rate is
lot only justified by the facts, but is
desirable.
"Thc postal service is now, for the
lrst time In years, operated upon a
elf-sustainng basis. and In my judg
nent this is a wise policy; but II
hould not be carried out at the ex-
,ense of certain classes of mail matter
hat pay revenue largely in excess of
heir cost.
Rates Should Be Just.
II is not just that some classes of L
nail should be exorbitantly taxed to I
meet a deficiency caused by other
lasses. the revenue from which is
much below their cost OF handling 4
nd carriage. Where such inequalities I
xist they should be removed as early |
IS practicable. IL
The proposed increase OF 1 cent n I