Gilpin observer., 1912-02-29
TAFT ASKS RAISE
INP0STAL RATES
Urges Adoption Of Commits
sion's Recommendation On
Second-Class Mail.
PROFIT IN POSTAL SERVICE
For the First Time In History tho
Department Made Money-Adop-
tion Of Parcel Post System
Again 10 Urged.

Washington, Feb. 22.-According to
the annual report of Postmaster Gen.
eral Hitchcock transmitted to con-
gress today the postof1ice department.
Tor the first time in history. shows a
profit for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1911.
Accompanying the document was
the report of the commission on sec.
ond-class mail matter appointed by
joint resolution of congress on March
4 of last year and brief message of
the president, in which he called at
tention to the principal features of the
two reports.
Would Increase Second-ciass Rates.
The report Of the commission on
second-class mail matter makes the
following recommendations:
l. The rate Of 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 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
ilege 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-cent-a-copy rate for
periodicals exceeding ounces in
weight. when mailed at 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
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
of rates"
Both the president and the postmas-
ter general concur in the recommends
tions.
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
Ownership Of Telegraph Opposed.
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
made a part Of the postal system and
operated in conjunction with the mail
system. This presents 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 prtn-
ciple l 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 Gen.
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
Juno 80, 1911. amounted to $237. .s79.-
s23.6O and that the expenditures
amounted to $237, $3.50, ,7O5.4S, making a
surplus of $219.118.12.
The report shows that the postal
savings system was begun experimen.
tally in January, 1911. and that It has
now been extended SO 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 ohlcss
A Filler, All Right.