Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-23
MESSAGE OF
THE PRESIDENT
TAFT Agrees With Plan to Raise
Second Class Mali Rates.
COMMISSION MAKES REPORT.

Inquiry Board Advises increasing SEQ
ond Glass Rates Affecting Periodi-
Gals and Newspapers From I Cent to
2 Cents a Pound, but That Present
Free In County Privilege Be Main
tanned.
Washington, Feb. 22.-President Taft
has sent to both houses of congress a
special message, accompanied by the
annual report Of the postmaster gen
eral. for the fiscal year ended June
30. 1911. and the report Of the federal
commission on second class mail mat
ter. The presidents message is as fol
lows;
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives:
In transmitting the annual report Of
the postmaster general for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1911, it gives me
pleasure to call attention to the fact
that the revenues for the fiscal year
ended June 80. 1911, amounted to S23T.-
B79. 1913 60 and that the expenditures
amounted to S237 $50, 704.4S, making a
surplus Of S219,11S.12. For the year
ended June 80, 1909, the postal service
was in arrears to the extent Of ST.
4T9.T7O.4T. In the interval this very
large deficit has been changed into a
surplus. and that without the curtail-
ment of postal facilities. Indeed. In the
same time there have been established
3.744 new postoffices. delivery by car
rier provided in 1856 additional cities
and new rural routes established, 2,516
in number and aggregating 60.6T9 miles
in extent.
The force of postal employees has
been increased by more than 5000, and
Il liberal policy in the matter Of sal
aries has been followed, so that the
amount expended for salaries is now
E14.O00.000 more than two years ago.
The average salary has been increased
from $3.50 to S967 for rural carriers,
1919 to s1,0S2 for postoffice clerks,
81 ,021 to 81 ,084 for city letter carriers
and S1.16S to $1,1S3 for railway postal
clerks.
The Postal Savings System.
The report shows that the postal saw
ings system was begun experimentally
in January. 1911. and that it has now
been extended so rs to include 1900
presidential postofices, which includes
practically all of the postofices Of that
class. Preparations are also being
made to establish the system at about
10000 fourth class offices. The de-
posts in eleven months have reached a
total of $11,0OO.000, distributed among
2,710 national and state banks.
The postmaster general recommends,
as 1 have done in previous messages.
the adoption Of a parcel post and the
beginning Of this in the organization
Of such service on rural routes and in
the city delivery service first. The
placing Of assistant postmasters in the
classified service has secured greater
efficiency 1t is hoped that the same
thing may be done with all the post
masters.
The report Of the postmaster general
is full Of statements Of the important
improvements in the organization and
methods of the postal service made
since the last annual report and of ten
tative drafts Of legislation embodying
certain recommendations Of the depart
ment which need legislation to carry
them out.
Opposes Government Control Of Tele-
graph Lines.
There is only one recommendation in
which l cannot agree-that is, one
which recommends that the telegraph
lines in the United States should be
made part of the postal system and
operated in conjunction with the mai
system. This presents a question OF
government ownership Of public utili
ties which are now being conducted by
private enterprise under franchises
from the government. 1 believe that
the true principle is that private enter
prise should be permitted to carry or
G1rnh HIi, T,AsJS%inC l.,
ton as to rates by proper authority
rather than that the government should
itself conduct them. This principle
favor because do not think it in &C
cordance with the best public policy
thus greatly TO increase the body o.
public servants. OF course if It could
be shown that telegraph service coult
be Furnished to the public at a less
price than it is now furnished to thu
public by telegraph companies ani
with equal efficiency the argument
might be strong one in favor of thu
adoption of the proposition.
Bnt / am not satisfied from any evi
dence that if these properties wer'
taken over by theA government the!
could be managed any more economic
ally or any more efficiently or that THU
would enable the government to fur
nish service at any smaller rate thai
the public are now required to pay b!
private companies.
cannot speak with too great empha
Bis Of the Improvement in the postoffic,
department under the present manage
ment. The cutting down of cost, tn
shortening of methods and the increas
In efficiency are shown by the statistic
of the annual report.
One Of the most important natter
referred to by the postmaster genera
fs the proposed Gxing OF new rates o