El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-22
TAFT SENDS 4
MESSAGE ON MAIL
1continued Lon page y

pound in the second class postage
rate, / believe, TO be most reasonable
and If sufficient time is allowed be-
fore the change goes into effect II
should work little serious injury 10
the business OF the periodical pub
fishers. while eQualiZing at least IN a
measure, the burden OF postal ta1a-
ton"
Another suggestion OF the commits
sion. which was given the presidents
approval would abolish the cent-a-
copy rate" for newspapers other than
weeklies when mailed at city letter
carrier office for local delivery
Does Not Favor OWnership.
President Taft today Informed con-
gress that he did not approve OF POST
master general Hitchcock's suggestion
that the government buy and operate
all telegraph lines as an adjunct OF the
postal system Mr.. Taft said that II
il could be shown that the public
would benefit by receiving service at
a less price than is now paid he might
think differently Of the plan. but that
he was not convinced such would be
the effect.
ing out OF the postal deficit and other
features Of Mr.. Hitchcocks admins
trstfon Of affairs. Mr.. Taft In trans
hitting the postOffice departments re-
port to congress today, said.
There is only one recommendation
in which I cannot agree. that Is one
which recommends that the telegraph
lines in the United States should be
made a part Of the postal system ana
operated in conjunction with the mail
system This presents a question OF
government ownership Of public utii-
ties which are now being conducted
by private enterprise under franchises
from the government
7 believe that the true principle is
that private enterprise should be per-
mitted to carry on such public utih-
ties under due regulation as to rates
BY proper authority rather than that
the government should itself conduct
them This principle I favor because
I do not think II in accordance with
the best public policy thus greatly to
increase the body Of public servants.
Would Not Reduce Tolls.
"Of course, II II could be shown that
telegraph service could be furnished
to the public at a less price than Il Is
now furnished to the public by tele-
graph companies, and with equal eff
cheney the argument might be a strong
one in favor OF the adoption OF the
proposition. But I am not satisfied
from any evidence that II these prop
critics were taken over by the govern
ment they could be managed any more
economically or any more efficiently
or that this would enable the govern
ment to furnish service at any smaller
rate than the public are now required
to pay by private companies"
The president found much, he said.
to commend in Mr.. HitShcock's de-
partrnent. ct cannot speak with TOO
i great emphasis" he said. of the i'm
/ provement in the postoffice depart
ment under the present management"
said the president. He showed that
: there was a surplus Of S219.1IS.12 at
the end Of the last fiscal year com
pared with a deficit OF S17479, no a.
I two years before. This was not to be
] accounted for, the president pointed
I out, by reductions OF force or OF post
u l.
/ economy.
Mr.. Taft approved the adoption Of
a parcels post. recommended BY Mr..
Hitchcock. said that the placing OF
assistant pOstmasters in the civil SER
vice should be followed by placing
under the classified service OF post
I master and commended the postal saw
ings system. Preparations are being
made. he said. to establish this system
at about 10000 fourth class offices.
Two BattleEhips Proposed
The building OF two first Gloss bat
tleships to cost S6,000,00O each, exclu-