Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-02-23
TAfTASkS RAISE
IN POSTAL Rates
Urges Adoption Of Commits
sion's Recommendation On
Second Glass Mail.
PROFIT N POSTAL SERVICE
For the First Time In History the
Department Made Money-Adop
ton Of Parcel Post System
Again 10 Urged.

Department Made Mcney-Adop
ton Of Parcel Post System
Again 10 Urged.
Washington, Feb. 22.-AccordinE TO
the annual report of Postmaster Cen
eral Hitchcock transmitted to con-
gress today the postohlce department.
for the llrst time in history. shows .
profit for the fiscal year ending juno
30, 1911.
Accompanying the document was
the report Of the commission on sec
ord-class mail matter appointed by
4oint resolution of congress on March
4 Of last year and q brief message Of
the president, in which he called at
tention to the principal features Of the
two reports.
Would Increass eeeond.class Rates.
The report Of the commission on
second class mail matter makes the
following recommendations:
/. The rate Of cents 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 / cent for each 4
ounces for copies mailed by other
than publishers and news agents; that
is, the present transient rate.
B. The present free-in-county priv
ilege retained, but not extended
The commission also recommended
that the centa-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 cent pound
IN postage the commission says:
Such an increase will not, in the
opinion OF the commission, bring dis
.rees upon the publishers OF newspa-
pere 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 IT is put into effect.
While the new rate will be very far
from compromising the government
for the carriage and handling Of SEQ
ond-class matter, 1t will to some ex'
tent relieve the existing burden and
result in a more equitable adjustment
Of rates"
y M
ter general concur In the recommends
lions.
President Taft again concurs IN tho
recommendation Of the Postmaster
General for the adoption OF parcel
post system, suggesting the fnaugura-
lion of such 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
yays:
There is only one recommendation
In which can not agree-that 10 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 mail
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. ] believe that
the true principle is that private en-
terprise should be permitted to carry
~ such public utilities under due regu-
ation as to rates by proper authority
rather than that the government
should itself conduct them. This prin-
eiple l favor because I do not think It
In accordance with the best public pol
Icy thus Greatly to increase the body
81 public servants"
The report of the Postmaster Gen.
sral is full OF statements OF changes
In the organization and methods OF tho
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. 1t
also calls attention to the fact that
the revenues for the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1911, amounted to $237,S79.-
1880 and that the expenditures
amounted to 1921, $50. 7o5.4S, making a
surplus OF $219.11S12.
The report shows that the postal
savings system was begun experiment
tally in January, 1911, and that 1t has
now been extended SO as to include
1900 presidential post offices, which
Includes practically all of the post
pmces of that class. Preparations are
also being made to establish the sys-
tenn at about 10000 fourth-class Offices.
A Filler, All Right.