Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-03-07
TAFT ASKS RAISE
POSTAL Rates
Urges Adoption Of Commits
SIon's Recommendation On
Second-CIass Mail.
PROFIT IN POSTAL SERVICE
For the First Time in History the
Department Made Money-Adop-
ton of Parcel Post System
Again Is Urged.

NA0ih 10 Si9CO.
Washington, Feb. 22.-Aecording to
the annual report of Postmaster Gen
eral Hitchcock transmitted to con-
gress today the postof1ce department.
for 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
of last year and a 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
/ 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 4
ounces for copies mailed by other
than publishers and news agents; that
is, the present transient rate.
5. The present free-in-comty priv
llege 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 2 ounces in
weight, when mailed at q 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 it is put into effect.
While the new rate will be very far
from compromising the government
for the carriage and handling Of sec
ond-class matter, it will to some ex-
tent relieve the existing burden and
result in a more equitable adjustment
of rates.
Both the president and the postmas-
ter general concur in the recommends
tons.
President Taft again concurs in the
recommendation of the Postmaster
General for the adoption of a parcel
post system, suggesting the Inaugural
ton 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 / 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 a 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 prin-
ciple l favor because I Go not think it
In accordance with the best public pol
Icy thus greatly to increase the body
of public servants"
The report of the Postmaster Gen
eral is full of statements Of changes
in the organization and methods Of the
postal service made since the last an
nuaI 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 80, 1911, amounted to $237879,
$3.50 and that the expenditures
amounted to 1927, $50, 705.48, making a
surplus of S219,118.12.
The report shows Chat the postal
savings system was begun experiment
tally in January, 1911, and that it has
aow 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-
sarn at about 40 600 fourth-cIass Offices.