The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-02-22
ON MAGAZINES AND
OTHER PERIODICALS
URG|hG AN INCREASE
AS Recommended By
the Finding of the
g." Commission
APPOINTED
ON MATTER

IafI today approved and Forwarded
to Congress the report of the com
mission on second class mail matte,
recommending that the l,o>,s.
on magazines and newspapers -
a pound.
Postmaster General IIit"hcoCr
originally recommended a four cen;
rate, but later changed this 70 two
The commission finds that the cost
OF handling second class matter is
about five and haff cents 4 pound
In approving the TWO cent rate,
however, President Taft declares
that the business enterprises Of the
publishers Of periodicals have been
built up on the basis Of the one cent
rate and therefore it would be man
ifestly unfair to put into Immediate
effect a larger increase in postage.
AS to the effect Of the propose |
increase from one to two cents a
pound President Taft quotes from
the report Of the postal commission
the following paragraph:
''Such an increase will not, in the
opinion of the commission, bring dis
trcss upon the publishers Of news
papers and periodicals, or seriously
interfere with the dissemination d
useful news or information. \
reasonable time should be allowed
after the rate is fixed, before it is
will be very far from cOmpenSating
the Government for the carriage and
handling OF secOnd-class matter, it
will to some extent relieve the cX-
listing burden and result in Il more
equitable adjustment Of rates"
That newspapers and magazines
have been potent agencies for the
dissemination Of public intcii4en,c
and consequently have borne a
worthy part in the development OF
the country, Mr.. Taft says, all must
admit.
"Rur' lie adds, 1T is likewise
true that the original purpose Of
Congress IL OVidin2 FOR chem a
SuDVentlon by way Of nominal postal
charges in consideration Of their val
ue as mediums Of public information
cause they are now not only educa-
tional but highly profitable. There
IS no warrant for the great dispar-
lty between existing postage rat as
on periodicals and the cost Of the
service the Government performs for
them. The aggregate postal rev
enues for the fiscal year 1911 were
~
from the postage collected on the
four classes of mail matter. 1t is
carefully estimated by the Post o.
hoe department, that the revenue
derived from mail matter Of the
first class is approximately one and
onC-half times the cost Of handling
and carriage; that the returns from
third and fourth class matter are
slightly in excess Of their cost az
handling and carriage: and that
while second class mater embraces
over G5 per cent Of the entire weight
OF all the mail carried, it, ncvert he
less, yields little more than ger
cent Of the postal revenues"
The postal commission on second
class matter was appointed by Pres:-
dent Taft following the controvers,.
caused by the Postmaster original
recommendations for the increase in
rates. The matter was taken up by
magazine publishers before commit
tees OF Congress and a sharp issue
was raised as to the correctness Of
the Postofficc department figures
Congress finally passed a Joint res
olutiOn authorizing the appointment
Of the commission which was made
up Of Justice Charles T.. Hughes, Of
the Supreme Court: President A.
Lawrence Lowell, Of Harvard Univcr-
Sity and Harry A. Wheeler, President
Of the Chicago Association Of COM
mcrce.
The findings Of the commission
says the President, "cOnlirm The
view that the cost Of handling and
transporting sccond-claSs mail mat
ter is greatly in excess Of the postage
paid, and that an increase in the
rate is not only justified by the facts
but is desirable.
''Thc postal service is now. for tho
first time in years, operated upon 4
self-sustaining basis. and in NJ,
judgment that is wise policy. buf
it should not be carried ont al to,
expense Of certain classes Of mai
matter that pay revenue largely !;
excess Of their cost IT is not ms
that some classes Of mail should &c
exorbitantly taxed TO meet a dcG
cheney caused by Other classes. tht