The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-02-08
One Cent Letter Postage.

Legislation looking towards one
cent letter postage rate has been in !,
troduced in Congress by Senator Theo-
dore L. Burton of Ohio, who offered a
bill in the Senate, and Representative
John w. Meeks of Massachusetts, who
presented similar one in the House.
Senator Burton, known throughout
the United States for his advocacy Of
important river and harbor legislation
and Chairman of the United States
Senate Committee on expenditures in
the treasury department, has indicated
that he will lead the campaign in the
senate for the passage OF the one cent
postage bill. Representative John w
Meeks OF Massachusetts, will look after
the interest of the bill in the house.
July is the date set for the inaugu-
ration of the new rate, provided Con-
gress introduces the bill at this session.
The bill itself is brief, but its preamble
indicates very clearly the reasons for
one cent letter postage rate.
The bill is as follows;
The rate OF postage on letter OF
one-half ounce weight or fraction
thereof, il carried from New York
City to Buffalo, distance Of less than
500 miles was in ls43 twenty-five cents
and simi'ar rates, high as compared
with present rates prevailed elsewhere.
"By successive and frequent reduc-
tions this rate was reduced until by act
Of March 3, 1888, becoming operative
October |, 1888, the rgto was two cents
only for a letter weighing one-half
ounce or fraction thereof, to be car
ried any distance whatever within the
limits Of the entire country.
"These red lctions so stimulated the
growth OF mail OF the first class that
no reduction, or only small tempo
rary reduction, in revenue occurred
These manifold reductions all took
place in the first forty of the last sew
enty years while no reduction in first
class postage rates, save that an ex-
tension OF the weight limit from one
half ounce or fraction thereof to one
full ounce or fraction thereof was made
in 1885, but that no other reduction
save this above named has been made
in the period of nearly thirty years
that has elapsed since October /. 1888.
During most OF this time the first
class mail has produced a revenue vast
ly in excess Of the costs OF its service,
as an instance OF which the revenue
for the latest fiscal year, ending June
30, 1911, has been over $l62 900 600, n
which amount over 500 ,0o0,o 900 is esti-
mated profit to the department, thus
indicating that considerably lower
rate. which would enormously stimu-
late the growth OF this class of mai
with a resultant further increase OF
revenue therefrom, would probably
amply compensate the government
particularly bearing in mind that no
reduction is contemplated in postage
on postal cards
1T was never intended that the de
partment should make n profit from
any class OF mail,
Now Therefore Be 1t Enacted by
the Senate and House of Represents ia
tves OF the United States of America
in Congress Assembled, that upon all
mail matter of the first class postage
shall be charged, on and after the first
day Of July nineteen hundred and
twelve, the rate OF ore cent per ounce
or fraction thereof"
The new bill for lower rate on first
class postage will be supported to
finish by the National One Cent Letter
Postage Association. The organization
has several thousand members, COM
prising business firms and individuals
all over the United States.
No opposition has arisen to the move
ment for one cent postage. Officers
OF the association say that IL the lower
rate is not inaugurated within short
time, il will be because of selfish inter-
ests which formulate outside.
E0TEYNH0NEYxDTAR