The Calumet news., 1913-11-12
PARCEL POST IS
A MONEY MAKER
Net Earnings This Year viii Be
Thirty Millions

Washington. Nov. i2.-lt became
government from the operation Of the
new parcel post system during the
calendar year 1913 would he about
$50, 600, 600. The new system became
effective on Jan. / last. IL was estl-
mated that the profits for the first
year would be about $15,000,000, but
| The actual figures now in possession
of postal officials convince them that
the profit instcal Of being Sl5,000.O 600,
will be 300O0. 000 for the first year.
This will be interesting news to rail-
way officials, who have been contend
ing that their roads were entitled 10
extra enumeration for carrying The
mails on account If the operation of
the parcel post II was learned from
| q reliable quarter hat, even assuming
that the contention of the railroads
| was correct, there still would have
been a good margin of proi; at the
end of the calendar year l'l2 after the
| payment of extra remuneration To the
| roads. If "a parcel post adjustment
| were made along the lines suggested
| by some of the railroads, probably not
more than $4,000 0O0 of this $50, ,C0o,-
600 would be due 10 the railroads as
extra pay. The total income from tie
parcel post for 1915 viii be around
| $50, ,00o, 900
| To Readiast e. r. Mail Pay.
The whole question Of rail:'ay mail
pay, that is compensation In the rail
roads for carrying tn" mails, is likely
to rcadiusted next year. Immediately
after the meeting of Congress i'm reg
ular session in December, Il bin will
Ne introduced providing for this read
justment The measure is now being
drafted II will seek To- establis1 an
entirely new method of paying the
railroads for carrying the malls and
do away with the present archaic
method of computing the paymens to
roads.
| For some time members of the
House, postofice committee have been
considering the question Of providing
"a new method of paying for mail
| transportation. They have been con-
suited IN connection with the prepara
ton of the new BILL as have also the
officials of the postofiice department
most intimately identified with mail
transportation. The bill will he IN
administration measure.
Pay for carrying the mails is re-
adjusted only once every four years.
| For purposes of the computation the
country is divided into four grand sub
divisions, in each of which the mail
Is weighed once every four yeats. This
is accomplished in such a way that
| the weighing is done in one district
this year, in the second district next
year. the third district the next year.
and the fourth distric, the following
year. The mail is weighed for thirty
days and upon this basis . computa-
tion is made for an entire year, show
ing the average monthly amount of
mail carried. When 5ncc made this
computation continues tor "a single
road for four years, and paymen: is
made accordingly.
The new bill now being prepared
will propose a new method nf liking
the basis of payment. 1t will pr rDpose
a radical change in the whola system
of railway mail pay and n readjust-
ment that is expected to be farer both
To the government and the railroads
The new railway pay bill also viii
take into consideration the paying Of
the railroads for carrying tho parcel
post matter. and will seek To meet the
complaints that have bean fled by
different roads, several of which were
willing Ia throw up their railway mail
contracts rather than carry the parcel
pest without additional pay.