The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-12-26
POSTMASTER GENERAL RURLE,
SONS LAMENTATIONS


General Burleson makes a sweeping
declaration in favor Of government
ownership Of telephone and telegraph
lines, and asserts that the postal SER
vice is now self,supporting for the
first time since 1888
Concerning the acquisition OF tele-
phone and telegraph lines, Mr.. Burle-
son says that the government has
demonstrated its capacity to conduct
public utilities, and. from his present
information, he IS inclined clearly TO
the taking over 3y tie postofice de-
partment Of the telegraph lines and
possibly also the telephone lines. Dis
cussing this the postmaster general
says:
y study OF the constitutional pur-
poses al the postal establishment
leads to the conviction that the post
Office should have control over all
means CT the communication OF intel!
ligeace. The 1rst telegraph line il
this country WIS maintained and op-
Grated as : part of the postal service,
md il is tc De regretted that con
eress saw fl 10 relinquish this facil-
~ 20 private enterprise. The monop-
Cl!stlc nature OF the telegraph bust
ness males il OF vital importance to
the PEOPLE that il be conducted byeun-
selfish interests, and this can be ac
icomp-ished only through government
ownership The successful operation
/ o. the parcel post he's demonstrated
the capacity Of the government to
conduct the public utilities which fail
properly within the postal provision
o. the constitution
O. the telephone lines, Mr. Burle-
son says:
Every argument in favor of gov
/ ernment ownership of telegraph lines
may be advanced with equal logic and
force in favor of the government own
ership OF telephone lines. 1t has been
competently decided that a telephone
message and a telegram are the same
within the meaning of the laws gov
erning the telegraph service, and
therefore il is believed that the stat
ute enabling the government to ac-
quire, upon the payment OF an ap-
praised valuation, the telegraph lines
OF the country will enable the govern
ment to acquire the telephone com
panies OF the country"
The postmaster general presents
an elaborate report OF the financial
operations of the postofice depart
ment, including discussion OF the
methods OF bookkeeping, which he!
has changed He says:
1T is gratifying to report that the
total expense of maintaining the pos
tai service for the fiscal year ended
June SO, 1913, is found to be exceeded
by the revenues for the same period;
that there is an actual surplus of So
1,90G.7S; and that the postal ser
vice is now for the first time since
1883 self supporting"
As to his general financial policy
Mr.. Burleson says:
The dominant policy Of the pres
ent administration will be to conduct
the postal service for the convenience
OF the public and not for profit. It's
controlling purpose will be to pro-
mote efficiency by the complete stand
ardiZing of the service, which will be
attained by harmonized equipment
adjusting the personnel, and securing
the greatest possible cooperation in
every quarter"
Notable recommendations to con-
gress for the enactment of additional
legislation to facilitate and extend
the operations of the postal service
are made. Among the more impor-
tant is the following:
That the postoffice department be
given exclusive jurisdiction over the
selection of sites for public buildings
to be used wholly for postoffice pur-
poses, and joint authority with the
secretary of the treasury in the Sc
lection OF sites for federal buildings
to be used Jointly by the postal and
other branches of the government SER
vice.
The report indicates that the
growth of the parcel post has been
phenomenal. The experience gained
in the operation of the system under
the revised weights and rates has
shown that further reduction of
rates and increase of weight limit is
justified" says the postmaster gen.
eral.
ut is believed that the parcel post
should be made eventually to serve
the people as fully and completely as
possible without interfering with the
efficient conduct of tho Docta1 corvioa