The Mena weekly star., 1913-12-25
AND !. TELEPHONES NEXT
Postmaster General Burleson eaSS Government Should Con'roi all Means of Commu-
 nicatiOn.

Washington. Dec. 17.-UoVeln-
 ,ont ownership of both telegraphs and telephones is urged Dy Fo'o- n,ostor General Albert $. Burles0n' in his annual report, made puollo today. This follows recent cohiTi tho ences on the subject between ..I el1 postmaster general and Presldei' Wilson and reports that the pfesl7 dent was about to make federal ownership of the two utilities all odmipistration policy. Mr. Burlesoh noints to the successful lnauguraI lion and extension of the parcel nost system as a guarantee that the postofice department is capable oi handling further country-Wlue, business of great magnitude ana importance. s s tho Another prominent feature of the nostmaster generals report Is ms ppSserlion that there is surplus III G bis dppartment for the year ended Inn Tnne 3O 1913, estimated at S3,oH,- SO6 7s and his argument that tnls
 ;s the first real surplus since 1885.
 Tn regard to taking over the tele-
 oranb and telephone system, MT. Purleson says in part: D "A study of the constitutional
 nurnoses of the postal establish
 ment leads to the conviction that
 inc postoffice department should
 have control over all means of the communication of intelligence. me 6rsl telegraph line in this country was maintained and operated as mart of the postal service, and It is to be regretted that Congress saw fiji 10 relinquish this facility to nriyate enterprise. The monopo- 6sfir nature of the telegraphlc business makes it of vital import anco to the people that it be con ducled by unselfish interests, and this can be accomplished only through government ownership.
 Can Acquire Phone Lines.
 The act of July 24, 1866, pro- vidng for the government acqul- sjtion of the telegraph lines upon payment of an appraised valuation, and the act of 1902 directing the postmaster general to report to Congress the probable cost of con- meeting a telegraph and telephone system with the postal service by some feasible plan, are evidences ol the policy of this government ultl- mately to acquire and operate these electrical means of communication as postal facilities, as is done by all the principal nations, the United States alone excepted.
 The successful operation of the parcel post has demonstrated the capacity of the government to con duet the public utilities which fall properly within the postal provl- sion of the constitution.
 Every argument in favor of the government ownership of telegraph lines may be advanced with equal logic and force in favor of the gov ernment ownership of telephone lines It has been competenly de- cided that a telephone message and a telegram are the same within the meaning of the laws governing the telegraph service, and therefore 1t is believed that the statute enabling the government to acquire, upon payment of an appraised valuation, the telegraph lines of the country will enable the government to ac- quire the telephonic network of the country"
 The receipts for the year were S266,6i9,525.65, an increase of more than 8 per cent over the preceding year, as compared with a corre- spending increase of i per cent re- ported twelve months ago. The larger increase he attributes to the parcel post system, started January 1, 1913. He praised the parcel pc work of the postoftice. declaring that about 300000.000 pieces were handled during the first six months of operation.
 Parcel post reaches everywhere, whereas private expresses extend their operations only to profitable territory" he says. Twenty mil lions of rural residents now have house-to-house delivery and collec- ton of parcels, a service formerly to be had only in cities and towns"
 Would Extend Savings System.
 Mir, Burleson urges that the pos tai savings system be extended. He says the number of depositors on June 30 was 33l ,006 and their de- posits were S33,SiS,S70, but he adds that conservative estimate indi- cates more money has been re- fused by the system than has been accepted. For this reason he asks the abolition of the rule limiting deposits of any one month to Si00 and total deposits to $500. He urges that unlimited deposits be allowed but interest granted only on Si.0OO or less. He says that practically all the money deposited comes from persons who are afraid to use even savings banks. It is money which otherwise would be hoarded.
 Millions for Mail Swindlers.
 The postmaster general defends the franking privilege, declaring mat the abuses are inconsiderable. ne says the free transportation of olilcial mail matter is not the only serVlee rendered by the depart
 nent or which no account is kept, InnsIahclng the inspection system. turing the fiscal year the inspect ors investigated 2s79 suspected sm,nuling smn schemes, arrested 5i0 per-