The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-07
INCREASE PARCPI|
POST WEIGH
Postmaster General Would i
Reduce Some Rates.
Postal Banks Immense Succs,.
$2S, 600, 900 Placed By 3OO,OM'
Deposit0rs to Date.

Washington, D. c. Postm,.
General Hitchcock's annual report !
tatively suggests reduction of .,
parcel post rates and increasinps
limit of weight beyond II pOua
recommends civil pensions for Oos
employees; an increase IN rates on q,
ond-class mail, which may pave
way for 1-cent letter postage; the ~
solidation of the third and fors
classes, so that books and papers n,
be forwarded by parcel post !,
points out that during his adminjss
ton expense of operating the u0s
service has been cut down $45, OOONl
In course of statement on the i
dition of postal finances, Mr.. HiN
cock says:
tThe transformation of deficit,
to a surplus has been accomplish
not by curtailing the service, butt
developing it along profitable l,s
While postal facilities have be-
greatly enlarged, extensions have M
been made in a haphazard manner, b
only when shown on investigation
be justified by conditions.
The establishing of postal savips|
banks at presidential postoffices va
completed early in the fiscal year eul
ing June 80, 1912-the year covers
by the report. Since then the systen|
has been extended to 4004 fourth-claJ
postoffices, as we'll as to GAS brand
offices and stations in the larger citis
There are now 1882 postal saving
banks at which patrons may open al
counts. The number of depositors
approximately 800, 1000 and the deps
it's aggregate about $28, 900, 900, nd
including 81, 314, lao withdrawn and
invested in postal savings bonds.
On the basis Of the present month";
net increases of deposits, it is est
mated that the gross income Of An
postal savings system for the fsca
year ended June 80, 1912, will amour
to 100000 and the interest payabI
to depositors to $300,0O0. The in
come of the system for the fiscal yea
will meet the interest payments an
the total expenses of the central office
but will be approximately $275,O0
less than enough to cover the entin
expense of the service. However, tb
postmaster generals report says, Il
is expected that when the deposit
have increased to $50, 1000, 600, whid
at the present rate they will do soOl
the system will be self-sustaining.
The report contains no references
subjects which have developed sine
December l and, consequently, th
postmaster generals consideration
the parcel post has to do only with ii
preliminary work of establishing I'll
new system, which went into effect
January l. Tentatively, however,
recommends not only that the pare
post rates be reduced, but that Il
weight of packages be increased to
point above the present maximu
weight of II pounds. On this subje
the report says:
"While the postage rates for tt
new parcel post system range consl(
erably lower than express charges fl
corresponding service, it is believe
that experience will show them to
higher in some instances than is nece
sary in order to maintain the servie
at cost. Likewise, the restriction thu
places an 11-pound limit on the weigh
of parcels mailed should be regarde
as merely tentative. After the sy:
tenn is thoroughly organized on tina
basis the scope of the service in it.
usefulness to the public should be stu
further enlarged by increasing tn
weight limit. If properly develops
under efficient management, the parcfe
post will prove to be a most importass
factor in reducing the cost of living
Perhaps the most important recon-
mendation contained in the report
that the third and fourth classes
mail be consolidated so that books an
other printed matter may be forward
ed by parcel post.