Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1913-02-03
OF
PARCEL POST
RATE URGED
IN REPORT
POSTMASTER GENERAL DE.
cLAREs WAY PAVED FOR /.
CENT LETTER POSTAGE

my Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3-Postmaster
General Hitchcock's annual report,
made public today, tentatively sug-
gests a reduction Of some parcel post
rates and increasing the limit OF
weight beyond IL pounds; recon-
mends civil pensions for postal EN-
ployes; an increase in rates on sec
ond class mail which may pave the
way for one cent letter postage; the
consolidation of the third and fourth
classes so books and papers may be
forwarded by parcel post; and points
out that during his administration,
expense of operating the postal serv-
ice has been cut down $45,OOO.OOO.
In course of a statement on the
condition Of postal finances, Hitch
cock says in his report:
In 1911. for the first time since
1888, postal receipts exceeded postal
expenditures, leaving a surplus in
stead of a deficit A heavy loss Of
revenue in 1912 due to the extraor-
dinary amount of franked matter
mailed in the political campaign, Gre
ated a temporary deficit, but since
the close of the fiscal year the in
come of the department again has
outstripped expenses.
The year preceding the present
administration was ma ked by the
largest postal deficit on record.
amounting = Sl15o0000 During the
next two years The deficit was great
" redaced and later eliminated. When
gmpa with the financial showing
q tour Years ago the reports of in
come and expense for subsequent
gears Indicate an aggregate saving
OF about s4seoO,OOv.
The transformation Of deficit
into surplus has been accomplish
ed not by curtailing the service. but
by developing it along profitable
lines While postal facilities have
been greatly enlarged, extensions
have not been made in haphazzard
manner. but only when shown on
Investigation to be justified by con
ditions.
The establishing of postal savings
banks at presidential postoffices was
completed early in the fiscal year,
ended June 80, 1912-the year cover
ed by the report. Since then the
system has been extended to 1904
fourth class postoffices, as we'll as
to GAS branch offices and stations
in the larger cities. There are now
1882 postal savings banks at which
patrons may open accounts. The
number Of depositors is approximate
ly 100000 and the deposits aggregate
about $2S,OOO.OOO, not including ST.
314,14O withdrawn and invested in
postal savings bonds.
The report contains no reference
to subjects which have developed
since December l, and, consequently,
the postmaster generals consideration
Of the parcel post has to do only
with the preliminary work of es-
tablishing the new system, which
went into effect on January l. Ten
tatively, however, he recommends
not only that the parcel post rates
be reduced, but that the weight of
packages be increased to a point
above the meximum weight of IL
pounds. On this subject the report
says:
While the postage rates for the
new parcel post system range con.
siderably lower than corresponding
express charges, 1t is believed that
experience will show them to be
higher in some instances than is
necessary in order to maintain the
service at cost Likewise, the re-
striotion that places an 11-pound linn
| it on the weight of parcels mailed
should be regarded as merely tenta
tive. After the system is thoroughly
organized on that basis the scope o.
the service in its usefulness to the
public should be still further enlarg
ed by increasing the weight limit
If properly developed under efficien
management, the parcel post viii
prove to be most important facto
in reducing the cost of living"
Perhaps the most important rec
ommendation contained in the repor
is that the third and fourth classe
of mail be consolidated so that book
and other printed matter may b
. forwarded by parcel post At pres
ent the postage charges for these tw
classes of mail bear no fixed rati
to each other For certain weight
and zones the parcel post rates al
~ lower than the third class rate
= while in other cases they are highe
" The report directs attention to Il
u approval of the commission. head'
!" by Associate Justice Hughes OF Il
United States supreme court, of Il
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