Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-14

telegraph and telephone facilities Of
Alaska, Porto Rico and the Hawaiian
islands be at once taken over and op
Grated by the postoffice department
This recommendation is based on an
exhaustive investigation which dis
closed that the conditions in these ter
ritories are generally such as to favor
the change. A large part of the prop
erty involved is already government
owned and operated in Alaska by the
war department and in Porto Rico by
the insular government The services
are SO detached geographically as to
preclude complicated relationships
with neighboring systems and are yet
sufficient in extent to afford valuable
experimental demonstration for the
postal service looking to the admin,
istration eventually Of complete ma
tional service. This action will have
the effect OF strengthening the ma
ticnal government in its outlying ter
ritories, and is specially recommend
eG because Of the expediency of TAX
ing over the private ownerships before
elaborate and nstly extensions and
Implications of service have been
built up."
Defining the general policy he has
pursued, Mr.. Burleson says;
THE service has been administered
for the convenience Of the public, moi
for profit; to promote efficiency by
standardizing and simplifying proceed
ure; to recognize merit and eliminate
partisanship; to extend service wher
ever present or prospective returns
justify; to reduce rates insofar as
proves consistent with general fiscal
necessity; and to provide all communi.
ties and all sections of the country
as far as practicable. with uniform
service.
THE fact that the government ex.
ercises a monopoly over the receipt
transmission and delivery of mail car
ries an obligation to perform this
function for all its citizens; hence the
postal service may not he operated
wholly upon the lines Of private en-
terprise. Whether or not service
shall be granted or extensions author
lied are questions which, as they
arise in particular case, should moi
be determined entirely with respect
to revenue considerations. Yet it is
equally the duty OF the department to
apply the mechanical and administra
tive economies which private business
enterprise develops and which fnven-
tive genius from time to time offers.
The maximum of service at the min
imum of expense is the proper rule
to govern public business"
The report declares newspapers and
periodicals handled in 1914 under the
cent a pound second class rate total
ed over million pounds an increase
of 2.94 per cent over the preceding
year. with resultant drain on pos
tai revenues" that emphasizes the
necessity Of taking some step in the
direction of readiusting the rates on
second class mail"
''In my last annual report" Mr..
Burleson says. "the hope was express
ed that congress would amend the
existing laws and raise the rate on
second class matter in accordance
with the recommendation Of the com
mission created in 1911 under a Joint
resolution Of congress to Investigate
the subject, which found the cost Of
handling and transporting second class
matter, exclusive Of certain expendi-
lures concerning which exact informa-
tion was not at hand, to be approxi-
mately cents pound, and recon-
mended that the postage rate thereon
be increased from / cent a pound to
cents a pound. In order to renew