The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-25
CHEAPER POSTAGE
w. A. L. Thompson Urges One
Cent Letter Rate.
Topeka Business Man Urges
Postal Regulation Change.

Letter postage users of the United
States, and particularly those who
have large volume of letter mail, are
clearly entitled to a 1-cent letter rate,
and a determined fight will be mada
in congress this winter to secure it,
w. A: l. Thompson, president of the
W. A. l.. Thompson Hardware COM
pany, Topeka, made the above state
ment yesterday, accompanying 1t with
the Information that the business
men of this city are joining the ranks
of the National One Cent Letter Post
age association fer the purpose of Sc
curing a 1-cent letter rate.
Mr.. Thompson declared that already
the association has strong and repre-
sentative memberships in every city
and town throughout the United
States, and that every effort is to be
directed toward securing action on
1-cent letter rate at the approaching
session of congress.
The time has arrived he declared,
when officials at Washington should
take cognizance of the demand made
by the users Of first-class letter mail
for a readjustment of rates so that
ordinary letters, which are now being
charged two cents each shall be car
ried at cost, or about one cent each.
One Cent Pays.
TT has been demonstrated by sta
tistics and actual investigation that a
1-cent letter rate throughout the
United States will pay, and that the
extra cent now being demanded for
the carriage of a letter is nothing less
than q tax.
The United States postoffice de-
partment was primarily organized for
the carriage of letters, and in the early
days the charges made were on basis
of actual cost of transportation.
transportation difficulties were i'm
mense, and high rate had to be
charged. Years have passed. wonder
full inventions have revolutionized the
fr-ar O0r-fo i'm hIref ND
of carriage has been lowered until
now it is known letters can be car
ried at one cent instead of at two
cents, which is the present charge.
There are many reasons why let
ter users are entitled to a 1-cent rate.
Among them may be mentioned:
Reasons For Change.
Because the government is max
ing about 100 per cent profit on letter
postage.
because the department was es-
tablished primarily for the distribu-
ton of letter mail
Because it was never intended that
letter mail should pay a profit.
Because one-half of our letter
postage is a tax.
Because this tax is not used for
the general expenses of the govern
ment, but utilized as subsidy for
other classes of mail.
Because it is wrong to tax one
class for the benefit of another.
Because an equalization of our
postal rates will provide better serv-
ice
Because we have been entitled to
1-cent letter postage for the past ten
years.
For the purpose of crystalizing SEN
timent throughout the United States
so that this reform can be brought
about, there has been formed the Ma
tional One Cent Letter Postage asso-
citation, of which Charles William
Burrows, Cleveland, is president, and
George T. Mcintosh, Cleveland, is
secretary treasurer and manager of
the campaign. This organization has
been in existence for a number of
years and has been steadily working
for a 1-cent letter rate. Substantial
progress has been made, and it is
hoped that definite action on this i'm
portant matter may be had at the ap-
preaching session of congress.
Users Of letter postage of the
country, who are now heavily taxed
for the carriage of their letters,
should rally 10 the support of this
work. Mr.. Thompson continued,
land it is my intention to arouse in
terest in the work of this association
locally, so that we may be properly
represented when the time for action
at Washington comes"