The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-03-18
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

Bookings Register Bureau, Washington, DC.
(By ]. e. Jones)
Nine United States senators laid
down the burdens of Office on March 4,
and of these at least two never would
have been elected to the senate but
for the fact that their bank accounts
held millions. On the other hand two
and possibly three of the most con
spicuous men who have served in the
upper branch of congress in years
have retired to private life, and these
in the order of their Importance are
Root of New York, Burton of Ohio, and
Bristow of Kansas. Those nine Games
are prominent in the minds of the peo-
pie of the states that are represented
but in another session new figures will
appear in the senate and new men of
great intellect will be uncovered from
under their bushels.
Senator John w. Weeks of Massa-
chusetts, may be counted as one of the
half dozen best informed men in con
gress upon postal affairs. For many
years he was chairman of the commit
tee on postoftices and post roads of
the house of representatives, and it
was there that he achieved his best
work, resulting in his election to the
senate to succeed Murray Crane. Sen
ator Weeks declares that the govern
ment is making a large profit on first
class mail, and he adds that too much
discrimination exists in the postal
laws favoring certain classes of mail.
1t is interesting to note that by some
process of reasoning the Postmaster
General has recently turned back 49,
SOC, 900 into the general treasury of the
United States as representing what
he claims to have been a surplus in
the of his department for the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1914. OF
course, there is nobody except posi-
bly,, General Burleson, hat has any
idea that the post Office made three
and a half million dollars during 1914,
or even three and a half cents. Gen
eral Burleson is the first postmaster
general since 1886 to surrender any of
his appropriation. BY Jumping guesses
on what ought to be from
federal buildings, franked and penalty
mail, and the handling of second class
mail, Mr.. B~urleson, as a true Texan,
"reckons" that his department is car
rying a load of about $4,000, 900 a
year for other departments of the gov-
eminent and for subsidies to pub
fishers.
1t was calculated that the parcel
post would render an immense profit
to the government, and department
officials prophesied in the beginning
that Uncle Sam would clean up from
$40, OO0, 900 to $50, 0O0. 900 annually upon
this branch of the service. The post Of
fee itself appears to be in considerable
of a quandry as to the results of the
parcel post. but the special joint COM
mittee of congress headed by Senator
Bristow, has made a report upon the
parcel post, and while it does not deal
specifically with its revenue-producing
powers it clearly indicates that this
new feature in postal affairs is not a
money maker.
The post Office department makes
millions Of dollars on first class mail
matter. and loses it.-and more, In
carrying newspapers, merchandise and
other classes Of mail. As the principal
function Of the post Office department
IL to transmit communications. the sug.
gestion put forth by Senator Weeks
boils down to the plain proposition that
Iinasmuch as letter mail Is undoubtedly
. le to pay its own way at the one
cert rate Of postage. the people are
entitled to that rate. But there 10 NO