The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1916-10-27
ONE CENT POSTAGE

eminent to inaugurate a one cent
letter rate within the next year,
according to postmaster General Al
bert S. Burleson.
This emphatic statement made by
! the postmaster general before the
I National Association of Postmasters
| of the United states at their July
1916 Convention, indicates that this
4 important reform is much nearer
realization than most people believe
and that next winter will see rad
zeal steps taken toward this end
In addressing the potsmasters,
| General Burleson declared that they
are giving the best postal service in
the world today, and that is what
! the American farmer and business
man are entitled to, for they pay
for it. He advised the postmasters
to spare no expense that means
greater efficiency.
| But that does not mean extrava-
gance," said Mr.. Burleson. "Where
is an official who will tell me that
employees useless to the service
should not be Topped off? | do not
want to be hard on postal employ
ees. | believe the government should
require only a certain number Of
hours work, and that under sani-
tary and comfortable conditions. at
a salary not only adequate, but gem
erous. 1t is my purpose and your
duty to see that all employees per-
form an adequate service for the
money expended.
Every dollar intelIigently saved
can be utilized for the improvement,
, development and extension of ser
vice, resulting in a reduction in
postage for those served
plans are being worked out for
the. solution of railway mail service
problems. They are being solved in
way that will enable the United
States to pay the railroads adequate
compensation for service rendered,
and pay only for service received.
With this result, if next year we
can make those using the second
class mail service pay one-half
part of what they should, we can
go before congress and take the first
step toward penny postage!
"The fact that this year we have
surplus of between $4,000, 0O0yand
$1,000 900 demonstrates that at
last the postal service is on a strong
business and self-supporting basis.
If we can keep down useless extrav-
agance, we can soon inaugurate one
cent postage in this country"
This frank statement from the
postmaster general substantiates
| declarations which have been made
during the past year or two by of
ficials of the National One Cent Let
| ter Postage Association which has
| its headquarters at Cleveland, that
with economical operation of ,the
| department and a reasonable adjust
ment of postal rates, one cent letter
postage could be inaugurated with
out injury to the federal govern
ment, and letter users given the
benefit of big reduction over cur
rent rates
Nearly sixty bills were presented
at the present session of congress,
calling for one cent letter postage
Scores of representatives and sena-
tors have been closely studying the
matter and have become united in
a conviction that the time is ripe
for one cent postage, a reform
sought for many years, but only re-
Gently brought to the attention of
congress through the persistent
campaign on the part of the Nation
al One Cent Letter, Postage Asso-
citation.
At the present time letter users
of the United States net profit
to the government of over SIS, 000,~
600 a year over actual cost of dis
tribution. At the same time large
magazine interests are securing dis
tribution of their product at one
cent a pound, which means a great
loss to the government, and to make
up this loss users of letter postage
are paying a profit of 1907
1t is to correct this great injus-
tice that the postmaster general and
his hundreds of assistants through
out the country are now employed
From all Indications one cent letter
postage promises to be one of the
most important issues at this win
ters session of congress.