Weekly journal-miner., 1916-09-06
1 CENT POSTAGE WILL SOON BE
 A REALITY
EFFICIENCY WITH PROP FER REIMBURSEMENT OF RATES WILL SOON RE- SUIT IN CHANGE.
(From Thursdays Daily.)

Efhciency m the poStothce depart
 ment with a proper readjustment of
 rates will permit the government to
 inauguratc a one-cent letter rate with
 in the next year, according to Post
 master-General Albert s. Burleson.
 This emphatic statement made by
 the postmaster-general before the Ma
 tional Association of Postmasters of
 the United States at their July, 1916,
 convention, indicates that this import
 ant reform IS much nearer realization
 than most people believe and that
 next Winter will see radical steps
 taken toward this end.
 In addressing the postmasters, Gen cral 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 Mir. Burleson. Where is an official who will tell men that employees useless to the service should rot be Topped off? I do not want to be hard on postal employees. I be. lieve the government should require only a certain number of hours work, and that under sanitary and comfort able conditions, at salary not only adequate, but generous. It is my pur- pose and your duty to see that all employees perform an adequate service for the money expended.
 Every dollar intelligently saved can be utilized for the improvement, development and extension of service. 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 services 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 oi what they should, we can go before . congress and take the first step to- ward penny postage.
 The fact that this year we have a surplus of between S4,000000 and S5,- : COO,0O0 demonstrates that at last the . postal service is on strong business and self-supporting basis. If we can keep down useless extravaganza, we can soon inauguratc one-cent postage in this country"
 This frank statement from the post master general substantiates dcclara- tions which have been made during the past year or two by officials of the National One-Ccnt Letter Postage Association, which has its hcadquar- ters at Cleveland, that with cconomi- cal operation of the department and a reasonable adjustment of postal rates, one-cent letter postage could be in without injury to the Fed eral government, and letter users giv- en the benefit of a big reduction over current rates.
 Nearly 60 bills were presented at the present session of congress, call irg for one-cent letter postage Scores of representatives and senators have been closely studying the matter and have become united in a conviction that the time is ripe for one-cent post age, a reform sought for many years, put only recently brought to the at ention of congress through the per 'istent campaign on the part of the National One-Ccnt Letter Postage Association.
 At the present time letter users oi he United States net a profit to the , government of over &5OO0,O00 a year ,ver actual cost of distribution. At he same time large magazine inter sts arc securing distribution of their fl product at one cent a pound, which II means a great loss to the government II nd to make up this loss users of letter l. postage are paying a profit of 100 fl er cent. Ii
 It IS to correct this great injustice a hat the postmaster general and his f, of assistants throughout the II ountry arc now employed. From all q 1dications one-cent letter postage a romises to be one of the most im- a ortant issues at this Winters ses- h ion of congress. N