Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-08-30
ONE CENT LETTER POSTAGE
MAY BE lNAUGURATED
Postmaster General Burleson Says
United States Has Best Service
in tho World

Postmaster General BurIeson Says
United States Has Best Service
in tho World.
Efficiency in the post office depart
ment with a proper readjustment of
rates will permit the government to
within the next year, according to
Postmaster General Albert S. Burle-
son.
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 impor-
tant reform is much nearer realization
than most people believe an dthat
next winter will see radical steps TAX
en- toward this end.
In addressing the postmasters Gen
eral Burleson declared that they are
giving the best postal service in the
world today, and that is what the Am
erican farmer and business man are
entitled to, for they pay for it. He
|
expense that means greater efficiency.
But that does not mean extrava-
gance" said Mr.. Burleson, where is
an official who will tell me that en-
ployees useless to the service should
be hard on postal employees. l be-
lieve the government should require
only certain number of hours work,
hot TO
able conditions, at a salary not only
pose and your duty to see that all en-
ployees perform an adequate serv-
ice for the money expended.
Every dollar intelligently saved
can be utilized for the improvement,
development and extension of service,
resulting i'll a reduction in postage for
those served.
plans are being worked out for the
solution Of railway mail service prob
lens. They are being solved in a
way that will enable the United States
to pay the railroads adequate compen-
sation 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 a one-half part of what they
should, we can go before congress and
take the first step toward penny pos.
tage.
"The fact that this year we have a
surplus of between 100000 and S..
100000 demonstrates that at last the
postal service is on strong business
and self-supporting basis. If we can
keep down ueless extravaganza, we
can soon inaugurate one cent postage
in this country"
This frank statement from the post
master general substantiates declara
tons which have been made during
the past year or two by officials OF
! the National One Cent Letter Post
age Association, which has it's head
quarters at Cleveland, that with eco
nomical operation Of the department
and a reasonable adjustment of post
al rates, one cent letter postage coulc
be inaugurated without injury to the
federal government, and letter users
given the benefit of big reduction
over current rates.
Nearly sixty bills were presented al
y the present session of congress, call
/. ing for one cent letter postage. Scores
of representatives and senators have
!. been closely studying the matter ant
have become united in a conviction
n that the time is ripe for one cent pos
tage, reform sought for many years
X but only recently brought to the at
n tention of congress through the per
sistent campaign on the part of tn
p National One Cent Letter Postage
g Association.
. At the present time letter users O
!. the United States net a profit to tn
p government Of over $75,000,000 a yea
. over actual cost Of distribution. A
\. the same time large magazine inter
ests are securing distribution of thei
!. product at one cent pound, whic]
II means great loss to the government
and to make up this loss users Of lei
q ter postage are paying a profit Of 10
D. per cent.
n It is to correct this great injustic
O that the postmaster general and hi
r. hundreds of assistants throughout tn
Il country are now employed. From al
indications one cent letter postag
n promises to be one of the most i'm
n. portant issues at this winters sessio
d Of congress.