The Prescott daily news., 1916-08-21
OUR POSTAL SERVICE.

rates Will permit the government to lnaugurate a one cent letter rate with lr 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 inn portant reform is much nearer real ization than most people believe and that next winter will see radical steps taken 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 American farmer and business man are entitled to, for they pay for it. He advised the postmasters to spare nc expense that means greater effic- iency.
 But that does not mean extrava- gance," said Mir. Burleson. "Whero Is an official who will tell me that em- ployees useless to the service should not be Topped off? I do not want to be hard on postal employees. I be- lleve the government should require only certain number of hours work, and that under sanitary and comfort able conditions, at a salary not only adequate, but generous. It is my pur- pose and your duty to see that all em- ployees 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 prob lens. They are being solved in 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 one-half part of what they should, We can go before congress and take the first step toward penny post agel
 "hTe fact that this year we have d surplus of between $4,000,000 and $5,- 00O,000 demonstrates that at last the postal service is on a strong business and self-supporting basis. If we can keep down useless eXtravagance, we can soon inaugurate one cent postage in this country"
 This frank statement from the post master general substantiateS declara tions which have been made during the past year or two by officials of the National One Cent Letter Postage Association, which has it's headquar- ters at Cleveland, that with economi- cal operation of the department and a reasonable adjustment of postal rates one cent letter postage could be in- augurated without injury to the fed eral government, and letter users given the benefit of big reduction over current rates.
 Nearly sixty bills were presented at the present session of congress, calling for one cent letter postage. Scores of representatives and senators have been closely studying the matter and have become united in convlc- ton that the time is ripe for enc cent postage. and reform sought for many years, but only recently brought to the attention of congress through the persistent campaign on the part of the National One Cent Letter Post age Association.
 At the present time letter users of the United States net profit to the government of over $75000,000 year over actual cost of distribution. At the same time large magazine inter ests are securing distribution of their product at one cent a pound, which means great loss to the government and to make up this loss users ot letter postage are paying a profit of 100 per cent.
 It is to correct this great injustice that the postmaster general and hlS hundreds of assistants throughout the country are now employed. From all indications one cent letter postage
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