The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-04
.BLACKMON TALKS ON REDUCTION OF
 LETTER POSTAGE
John W.Abercrombie Leaves for Washington to Serve Last Term as Congress-
 man at Large

Anniston. December 3.-(Special) Dr. John W. Abercrombie, congressman at-large, has returned to Washington after spending the recess holidays in this city, which he is now making his home again. This will be Dr. Abercrombie's last term in office, the position of con gressman- at-1arge having been abol- ished by act of the legislature. He has been frequently mentioned in connec- tion with the senatorship in Alabama, but was noncommittal when asked about his future political career Sat- urday morning.
 Congressman Fred L. Blackmon also returned to Washington Saturday. MT. Blackmon is member of the commit tee on postoffices and postroads. Re- garding the proposition to provide one cent letter postage he said that he has heard no member of the postoffice com mittee in either the House or the Sen ate discuss this question with the exception of Judge Moon of Tennessee chairman of the postoffice committee of the House.
 "The subject of one cent letter post | age has been continuously before the committee of postoffice and postroads l of which have been a member since my election to Congress" said Mr. Black mon. "The people have been demanding for many years a parcel post bill, and our committee brought out the first par . l eel post bill that was ever reported and passed by Congress. We thought it better to see what effect this would have on the revenues of the postal de- partment reducing the letter postage to one. Then again, the question of ex- tending and perfecting rural free de- livery system was thought to be ] be of such importance as to demand immediate action, which we did. The committee was preparing to report some one of the many one cent letter | postage bills that were pending when the European war broke out and our revenues were so reduced by the falling off of import duties from foreign coun- tries that we thought it unwise to fur 1 ther reduce the revenues of the govern ment at time when we were compelled 1 to pass a bill to raise additional rev. enue by a stamp tax.
 1 "The committee, however, has re- ported and passed bill to pay the railroads and steamship companies for hauling the mail on space basis rather than weight basis which it is esti- mated, will save many million dollars
 
 adet ss 2 eonoeTss tcl for this service. 1 A n aoer ot aits ing one cent let ter postage at1 nur pending before the office comm tees of the House and eaate. ana each of these commit Itees are interested in giving the best lserv Bat can be sven and giving it las quickly as the enue of the gov ernr ant Will permit
 Tha plant ot tba Southern Shovel Man featuring mp y is being moved from Gadsden to Ann jton, having been pure 7Hsed hy the KtlDy Car and Foun- dry onpaHy of ti.s lty, where 1t will be rebuit ana oE ara ed in connection with taat ectnpanSa other interests [ Tn shovel factf has always beer a ia ure at Gadsdeu, but the trouble
 was due to a laok apital and an in
 effic ent organization There is no doubt that he Ktlhy com my will make il a su ass. It Is said at had the plant
 been running during e past Is months it W, 4d have been g mint for the own ers, being cae of the few shovel fac
 torie h ths southern states and the only one in iabems