Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-01-18

Uf legislation which it is expected the
present session of congress will en-
ect as a first step in the movement for
a general rate of one cent for ordinary
letters.
An active campaign has been in
progress for the last five years look
ing towards one cent letter postage.
This has eliminated in a definite
agreement on the part of legislative
authorities at Washington to grant a
one cent local rate in all cities and
towns where deliveries are made. This
IS the first step, the one which counts,
according to those who are prosecut-
ing this campaign towards securing a
general rate for the entire country.
In connection with a one cent rate
for local first class mail deliveries it
is planned to have a zone system of
rates for second class matter, which
is expected to increase the charges on
all periodicals of nation wide circula-
ton. The proposition has been put in
a concrete way by being made a part
Of the appropriation bill of the post
office department. Under the provis-
ion relating to one cent postage, all
first class matter, including letters
when mailed in any city or rural dis
trict for delivery within the limits of
the city or district would be carried
at one cent rate.
For handling newspapers and mag
azines zone plan has been proposed
the idea being to divide the country
into eight zones, as follows:
Local, first, second and third zones
under 800 miles cent per pound.
Fourth zone-300 to 900 miles-two
cents per pound.
Fifth zone-60O to 1000 miles-three
cents per pound.
Sixth zone-100O to 400 miles-four
NeuIS per pOuuu'
Seventh zone-14OO to 1900 miles
tive cents per pound.
Eighth zone-over 1900 miles-six
cents per pound.
Free-in-county circulation provided
BY the present law would continue as
at present. Daily newspapers will
not be affected, because they do not
circulate beyond 300 mile radius
The Big Catalogues.
Among other provisions. the bill
increases rates for mail order cata-
Icgues from two to eight cents a
pound, making them third class mat
ter instead of parcel post. This pro-
vision vitality interests every merch-
ant in every city throughout the COun-
try. Although the cost Of carriage Of
these catalogues for long time has
been a gerat deal higher than charg-
ed, no definite step has ever been TAX
en- to increase the rate until the pres
ent provision was included in the APP
bill.
The post office committees of the
and house have received liter
ally millions of names on petitions in
the past few months asking for low
er rate than now charged. The COM
nittee has held number of sessions
and made a very careful survey of
the situation, and believes that a low
er postage bill can be passed by con-
eress. Chairmen of the various COM
p.ittees and members of the commit |
tees themselves have in many instanc-
es expressed their hearty approval of
the proposed changes, and it Is not
expected that much difficulty will be
found in securing the lower rate.
For over five years the National One
Cent Letter Postage Association,
which has it's headquarters at Cleve-
land, O., has been vigorously fighting
for the lower rate The association
has members in every city in the I'M
ion, amounting into the thousands,
and has fos the past several years
been conducting an active educational
The Drop Letter.
There is every prospect, according
t. officials of the association that the
drop letter proposal will be passed By
the present session of congress and
out into effect very shortly. This will
uean a saving of many millions of dol
lars on the part of letter users OF
the country who are now required to
nay twice the cost of carriage.
1t has been expressly stipulated
II at newspapers having a circulation
-.:.b;y n onO mile radiuS are not to