Show POSTAL RATES TO I 1 BE readjusted 14 the ways are now being greas adfor the launching of the move ment for the readjustment of postal rates in the next session of congress this problem was to have been taken up in the last session but had to be deferred on account of the consideration required by railway mail pay since this has been disposed of the committees are prepared to take up the matter of placing the various postal rates on a more equitable basis A zone system of rates for second class matter is being prominently urged to take the place of the present flat rate which was adopted nearly forty years ago the present rate has for some time been regarded as a discrimination against the newspapers in favor of the great national magazines like the parcel post the proposed zone rates would be based on the length of the haul the postal committees have been besieged by petitions bearing millions of names and sever lal al hundred thousand letters from individuals urging a readjustment of postal rates with a view of making possible one cent letter postage A survey of the situation indicates that sufficient changes will be made in the various rates to permit the granting of a 1 cent rate on lon local delivery letters in the next session of congress chairman moon of the house postal committee today said 1 I think that the committee will take up this second class mail matter at the next session and press it to a conclusion at once while I 1 cannot speak for the committee this is my desire in the matter I 1 do do not know what kind of a bill we will pass cheth or it will have a zone feature attached to it or not this view lias has been presented frequently in years past and sometimes received favor and sometimes not As to what shape the legislature will be in I 1 am not able to say but I 1 am sure nie che committee will give it the best possible shape in the public interest senator reed smoot of utah says that history tells us that with every reduction in the letter rate of postage there has immediately followed a tremendous increase in the volume of business and revenue during the first month or so there might possibly be a slight falling off in the revenues under the proposed rate but by the end of one vear after its inauguration I 1 feel certain they would total even more than under the old rate however in considering the proposed reduction we should keep in mind the enormous benefits that are to be derived by every patron of the postal service 1 I introduced a bill proposing a one cent rate on local delivery letters As yet the postal committee has not b been een disposed to report it to the senate for consideration era tion if the committee does not feel disposed to report the bill as an independent measure cleasure I 1 ho hope pe to have its iti provi provisions afo ns i included n in ext regular postal appropriation bill |