Show TAFT AFT ASKS RAISE IN POSTAL RATES Urges Adoption Of Ot Commissions Commission's Commissions Commission's Commis Commis- sion's Recommendation On Second-Class Second Mail G PROf-iT PROf ri ria a IN POSTAL SERVICE For the First Time In History the tho I Department Made Money Money Adoption tion of Parcel Post System t 1 Again Is Urged Washington Feb 22 According According to the annual report of Postmaster General General General Gen Gen- eral Hitchcock transmitted to congress congress congress con con- gress today the postoffice department for tor the first time In his history tor shows a profit for the fiscal year ending June 30 1911 Accompanying the document was the report of the commission on sec sec- I I ond-class ond mall mail matter appointed by Joint resolution of congress on March I 4 of last year and a brief message of or orthe the president t In which he called attention attention at at- to the principal features of the I at-I two reports Would Increase Second-Class Second Rates The report of the commission on second-class second mall matter makes the following recommendations 1 The rate of 2 cents a pound on copies caples mailed by publishers to subscribers subscribers subscribers sub sub- scribers to news agents and as sampie sample sample sam sam- pie copies caples and by news agents to their subscribers or to other news agents 2 The rate of at 1 cent for each 4 ounces for copies caples mailed by other than publishers and news agents that thatIs Is the pr present sent transient rate 3 The present froe county county ln-county privilege t liege retained but not extended The commission also recommended that the copy cent-a-copy rate for newspapers newspapers pers other than weeklies and for periodicals periodicals periodicals pe pe- not exceeding 2 ounces in weight and the copy cent rate for periodicals exceeding 2 ounces In weight when mailed at a city letter letter- carrier office for local delivery be abolished As to the effect and adequacy of the proposed Increase of 1 cent a pound In postage the commission says Such an Increase a will wll not In the opinion of at the commission bring distress distress distress dis dis- tress upon the publishers of newspapers newspapers newspapers pers and periodicals or seriously Interfere interfere In in- with the dissemination of use useful useful ful tul news or Information A reasonable time should be allowed after tie the tre rate Is fixed before it is put Into effect i f While the new rate will be very far from from compensating the government for for the carriage and handling of sec see class end matter It will to some extent ex- ex tent Vent relieve the existing burden and result In a more equitable adjustment bf rates Both the president and the postmaster ter er general concur in the lions President Taft again concurs In the recommendation of the Postmaster General for tor the adoption of a parcel post sy system tem sugg suggesting sUng the inauguration tion of such a service on rural routes and In the city delivery service first Ownership of Telegraph Opposed Hitchcock's recommendation for tor government ownership of the telegraph telegraph telegraph tele tele- graph lines under the supervision of the postal service Is not approved of by the president Regarding this he says There Is only one recommendation In which I can not agree that agree that Is om on I which recommends that the telegraph lines In the United States should be made a part of the postal system and operated in conjunction with the mall mail system This presents a question of government ownership of public utilities utilities ties which are now being conducted by private enterprise under franchises from tram the government I believe that the true principle is that private enterprise enterprise en en- should be permitted to carry carryon on such public utilities under due regulation regulation regu regu- lation laUon as as to rates by proper authority rather than that the government should Itself conduct them This principle principle prin prin- ciple I favor tavor because I do not think ItIn it itIn itin in accordance with the best public policy policy pol pol- icy thus greatly to Increase the body of ot public servants The Tho report of the Postmaster General Gen Gen- General eral Is full tull of statements of at changes in the organization and methods of the theS S postal service made since the last a annual an- an f nual report and of at tentative drafts o of legislation embodying certain recommendations recommendations of the de department which need legislation to carry car carr y them out It also calls attention to the fact tact that I the revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30 1911 am amounted to I and that the expenditures amounted to making a surplus of The report shows that the postal savings system was begun experimentally tally In January 1911 and that it has now been extended so as to include presidential post offices which includes practically all of the post offices of that class Preparations aro are also being made to establish the system tern tem at about fourth-class fourth offices |