Show RATES HIGH ENOUGH SECOND-CLASS SECOND INCREASE PLAN STIRS PUBLISHERS Efficiency of Hitchcock's Management of the Post Office Department Attacked by the A. A N N. N P. P A A. A Washington The The A A. A N N. P P. A. A Ap through its postal committee of which Don C. C Soltz Seitz of New York is chairman chairman chair chair- man has joined in the fight against the tho proposed Increase in second class rates and In Its last bulletin the committee committee com com- attacks the management of the post office department The bulletin is as follows The extent to which the thc post postoffice postoffice office department does not carry sec sec- class ond matter Is well revealed inthe In Inthe the following abstract of Inquiry of publishers conducted by house com on expenditures In the post postoffice postoffice office department William A. A Ashbrook Ashbrook Ashbrook Ash- Ash brook chairman concerning the volume vol volume yol- yol ume weight and handling of tho output output output out out- put of ot publications entered as mall mail matter of the second-class second for the fiscal year ending June 30 1911 Inquiry was made of ot all publishers publish publish- ers era approximating thirty thousand of Which nearly seventeen thousand are weekly p publications More than ten thousand returns were received embracing sixty six plus per cent of all tonnage of pub pub- lI The publications reporting represent represent represent sent an annual output of more than six and one-half one billion copies the weight of which was one and three- three quarter billion pounds These publications delivered by mall mail in such period weighed pounds They delivered by their own carriers carriers carriers car car- newsboys and news companies pounds of which an unascertained unascertained unascertained unas unas- percentage was carried to destination by express and other rail shipments outside the mail mall They delivered delivered de de- livered by express pounds and by other rail shipments 7 pounds The rate by express and rail varies from A to 1 cent per pound but the bulk bulk of ot these shipments shipments shipments ship ship- ments went at a rate of 14 to cent per pound The post office for the year endIng ending ending end end- ing June 30 1911 handled and excluding one-half one million pounds free In county matter it received received received re re- re- re one cent per pound All this goes to add to the absurdity absurdity absurdity ab ab- of the proposed Hitchcock legIslation legislation legislation leg leg- doubling the second-class second rate from one to two cents per ver pound and limiting the privilege to publications that carry as much reading matter as they do advertising The proposition was stupid enough when the postal deficit reached 17 two years ago It becomes preposterous In face of a surplus What business has a transportation tion corporation which is all the post postoffice postoffice office Is to prescribe how a business shall be conducted Newspapers N cannot afford to expand expand ex ex- vand their columns beyond the call of the days day's news nor can they be expected to control the requirements of their advertisers ad who have a right to reach the public as copiously as they care to It cannot be assumed that such legislation will ever get b by congress But Dut publishers are requested to fight the theory that the right to send their output by mail mall Is a privilege Tho The figures show it is not The post office Is a k badly managed managed managed man man- aged business That Is all We Wo should fight its dictation Its censorship censorship censorship censor censor- ship and Its Inefficiency |