l'AGK O
nra orrizicN, fkiday, mahcii j, 1012.
MESSAGE OF
TIE PRESIDENT
f I
Tall Agre3s Willi P an to Raise
, Second Glass Mail Rates.
GOMMSSION MAXES REPORT.
Inquiry Board Advises Increasing Sec
ond Class Rates Affecting Periodi
cals and Newspapers From 1 Cent to
2 Cents a Pound, but That Present
Free In County Privilege Bo Main
tained. Washington. Feb. 22. President Tuft
fens sent to both houses of congress ;i
ipodnl message, accompanied by tlie
annual report of the postmaster gen
eral, for tbe fiscal year ended Jur.o
BO, 1011. anil the report of the federal
commission on second class mall mist
ier. The president's message Is as fol
lows: 1
To the Senate and House of Ilepre- j
sentntives: I
In transmitting the annual report of
tbe postmaster general for the fiscal
year ended June .".0. 1!)11. It gives mo
pleasure to call attention to the fact
that the revenues for the fiscal year
ended .luue 30. 1911. amounted to $2u".
S7t).S2.'M;o and that the expenditures
amounted to $2.tT,UG0.T0 1.-1S. making a
surplus of S21P.11S.12. Tor the year
uded June 30. 1000, the postal servle
was In arrears to the extent of $17.
470.770.47. In the interval this very
large deficit has been changed into a
surplus, and that without the curtail
ment of postal facilities. Indeed, in the
same time there have been established
2,744 new postollices. delivery by car
rier provided in ISO additional cities
and new rural routes established. 2,ril0
la uumber und aggregating 00.070 miles
hi extent.
The force of postal employees has
been Increased by more than S.000, and
a liberal policy In the matter of sal
aries lias been followed, so. that the
amount expended for salaries is now
514.000.000 more than two years ago.
The average salary has been Increased
from SSOO to $007 for rural carriers,
$97!) to S1.0S2 for postoClce clerks,
$1,021 to S1.0S4 for city letter carriers
and S1.1CS to S1.1S3 for railway postal
lerks.
The Postal Savings System.
The report shows that the postal pav
ings system was begun experimentally
iu January. 1911, and that it lias now
fceen extended so as to hiclude 7,rn0
presidential postofilees. which includes
practically nil of the postollices of that
elass. Preparations are also uiliig
made to establish the system at about
40.000 fourth class offices. The deposits-
In eleven months have reached a
total of SI 1.000.000, distributed among
2,710 national and state banks.
The postmaster general recommends,
as I have done in pievlous messape-i.
the adoption of a parcel post and the
beginning of this in the organization
of such service on rural routes and !:i
the city delivery service first. Tile
pairing of assistant postmasters In t ':
classified service has secured greater
efficiency. It is hoped that the sat-.o
thing may bo done with all the, post
masters. The report of the postmaster general
Is full of statements of the important
Improvements In the organization ui I
methods of the postal service inudi
since the last annual report and of ten
tative draft3 of legislation embodying
certain recommendations of the depart
ment which need legislation to carry
them out.
Opposes Government Control of Telo
graph Lines.
There is only one recommendation In
wbi'b I cannot agree that is. ie
whlcli recommends that the telegraph
lines In the Culled States shouid b
made a part of the postal system and
operated in conjunction with the m:..i
system. This presents a question i
government ownership of public uMi
tics which are now being conducted I v
private enterprise under franthiv-i
from the government. I believe tin i
tbe true principle U that private enter
prise should be permitied to carry on
suc h public utilities under due regul't
tlon as to rates by proper authority
rather than that the government shuuld
itself coiidm t them. This principle 1
favor because 1 do not think it in ac
cordance with the best public policy
thus greatly to Increase the body of
public servants. Of course If it coi: i'
be shown that telegraph service coe o
be furnished to the public at a le
price than it Is'now furnished to tl
public by telegraph companies nv:
with equal efficiency the argutne.n
might be ti strong one In favor of tin
adoption of the proposition.
1 Hut I am not satisfied from any evl
dence that If these properties wore
taken over by the government the
could be managed any more economic
ally or any more efficiently or that this
would enable the government to fur
nish service nt any smaller rate than
the public are uow required to pay by
private companies. i
I cannot speak with too great empha
sis of the Improvement In tho postolllce
department under tho present manage
ment. The cutting down of cost, the
shortening of methods and the increase
lu efficiency nre shown by tho statistics
of the annual report.
LOno of the most important matter
frred to by the postmaster genera
tho proposed fixing of new rates of
postage for scent! rlcai mall matter.
in connection with this subject 1 havn
the honor to transmit, herewith the re
port of tho romr.it iion on second class
mail matter, appointed fmrsunnt to a
Joint resolution of the Sixty-first con
gress, approved March 4. mil.
The commission consists of lion.
Charles E. Hughes, associate Justice
of the supreme court of tho United
States; President A. Lawrence Lowell
nf Harvard university and Mr. Ilnrry
a. Wheeler, president of the Associa
tion of Commerce of the city of Chi
cago, whose character, ability aud ex
perience command for their findings
and recommendations the respect and
confidence of the congress nnd tho
country.
The report discloses a most exhaus
tive and critical Inquiry into the sub
ject of second clnss mall matter after
adequate notice to all tho parties in
interest. Extensive hearings were held
by the commission, at which the post
master general and the second nnd
third assistant postmasters general ap
peared and submitted formnl state
ments presenting the various conten
tions of the postofilce department, to
gether with nil the relevant official
data and evidence relating to the cost
of handling nnd transKirtlng second
class mall matter. Certain of the lead
ing magazines wpre represented by
counsel, while various other publica
tions appeared by representatives nnd
were heard In oral argument or permit
ted to submit written briefs setting
forth their respective reasons for op
posing a change In the present postage
rate on second class mall. The second
and third assistant postmasters gen
eral, together with minor otlicers of the
department, were critically cross exam
ined by the counsel and representa
tives of the periodicals, and all the
vnrlous phases of tho second class post
age problem were made the subject of
n most palustnklug Investigation.
Says Increase Is Justified.
The findings of the commission con
firm the view that tho cost of handling
and transporting second class mail
matter is greatly In excess of the post
age paid ntid that an increase in the
rate is not only Justified by the facts,
but is desirnble.
Tho commission reports that the evi
dence submitted for Its consideration Is
sufficient to warrant a finding of th
approximate cost of handling and
transporting the several classes of sec
ond class mall known as paid at the
pound rate, free in county nnd tran
sient matter in so far as relates to the
services of transportation, postofflce
cars, railway distribution rural deliv
ery and certain other items of cost, but
that It is without adequate data to de
termine the cost of the general post
office service and also what portion of
the cost of certain other aggregate
services Is properly assignable to sec
ond class mail matter, it finds that in
the fiscal year 100S. the period for
which the statistics for the postofilce
department were complied, the cost of
handling and transporting second class
mall In tbe items of transportation,
postofilce cars, railway distribution, v
ral delivery and certain miscellaneo-s
charges was approximately 0 cents it
pound for paid at the pound rate mat
ter and far free in county and translei t
matter each approximately 0 cents a
pound and that upon this basis, as
modified by subsequent reductions in
the cost of railroad transportation, the
cost of paid at the pound rate matter
for tho services mentioned is now ap
proximately ."'i routs n pound, while
the cost of lree In county aud transient
matter rem ins as formerly namely,
each at approximately 5 cents a pound.
Since the commission has determined
that the cost of handling aud trans
porting second class mall is approx
imately r"j cents for matter paid
at the pct'-l rate and approximately fi
cents each 1 r free in county and tran
sient matte", without taking into ac
count tho cost of the general postofilce
service and certain unassignable Items
of expense, t is apparent that the ag
gregate cost of nil service performed
by the postal estnbllshment In connec
tion with tl 'S class of mall matter is
consider: bly above that amount.
Postal Service Self Sustairing.
The postni service Is now. for the
first time In years, operated upon a self
sustaining basis, and In my Judgment
this Is a wise policy, but It should not
be carried out at the expense of certain
classes of mall matter that pay reve
nue largely In excess of their cost. It
is not just that some classes of mail
should bo exorbitantly taxed to meet a
deficiency caused by other classes, the
revenue from which Is much below
their cost of handling nnd carriage.
Where such inequalities exist thev
should be removed as earlr as practi
cable. The business enterprises of the
publishers of pciindli als, however,
have been built up on the basis of the
present sernd class rate, and there
fore It would be manifestly unfair to
put Into Immediate effect n largo In
crease In postage.
That nows'iiipers and macnzlnes have
been potent agencies fur the dissemi
nation of public intelligence and havo
consequent!'- tmrne a worthv part In
the development of the country all
must admit but It N llkpwlse true that
the ork-lnal uurpiwe of congress In pro
viding for t'lein n subvention by way
of nominal postal charges in considera
tion of thuli value ns mediums of pub
lic Information ought not to prevent an
Increase, because they nre now not
only educational, but hluhly profitable.
There Is no warrant for the crest dis
parity between esNtltig posture rates
on periodicals nnd the cost of the serv
ice the t'overtime'it performs for them.
The iifgregnte postal rpvenniw for the
fiscal e.nr 1911 were ,.,"7.oto so- c),
derived mnhilv from the potage col
lected' on the four clnswes nf 'nut' nutt
ier. It N carefu'lv estimated by tho
postofflce dennrtmeut that the rpvemi
derived from mall matter of tho f'.rst
class is approximately one nnd one-half
times the cost t,f I: :t:dilng nnd carriage,
that the returns from third nnd fourth
class matter are R'.lfihily In excess of
their cost of handling and carriage, and
that while uerotid class matter em
braces over .ri per cent nf tho entire
weight of all the umll carried II never
theless yield llltlc more than 5 per
cent of the postni revenues.
Reviews Recommendations.
The recommendations of the commis
sion as to the postage rates on second
clnss mall nro as follows:
First. Tho rate of 2 cents a pound on
copies mailed by publlsticrn to subscribers,
to news nRFn:s nnd n snmplo copies nnd
by news tiRnntn to their subscribers or to
other news nccnts.
Second. Tlio rate of 1 cent for each four
ounces for copies mnlled by other thnn
publishers and news agents-thnt Is, tho
present transient rato.
Third. The present frco In county privi
lege retained, but not extended.
The commission nlso recommended
thnt the cent a copy rato for newspa
pers other than weeklies nnd for peri
odicals not excecdlug two ounces In
weight nnd the 2 cent n copy rate for
periodicals exceeding two ounces In
weight, when mailed at a city letter
carrier office for local delivery, be
abolished. As to the effect and adequacy of the
proposed Increase of 1 cent n pound In
postage the commission says:
Such nn Increnso will not. In the opinion
of the commission, bring distress upon tlv
publishers of newspapers and periodical?
or seriously Interfere with the dissemina
tion of useful news or Information A
reasonable time should be allowed, nfter
the rate Is fixed, before It Is put Into
effect. While the new rate will be far
from compensation the government for
the carriage and handling of second clat
mntter. It will to some extent relieve the
existing burden and result In a more
equitable adjustment of rates.
Suggests a Cost System.
The commission suggests that the
department "maintain nn adequate
cost system, so that the effect of the
new rates may be closely observed and
a proper basis may bo secured for the
consideration of any future proposals."
In these recommendations the post
master general nnd 1 heartily concur
and commend them to tbe early atten
tion of congress. The proposed In
crease of 1 cent a pound in the second
class postage rate I believe to be
most reasonable, and if sufficient time
Is allowed before the change goes into
effect It should work little serious in
jury to the business of tho periodical
publishers, while equalizing, nt least
In n mearuro. the burdens of postal
taxation. WILLIAM II. TAFT.
THE COMMISSION'S REPORT.
Recommendations Made Concerning
Second Class Mail Matter.
The repor of the commission on sec
ond class mail mutter is an exhaustive
document, containing a hundred pages
of primed matter. t
The commission, in addition to mak
ing the recommendations mentioned
in the president's message, nlso gives
many statistics showing the relative
amounts ol he different classes of mail
matter hat lied by the postofflce de
partment ai.d the cost in detail.
The cost and methods of handling
mail on railway cars are also carefully
considered.
The report says In part:
The existing rates on second class
matter nre those established by the a t
of 1S79 as amended in 1SS4 and ISSo.
Increase In Volume.
Our attention has been directed to
tho fact that the postmasters general
in their annual reports have repeatedly
commented upon the Increase In the
volume of second class matter and
upon the disparity between the sup
posed cost of transporting and han
dling li in the mails aud the amount
received as postage. Their estimates
evidently reflected the opinio-! of tho
ollhers of the department, but they
were based upon general experience in
the service aud not upon u scientific
ascertainment of cost.
The first question that arises in re
gard to the rate Is whether any dis
crimination, should be made between
different kinds of second class matter.
The plan proposed ot charging a special
rate for the portions ot magazines de
voted to advertisements seems open to
grave practh al objections. The amount
of space ghon to advertising is no cri
terion of the educational value of a
magazine, and if t lie same provision
were applied to newspapers the at
tempt to measure the space occupied
by advertisements would involve more
labor than is consistent with the rapid
dispatch of the daily press.
We conclude that whatever increase
be made should apply a'lke to newspa
pers aud periodicals admitted to the
second class and that it Is Imprac
ticable In the easp of newspapers to
charge a higher rate for space given to
advertisements. It has been suggested
that the proportion of this space should
be limited for all second class mutter,
but the true definition of such mntter
Is that whh h is devoted primarily to
the diseemlnatlnn of news and of cur
rent literature end Instruction, nnd we
are not convltii ed that this can bo
measured by au arbitrary standard of
the proportion of spin e given to adver
tisement. A Serious Question.
The question of raising the rate on
second, class mntter mailed by publish
ers and news agents from 1 cent to 2
cents a pound is a serious one. Hut
we nre of opinion that the change Is
reasonable and shott'd be made. A
reasonable time should bo allowed,
after the p'to Is fixed, before It Is put
Into effect. While the new rate will bo
very ftr from compensating tho gov
ernment for the crrrlnge and handling
of second c'nss matter. It will to sorao
extent -o!ere the existing burden and
result in a more equitable adjustment
of rates.
BASQUE EFFECTS.
Lace un Important Fac
tor of Summer Frocks.
DEMOHTFUL COSTCHK OP TAN HOT.
Hasque effects are being pushed by
designers of costumes this season, but
it remains to be seen whether the Idea
is going to "take" with their patrons.
The gown Illustrated shows the basque
notion in its Incipient stage. The ma
terial employed in this costume Is a
pale tan net trimmed with bands of
venise lace. The lace of the bodice is
also mounted on the tnn net. A very
modish touch is to be found in the
plaited frill at the foot of the skirt and
the slashed trimmed velvet coat, with
buttou trimmed coattails at the back.
For tho Girl Who Sews,
A bright young girl whose pet fad
is harmony in the matter of the little
details of dress, devising always some
original touch wldch will tell those
who see that her costume was design
ed as a whole, not being merely a
chance collection of dress and acces
sories, evolved a charming and grace
ful fichu and cuff sot to which any
color touch desired can be added, ac
cording to the dress with which it is to
be worn.
The fichu itself is of the usual drap
ed surplice shape, curved to fit over
the shoulders aud trimmed with
dainty lace frills. The inner edge is
also of. lace. Aloug the middle of the
fichu following its longest line Is n
strip of velvet ribbon or folded satin,
of a tint to match the gown, that Is
held In place by little cross straps of
lace about three Inches apart, out from
which it can be drawn when the fichu
Is laundered or when It is to be re
placed by some other color.
The cuffs to match this were deep
ones, turned back, with double rows
of lace frills an inch deep at the up
per edge. Around the body of each
enff went the strip of satin or velvet
to match that used on the llehu. and
this again was apparently secured by
the tiny straps of lace which crossed
It. but which was also, as In the ease
of the fichu, caught here and there by
an invisible stitch to prevent any acci
dent or slipping from place. The nar
row girdle was also of the same ma
terial as the colored "Inset."
Concerning Women.
Miss Louise Brown, an Instructor
at Wellcsley college, is the first woman
to receive the Herbert Baxter Adams
prize of $200 offered every two years
by the American Historical association
for the best essay on European history.
Miss Brown's essay was one of a very
large number submitted by representa
tives of many leading colleges through
out the couut.'.v.
The Countess of Warwick Is plan
ning n lecture tour in the United States
ami Canada, for which she has pre
pared three subjects. One deals with
woman suffrage and the other two are
on communism and celebrities she has
met.
Miss Harriet Keeler has recently
been appointed superintendent of
schools In Cleveland. O. A woman Is
tenement Inspector In that city, having
i charge of the sanitary policemen; a
1 woman Is assistant librarian, a woman
has charge of outdoor relief, two wom
en are on the school board, one having
been elected clerk, making six Impor
tant positions tilled by women In a city
which two years ago had but one
woman In public office, a member of
the board of education.
Mrs. Sarah Piatt Decker of Denver,
ex-president of the General Federation
nf Women's Clubs and a possibility as
United States senator, in n recent in
terview said that a woman's party Is
under consideration In Colorado, as
they have found Isith of the old polit
ical parties permeated with corruption
if, idfttS
M
ISM
HUMOR OF THE DAY
Has It Ever Occurred to You?
A pretty hand was placed In mine.
Ab I fondled It und grasped it tightly
for fear it would get away n new
world seemed to open before mo.
Oh, how my heart was beating! My
blood seemed leaping through my
"clus, and 1 know that tho color camo
and went In my face. All wns quiet
for a moment, words for tho time
seeming unnecessary.
Again I looked at Hint llttlo hand,
that pretty hand. It did not move nnd
seemed to bo resting quietly and lov
ingly In my own. I tried to speak, but
couldn't, Tbe room seemed to be whirl
ing around, and, nit hough I was ex
tremely happy, my Hps were dry and
no word was uttered.
At last I tenderly laid It down, con
fident that I had won. But, nlas, It was
not to bo! That pretty hand really
meant my downfall.
"Four kings here," snld a voice from
across tho table, and Instantly I real
ized my grent loss. As he reached for
the stacks of chips In the middle of the
table I saw that pretty hand that
lovely mitt which had rested for a mo
ment in my own swept Into tho dis
card. Four queens had met their fate.
Spokane Spokcsmnn-Itcvlew.
Force of Habit.
Tho Ilev. Allen Fort, pastor of the
Bnptlst tabernncle in Chattanooga,
nsked J. B. Cnpeheart, a railroad con
ductor, to take up tho collection one
day. it was Mr. Capcheart's first expe
rience ns a taker of collections In a
church.
lie started down the center aisle.
There were several children In the first
pew, nnd each put In n penny. The
people In tho next pew also contributed
something each. A big, glum fellow sat
alone in the third pew. Cnpeheart
passed him the plate. Tho man shook
his head and stuck his hands deep In
his pockets.
Cnpeheart stopped, put up his hand
as If to jerk tho bell cord and said.
"Well, you'll have to get off." Satur
day Evening Tost.
Anxiety of Noah.
It was the first dny out, and Noah
was standing on the upper deck nerv
ously sweeping the vast expause of
the waters with his eye.
"'Smatter, pop?" said Shorn, leaty
ing against the rail beside his father
"Anything gone wrong?"
"I don't know," said the old gentle
man. "But if the wind continues to
blow in this direction I'm afraid we'll
land somewhere In the United States,
and If that happens the duty on this
menagerie of ours will bust me."
Whereupon, ringing for the library
steward, the skipper called for a copy
of tho latest tariff schedule and spent
the remainder of the morning in an
anxious perusal of the same. LIppin
cott's.
A Vain Flirtation.
A young man came out of a West
Federal street picture theater one
evening Inst week leading by the arm
a companion who appeared to be In
a somewhat dazed condition.
The door tender looked at the two
In surprise, as the exhibition had
started only a few minutes before.
"Don't you like the show?" he asked.
"Yes, It's all right," replied the man
who led his companion, "but my
friend here is a tritle under the weath
er, nnd he Insists on flirting with the
girls on the films." Youngstown Tele
gram. A Future Financier.
A. very nice young man was calling
on his sister. To make things easy, lie
gave him a beautiful new penny, say
ing, "Save each penny and soon you
will have a dollar."
"I'll soon have a dollar!" replied tho
boy, with great eagerness.
The young man smiled good natured-1.'-.
dti'r Ituo bis pocket, saying:
Wei'. !u t ''ow much more do you
nee '. ':"
' '. ' i ' ' -."
! - it ' '. ii di 'lar. -.Indue.
IT3
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Correspondence Solicited. Itoth 'Phones.
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AUCTIONEER
HOLDS SALFX ANVWHEUE
l. a t A i r,.
CANDIDATE FOU ASSEMBLY.
I herobv announce tn the voters
Wayno county that I am for tho se
UUU (lilU IDSL LUUt: il Cllllll UilLH 1 1 r LI
nomination and election for Renr
scntatlvo In tho General Asserab
. I I 1 ,. . . . T , , , i
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at the Primaries to be held April 1
1912.
H. C. JACKSON.
Tyler Hill. Pa lloel
EXPEDIENCE
.V TnADE Mahks
i!tt&vtM Designs
ftfVVM Copyrights Ac.
Anrnne sending n kpt- h r,ni ricripMnn mn
$pecm notice, winiout clmrco, in luo
Scientific Jfmcricati.
n nnimoumi'iT t inmi m-ciiiT. jJtri'f'i i"i
Tf-ip! four nioiiLlid. IL Sold by nil nemsilculr
P1MMM o n M... V. '
MUmi &UU.uoluroaawa,r'UUW Hit
Iiraucn onico. PL. Washington, I. (J.
DR. E. F. SCAN LOW
Ic iuiim in ' r i.i. in
20 Ye rs' Sui -e-i In this 1 it y
GuringRupture,Varicoce!
Hydrocele,
Pl!c. and 1-tsti
J'lyi'Ht'S I .Mt'll-lll
business.
Dr. K. V. Hcanlon mivs : "Trusses will
i cure rupture."
L'omo to me and I will cure you
I you will not need to wear a truss.
INTERVIEW OR WRITE THE
CURED PATIENTS
Tliomns 1,. Smith, Orson. Wayne Co., 1':
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Scranton. I'u. Kunture.
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i o.. ra. isiipture.
in., buiium !-. r.' to 1 1 in
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Ciiiisultiitloii ami Kx.imltmtlui) 1-ree.
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