Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1912 — TAFT DISAVOWS HITCHCOCK PLAN [ARTICLE]

TAFT DISAVOWS HITCHCOCK PLAN

Does Not Favor Government Ownership of Telegraphs. DOUBLE RATE ON MAGAZINES - % ‘ President Sends Report of Postmaster General to Congress with Endorsement of Every Recommendation Therein Save One ' V ■ -■ ' * Washington, Feb. 23.—Congress has been informed by President Taft that he does not approve of Postmaster General Hitchcock’s suggestion that the government and operate all telegraph lines as an adjunct to the postal- system. .Mr. Taft said that if it could be shown that the public would benefit by receiving service at a less price than is now paid he might think differently of the plan, but tha* he was not convinced such would be the effect The president also sent to congress, and this with his approval, the report., of the commission on second'-class mail matter and recommending that the postal rate on magazines and newspapers be raised from 1 cent to 2 cents a pound. Mr. Hitchcock originally advised a 4-eent rate, but later changed this to 2. After referring to the practical wiping out of the postal deficit and other features of Mr. Hitchcock’s administration Mr. Taft in transmitting the postoffice department report to congress said: “There is only one recommendation in which I cannot agree—that is one 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 mail system. “This presents a question of government ownership of public utilities which are now being conducled by private enterprises under franchises from the government

“I believe that the true principle is that private enterprise should t-e permitted to carry on such public utilities under due regulation as to rates by proper authority rather than that the government should itseir conduct them. This principle I favor because I do not think it in accordance with the best public policy thus gieatly to increase the body of public servants. “Of course, if it could be shown that telegraph service could be furnished to the public at a less price than it is now furnished to the public by telegraph companies, rud with equal efficiency, the argument might be a strong one in f;.vor adoption of the proposition. But I am not satisfied from any evidence that if these properties were taken over by the government they could be managed l any more economically or any more efficiently or that this would enable .he governmeiit to furnish service at any smaller rate than the public are now required to pay by private companies.”