St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-23
A REDUCED REVENUE.
Some Figures and Estimates From the
Forthcoming Report of the Post
master General.
Our Revenue From the Postal Service
Shows an Unexpectedly Large
Decrease.
The Deficit Estimated to Be at Least
Seven Million Dollars--About
Rice.
Judge Thoman Writes His Letter.
Beecher's Son an incompetent
Official.
Postal Revenue Statistics.

Postal Revenue Statistics.
Special to the GLOBE.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-The revenues
of the postoffice department fuctuate in
close accord with the conditions of general
business. 1t has been noticed for a long
series OF years that in the years of business
depression there is either an absolute reduc-
ton in revenues, or, at least, there is a
much smaller increase than the growth of
the country and the usual growth of the
business of the department would warrant
the expectation. 1t is not entirely clear
whether in bad years people economize by
using fewer postage stamps, or whether
when business is bad there
is less occasion for correspondence.
Probably both of these are true. The pres
ident's wish that the bureau reports should
not be given to the public in advance of
official publication makes it impossible at
present to give the exact figures about the
p0stOffice revenues, though the rule about
advance publication is by some of the bu-
reau officers not applied to purely statistical
tables. and is understood to refer only to
deductions and recommendations. 1t is
known, however, that the deficit in postal
revenues for the past fiscal year was much
in excess of what it was supposed it would
be year ago. The postage on letters was
reduced from 3 to 2 cents just two years
ago. The effect on the revenue for
THE REMAINING THREE-QUARTERs
of the fiscal year was surprisingly small.
| There evidently was great increase in the
number of the letters written and a great
substitution of two-cent sealed envelopes
| for One-cent unsealed envelopes for circu-
! lars. For the fiscal year last closed-the
first complete year of the two-cent postage
it was anticipated that the increase OF
business would fully.keep pace with the
extension of the postal service and the con-
sequent increase Of expense, and the deficit
| at the end Of the year would not exceed
| $4,000, 000 But last year the business was
not good, and the revenues did not increase
as it was estimated they would.
The revenues for last year ought to show
a gain of So, 600, 600 or 81, 600, 600 over the
revenues of the year before, but they will
not show any gain and will probably show
an actual decrease of some hundreds OF
thousands of dollars and possibly million
The result will be deficit of about $1,000
600. An even better indication of the
state Of business than the general revenue
of the department is the number and value
of the postal money orders issued. Fol-
the last fiscal year the money orders show
a diminuton in numbers and in amounts
as compared with the previous year. 1t is
almost if not quite the flrst time that the
money order business
HAS NOT SHOWN AN INCREASE.
The reduction of the number and value
is more especially apparent in foreign
money orders issued in this country, a fact
which shows very clearly that the depres.
sion of business aud the closing of man5
iron works and some other manufacturing
concerns have affected the wagereceiving
classes. The Irish, German, Scandinavian
and English immigrants had less money
than in several preceding years to send fo1
the folks at home. Within fifteen year!
the revenues of the postoffce department
have good deal more thai
doubled. In 1870 they were less thai
SO, coo, 900. In 1884 they were nearly
$43 600, 900, and the year before they eX
ceeded $45, 00O, 900. The revenues of 1871
showed gain of 9 per cent. over those o
the preceding year. In 1871 the gain owe
1870 was 81 per cent. The next year
was IL per cent; 1878 showed a gain O
6.7 per cent. over 1872. In 1874 there wa
a nominal gain in revenue of Is per cent.
but the real gain was not over per cent
In that year official stamps for which tn
various departments paid the postoffice de
partment were substituted for officla
franks, and this accounts for
LARGE NOMINAL INCREASE
of the revenues. By 1875 the long perio
Of depression had set in and was severel
felt. and the postal revenues show gain O
only IL per cent The next year there wa
some rally, and the revenues showed gail
of 6.6 per cent. The year 1877 shows re
duction of 3.S per cent, which, like tn
gain Of 1874, is largely a matter of book
keeping. In that year congress refused t
appropriate money to enable the postoffic
department to buy official stamps G
itself for use in its own business
In 1878 there was gai
of 5.S per cent, but in 1879 the gain wa
only 2.5 per cent. In 1880 the condition c
business had begun to improve in marke
degree and postal revenue showed an il
crease of 10.S per cent. The gain woul
have been larger, but Postmaster Geners
Key made a ruling that classified partl
written and partly printed matter as thirc
class instead of tirSt-claSs matter, and bus
ness correspondence was carried on at thirl
, class rates to an extent that cut heavily int
the revenues, The year 1881 showed
further gain of 10.1 per cent, and 1882
gain of 1873 per cent. In this yea
Postmaster General Maynard rescinded th
. ruling of Judge Key above mentioned an
the revenues were substantially increase
thereby. This year, 1888, showed gai
! Of per cent. and 1884 showed a decreas
of per cent. But in that year the redut
ton of letter postage cut out one-third {
,, the main source of revenue. There woul
= have been an increase of or 10 per cen
had the rate of postage remained Ill
f changed. The year 1885 will probab
: show a small decrease as compared wit
I 1884 and this accounts for the rather u
: favorable showing the department wi
| Io1 10 10 80