Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-24
EAST OF TIE ROCKIES.
Wanamaker Suggests Changes in The
POStOflCo Service.
NEGRO RIOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Another Cure for Consumption Dis
Clearing House
Statistics.
SPECIAL DlspATcHEs TO THE EEcoRD-UNIoS.l /
PosroFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
Recommendations Made by the Post
master-General.

heCOuIneuuatlOus -1Auc Dy thc 4 osS-
master-Gener
WASHINGTON, November 23d-The forth
coming annual report of Postmaster Gen.
eral Wanamaker will be, undoubtedly, the
most interesting and valuable of any issued
for many years past. Mr.. Wanamaker has
not only faithfully set down the operations
Of the department during the past fiscal
year, but he evidently has given the mail
service q great deal OF earnest thought.
His treatment of the leading subjects
which he discusses is conspicuoIlsly able.
The limited postal telegraph scheme is
extensively discussed. He shows that
the telegraph is no longer luxury, but a
great and growing necessity, and essential
to the very life of the business world.
The people, he believes, have right not
only TO a better service, but cheaper
service, and he argues that the exclusive
management OF this great engine, which
furnishes motive power for the commerce
of the world, should not be permitted in
the hands of a few millionaires, whose
sole interest in it is to get the largest re-
turns from the smallest possible outlay.
He shows that the scheme which has been
recommended to Congress is entirely feas-
ible and should be pressed TO final con-
summation.
The report will show that the deficiency
this year is in the neighborhood of six
million dollars. 1t will also show that the
service is carrying many heavy and un-
necessary burdens, from which it should
be speedily released, but the relief must
unfortunately, come through Congress. 1t
is shown that during the last twenty years
there has been no material changes in the
rates paid the railroad companies for car
rying the mails, and yet within that time
there has been gradual decrease in freight
rates amounting to at least 20 per cent:
Mr.. Wanamaker applied his knowledge
of arithmetic TO this fact, and he finds that
if the railroads were compelled to make to
the Government the same concessions it
has within the last twenty years made
to the freight shippers the saving to the
people would be about four and half
million of dollars. This saving alone
would place the service nearly upon self
sustaining basis. The postal service is COM
pelled to carry the mail burden of all the
other departments of the Government
without compensation. If the other de-
partments were compelled to pay postage
on matter sent by them through the mails
the revenues of the postal service would
be increased thereby by about eight mill
ION dollars.
And then another million dollars is lost
to the Government through the carrying
of fake advertising sheets as sample copies,
at the same rates as are charged legitimate
newspapers. 1t is not the purpose OF the
publishers of these fake sheets to increase
| their circulation, as one might suppose,
| but the only mission in the life of these
sheets is to advertise schemes Of one
character or another by which the public
may be made to part with their money.
Still another burden is borne in carry
ing paper covered novels at newspaper
rates. Each number consists of sample
| complete story, and the only evidence Of
| its being q serial publication is the state.
ment to that effect on the cover. The law
provides that a printed book shall pay
postage at the rate of one cent for each
| ounce, and yet these publishers succeed in
evading the law, and so, instead of paying
book rates, they pay only newspaper rates
-one cent per pound. Yet Congress al
lows the Government to be robbed of al
least a million dollars every year in this
way.
Mr.. Wanamaker points out just how
the Government is annually defraused oi
many millions of dollars. 1t is the plain
duty of Congress to stop the leaks at once
| The report discusses at some length the
| question of reduction of the letter post
age to one cent. Mr.. Wanamaker does
not think, however, that the time has quite
arrived when a reduction would be ad'
visable; should Congress think otherwise
| however, he would offer no special obiec'
| fjOr1