The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-12-04
POSTAL DEPARTMENT.
Bearing Down Had on Fake Newsps-
pers and Garden Seeds.

Bearing Down Had on Fake Newsps.
pers and Garden Seeds.
The report of the postmaster general
presents IL comprehensive statement OF the
operations of the postoffice department for
the last fiscal Year. The receipts OF the de-
partment during the year amounted 10
SO, ,0sO, 4l9 "a and the expenditures sS4 80,
4l4 10. The transactions OF tie postal ser
vice indicate with baromsiric Certainty
the fluctuations in business OF suhe
country. In much, there
fore. as business complications con-
tlnued to exist throughout the
the last year to All unforeseen extent, IL Is
not surprising that the deficiency OF rev
enues TO meet the expenditures of the post
Office department, which WAS estimated IN
advance at about IS. 0000JO should be eI-
ceeded by nearly Sl,254,OV0 The nscer-
ialned revenues of the last. year. which
We're the basis of calculation. for the cur
rent year. being less then estimated. the
deficiency for the current year Will be
correspondingly greater though the post
master general states thst the latest lndi-
cations are so favorable that he confident
Iy predicts an increase of at least per
cent in the revenues OF the current year
over those of the iast year.
PLAN TO oByIATE POSTAL DEFICIENCY.
The expenditures increase steadily and
necessarily with the growth and needs of
the country SO that the deficiency Is
greater or less in any year, depending
upon the volume Of receipts. The post
master general states that this deficiency
is unnecessary and might be obviaIed at
once If the laws regulating rates upon
mail matter Of the second class were mod
ihed. The rate received for the transmits
sion OF this second class matter is one cent
per pound while the cost of such trans
mission to the government is eight times
that amount. Ia the general terms
newspapers and periodicals. The ex-
tensions OF the metning OF thes-
terms from time to time TO have admitted
to the privileges intended for legitimate
newspapers and periodicals., surprising
range of publications aud created abuse
the cost OF which amounts III the aggre-
gate TO the total deficiency of the postoflice
department. Pretended news papers are
started by business houses for the purpose
of advertising goods. complying with the
law in form Only and disseminating the
publication as soon as the period OF adver-
tisiug is over. Sample copies" of pre-
tended newspapers are issued in great
numbers for like purpose only.
TRASHY LITERATURE AND GARDEN SEEDS
The result is great loss of revrnu. TO
the government besides its humiliating
scheme of business house to advertise its
goods by means of a trick upon both its
rival houses ana the Regular and legiti-
mate newspapers
Paper covered literature consisting
mainly of trashy novels TO the amount of
many thousands or tons are sent through
the mails at Que cent pound while the
pu ublishers of standard works are COM
pellei 10 pay eight times that amount for
sending their publications
Another abuse consists in tn. carriage
through the mails of hundreds of tons of
seeds and grain useiessly distributed
through the department of agriculture
the postmaster general predicts
that IL the law was amended as to
the postoffice depart ment show no dvffi-
cheney, but he be!ieves that in the near
future all legitimate newspapers and peri
odical magazines might toe properly trans
mitted through the mails TO their sub
scribers free of cost. / invite your prompt
consideration OF this subject and fully
iudorse the views OF the postmaster gen
eral.
The total number of postofiices in the
United States Oh The fourth day of June,
1894. was 90, sos, an increase of l.403 over
the preceding year. OF these g. 42S were
presidential, an increase in that class of
sixty-elght over the preceding year.
POSTAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS.
Six hundred aud ten cities and towns
are provided with free delivery; ninety-
three other cities and towns entitled
to this service under the law have not
yet been accorded it on account of
insufficient funds. The expense of free
delivery for the current fiscal year will be
more than Si2, 800 600. and uuder existing
legislation this item of expenditure i sub
ject to constant increase. The estimated
cost of rural free delivery generally is 50
very large that IL ought not to be con>id-
cred in the present condition of affairs.
During the year $50 additional domestic
money order offices were established. The
total number of these Offices at the close
of the year was 49, 264. There were H. 3J4,-
04l money orders issued during the yea..
being al incre's over the preceding
these orders amounted to Sl36 49,.
$40. 20. an increae OF S1,2i5. 145 81.
There were also issued during the year
postal notes amounting to Sl26SJ. $40 -.
During the year 2iS International IL 5n-y
order Offices Were added 10 those already
established. making total o: 2625 such
offices in operation June -. 1894. The
number OF international money orders L.
sued during the year was Gil, SIS, decrease
in number of l3S. l56 aud their value was
Sl3. 193 455 81, decrease IN amount OF s.
$40, ,3s2 0J5. The number of orders paid
was Sol $50 an Increase over the preceding
wear of o., 2S3 and their value was 90 563.-
4O3. 15l, an iucreass of 81. 2o5. lls05. From
the foregoing statements il appears that
the total issue OF money orders and postal
notes for the year amounted 20 Sl65, 3D.,
1880.
SPECIAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS.
The number of letters aud packages
mailed during he year for special delivery
was 1861 The special delivery stamps
used upou these letters and Packages
amounted TO s3i3,657. The messeuger-
fees paid for their delivery amounted 10
S25l -05 30 leaving \ balance IN favor Of
the government OF Ss3 49, 30
The report shows most gratifying re-
suits in the way Of reform economies
worked out without affecting tie efhcien
CT OF the postal service. These consist Ia
the abTogaJion or s.ea r0sniD subsidy con
tracts. reletting Il mail trans porjat!ou con-
tracts aud 10 the cost and amount Of sup
plies C>ei IN the service, amounting IN al
to 1858. o4142
The report also contains a vs!ua Die cco-
tributiOn TO the history OF the u-tversr u
uUlou. al arrangement which amount
practically 10 t-- establishment 90 ore
postal system :or the eaEre CIVILIZED
world. SprCisl attention j. directed &
this subject AZ this term u vIeT o. e
fact that ;he next congress q the Ullau
vi meet IN Wa,hiuCtou iGlSss, aud Do j.
hone that timely seton VII D. taken iu
the direction Ot perf-ct.ns preparations
for that event The p--r rm4-t-r Searra.
reuews the suggestion made Ia a p-sE Eior'
report that the department. orsAN aZtt'uG
be increased 10 the r-reut q cr-zft-- rl-
r-ct ci-tric- aupervI,isa of sll postal -
sairs and iu thi- suggestion fallT couc1r-
There are nov c1nu-rJ-d w.tu n flst-
Office establishment , 6tl ef gioTes Wao
are ia tbe CLASSIFIED >rfT-c-- nIs 'Hc.C Cl~-