The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-12-06
NINE MILLION SHORT.
LARGE DEFICIENCY IN THE
POSTAL REVENUES.
Report of Mr.. Bissell-IIs,w He Would
Decrease Expense and Increase Re-
Observation-Disclosures of Regulations
and Other Reforms Urged.
Shows n Big Shortage.

Postmaster General BiSsell has sub
mltted to the President his annual re-
port for the year ended June 3. 1894.
He briefly outlines the policy Of the de-
partment
In general l would recommend that
the first and most important thing to be
done is to revise the law as TO the sec
ondcla>s matter SO as to place the Post
office Department Immediately upon Il
self sustaining basis.
:. Avoid expensive experiments like the
postal telegraph. rurai free delivery. etc
i. Develop the postal service on exist
Ing lines of administration. viz:
Extend free delivery in cities that now
enjoy it.
Accord it to towns already entitled to
1t under the law.
Quicken railroad transportation.
Revise and reciasSify organization Of
the railway mail service. and reclaS sify
clerks in posto'iiceS.
.. Provide for distric; supervision of
all postal affairs 10y appointment, of
expert postal officials from classified Serv-
Ice. as recommended in my last annual re-
port
The revenue for the year was S1.'GSo.
40: expenditures SS4.3224 ia, leaving Il
deficiency of 50. oo43, $50. The estimates
for the current year ending June 80 1895,
are: Revenue. Ssh. 42s. 14S: expenditures.
9O,.'ot4S5: deficiency, SI.911. s31. The
estimates submitted to the Secretary of
the Treasury for the next fiscal year are:
/ Revenue, SSioO7. 400: expenditures. $751;
O5".2S'; deficiency. 81, 1o1.S16.
/ This annual deficiency. the Postmaster
| General says, could be overcome by the
| increase in postal rates. but he does not
believe this is advisable. Economy has
/ been practiced. but nevertheless great
| care has been taken that it should not af
! feet the efficiency Of the service. Mr.. Bis
sell recommends that the experimental
| free-delivery projects should be discontin-
ued. and thinks that free delivery in rural
districts is not needed or desired by the
people.
Too Much SccOnd-Class Matter.
] One of the most important and inter
esting features of Mr.. BisselTs report is
its discussion of class matter. In his last
report he referred to the great dispropor
ton Of growth of second-class mail mat
| ter. He gives figures for the last six
years. showing that in 1SSS the weight Of
secondclass mail matter carried was
143,ooN.Ooo pounds. and in 1888 it was
:6,OOD.ND. During TIE year 1894 there
| was carried 4J1 900. 600 pounds of all mail
matter. of which 900 1000. 900 pounds was
second-ciass matter. the total cost being
$'6..o1.II2. an average of cents Il
pound. Returns from postmaSters show
that the amount upon which postage at
the rate of l cent per pound was paid
| was .I4 100000 pounds, the remaining
45.00O.0uO pounds being matter carried
free in the county of publication. The
cost of carrying the second class matter
was $2O,32o. 600, while. at the rate of l
| cent a pound. the collections were So
| $4,000. and $4,000 special local rates
In carrier cities. leaving a net loss to the
Government of S16112.0OO. The Post
master General continues:
do not advocate 4 change Of rates now
upon legitimate newspapers and per;odi-
cal magazines. My purpose is to urge the
withdrawal of low postage rates from the
large cities and the pretended periodicals
that are now improperly enjoying them.
Books and Bogus Trade Papers.
The most conspicuous class of these pre-
tended periodicals is what is now gcner-
ally known as serial paper-coverci books.
! They are in no sense serial. however, OK
cept in name, being usually given some
general designation, rs the ''F'ireside Sc
ries. THE Detective Library" or some
class is what has got to be known as the
''housc organ" being simply pamphlet
devoted mainly to the advertising of some
mercantile establishment. but purporting
to be devoted to trade. The bogus trade
devoted mainly to the advertising of some
any particular house, is another illustra-
ton.
After commenting on the great increase
In the mailing of fraternal i1suran nee pub
lications as second-class matter. Mr.. Bis
sell suggests the remedy in the following
II it be the policy of Congress to CON
tinue the privileges of second-c!ass rates
to benevolent or fraternal societies. then
the remedy | would suggest would be an
amendment of the law limiting this rate
20 them and to legitimate newspapers and
legitimate periodical Magazines.
The Postmaster General does not favor
the postal telegraph. Il ystem advocated
by his predecessor. The conditions in this
country. he says, are such as would enor-
mously increase the large deficit. He
takes as example the system in Grca,
Britain. which is a comparatively small
territory, and shows that the postal tele-
graph entails a total annual loss Of abou,
S2,OOO.ODO. He points out that in coun
try where the territory is so large the
cost of Il postal telegraph would far ex
coed any possible receipts or benefits.
! Mr. Bissell ives the following daily
average bushes Of the department. which
shows the vastness of the postal service
Number Of miles OF post route run. 1.lOO.OO
! Number of stamps manufactured $500. 900
Number Of envelopes manufactured 1,SUU.UUl
Number of postal cards Manufac-
! tured NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1.5OO 900
Number of pieces mailed. .....-.. 10 100. 600
Number of letters mailed. :, 100000
Number of pieces of mail matter
distributed and redistrbuted by
railway postal clerks. ..-...... 81. so, 900
Number Of pieces handled in dead
letter office. ......,........... c4,eNN
Daily transactions in money order
business ..................... 81. 100 OOG
Daily expenses $..3l l0G
The Postma ster General believes in civil
service in the Postoi1ice Department. HI
says:
II the system has produced such good re-
suits in the clerical force Of the department
hot ti,,,