The record-union., 1894-12-04

once if the law regulating rates upon
mail matter of the second class was mod
| lhed. Ine rate received for the transmits
sion of this second-class matter is one
cent per pound, while the cost of such
Transmission to the Government is eight
times that amount. in the general
terms of the law this rate covers
newspapers and periodicals. The
extensions of the meaning of the
terms from time to time have admitted
/ TO the privileges intended for legitimate
newspapers and periodicals a surprising
range OF publications, and has created
abuses, the cost OF which amount in the
| aggregate to the total deficiency of the
FoStolhce Department. Pretended news
! papers are started by business houses for
| the mere purpose OF advertising goods,
/ complying with the law in form only
| and disseminating the publications as
soon as the period of advertising is over.
Sample copies" of pretended news
| papers are issued in great numbers for a
! like purpose only. The result is a great
loss of revenue to the Government, be-
! sides its humiliating use as an agency to
ana IN carrying out the scheme OF busl-
ness house to advertise its goods by
| means of trick upon both its rival
! houses and the regular and legitimate
/ newspapers. Paper covered literature,
consisting mainly OF trashy novels, to the
/ extent OF many thousands of tons, Is sent
| through the mails at | cent per pound,
while the publishers of standard works
are required to pay eight times that
| amount in sending their publications.
Another abuse consists IN the tree car
riage through the mails OF hundreds of
! tons of seed and grain uselessly dlStrlD-
! uted through the Department OF Agrlcult-
ure. The Postmaster-General predicts
that II the law be so amended as to eradl-
cate these abuses not only will the Post
| office Department cease to show de-
1iciency, but he believes that III the near
! future all legitimate newspapers, perlodi-
Gals and magazines might be properly
! transmitted through the mails to their
subscribers free OF cost.
/ invite your prompt consideration of
| this subject, and fully indorse the views
/ OF the PostmaSter-Gener
FREE DELIVERY SERVICE.
! The total number of Postotfices in the
/ United States on the Both day of June,
| 1894, was G9,S05, an increase of ], ,303 over
the preceding year. OF these 3,42S were
! Presidential, an increase in that class of
! IS over the preceding year. Six hum
! dred and ten cities ana towns are pro-
! vided with free delivery, and 93 other
cities and towns entitled TO this service
! under the law have not been accorded it
| on account of insufficient funds. The
/
! fiscal year will be more than $l2, 800, 600,
and under existing legislation this item
| OF expenditure IS subject TO constant in
I crease. The estimated cost of rural free
delivery generally is 50 very large that it
| ought not to be considered 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 1926. There were
! il, HOS, ,O4l money orders issued during the
| year, being an increase over the pre-
ceding year OF 994, 800. The value of these
orders amounted 10 Sl3S, 793, ,5T9 40, an in
crease OF Sll,2l7, l45 81. There were also
/ issued during the year postal notes
amounting 10 So, ,049 O94 %. During the
! year 2l3 international money order Off
| Ces were added to those already estab-
| lished, making a total of :, ,625 such offices
| in operation June 30, 1894. The number
| OF international money orders issued
during the year was 9l7. .S23. decrease in
number of l3S, ,l76, and their value was
| $l3, 49,, ,43o 81, decrease i'll amount OF
/ -, 549, 49, 90. The number of orders paid
was 36l, $50, an increase over the preced-
ing year of 60,263, ana their value was
| Sc, S,06S, 1913 rs, an increase of 81 80, lis OS
! From the foregoing statements it appears
that the total issue of money orders and
postal notes for the year amounted tC
| Sl65, 235, l27 30.
The number of letters and packages
mailed during the year for special dellv-
cry was So, ,436, $40. The special delivery
stamps used upon these letters and pack
! ages amounted to $3 ~, 697. The messen-
gers fees paid for their delivery amount
! ed to S26l, ,2O9 20, leaving Il balance in
| favor OF the Government of So, 4S7 30.
The report shows most gratifying re-
suits in the way of economics worked out
without affecting the efficiency of the
! postal service. These consist in the aD-
| rOgatlOn OF steamship subsidy contracts,
reietting OF mail transportation contracts,
| and in tue cost of supplies used in the
service, amounting in all to Sl6, ,O47 42.
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION.
This report also contains valuable
| contribution to the history Of the Uni
versal Postal Union, an arrangement
| which amounts practically to the estab-
! liShmenU OF one postal system for the en-
tire civilized world. Special attention is
directed TO this subject at this time in
! view OF the fact that the next congress
| of the union will meet in Washington in
1897, and it is hoped that timely action
Will be taken in the direction of perfect
| ing preparations for that event.
The Postmaster General renewS the sug-
gestion made in a previous report that the
department organization be Increased to
| the extent OF creating a direct district su-
pervision of all postal affairs, and in this
! suggestion L fully concur.
There are connected with the postofiice
establishment 32,65I employees who are in
| the CLASSIFIED service. This includes many
who have been classified on the sutpes-
ton of the Postmaster General He states
that another years experience at the head
OF the department. serves only to
strengthen the conviction as to the excel
! lent working OF the civil service law in
this branch OF the public service