The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-11-30
MAIL MATTERS.
Postmaster-Gener Bissell SUBJ
mits His Annual Report.
SOME OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS.
The Postmaster-GeneraI Thinks Free De-
livery In the Rural Districts Is Not
Needed-The yastness of
the Service.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-Postmaster-
General w. S. Bissell has submitted to
the president his annual report for the
year ended June 30. He briefly out
lines the policy of the department as
follows:
In general would recommend that the first
and most important thing to be done is to re-
wise the law as to second class matter so as to
place the post ONCE department upon self
sustaining basis.
Second-Avoid expensive experiments like
the postal telegraph. rural free delivery. etc.
Third-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 it under the law,
quicken railroad transportion.
Fourth-Revise and reclaSsify organization
of the railway mail service and reclaSslfy
clerks in post Offices.
Fifth-Provide for district supervision OF all
postal affairs by appointment OF expert officials
from classified service, as recommended in my
last annual report.
Mr.. Bissell first discusses the effect
of the continued depression upon the
postal revenues and says:
When adverse business conditions prevail an
ordinary business establishment may over
come them in part by economies of manage
ment and retrenchment in expenditures. Not
so, however, with the post office establishment
OF the government, ~ CANNOT ana s no . not
and obligations to the public become at once
Intensified and enlarged The revenue for the
year was S75,OSJ,i79 expenditures, SS4, 1924 ,4i4;
leaving n deficit of 50, 2i3, 935. The estimates
for the current year ending June &c. 1895, are:
Revenue, SSi.I27 7IS; expenditures 500, 49,, SIS;
deficiency, S597l, 49,. Estimates submitted TO
secretary OF the treaSurury for the next fiscal
year are: Revenue, Ss6907 ,4O7; expenditures,
SOL 059, 2s3: deficiency. 81 $40 This annual de-
ficiency. could be overcome by the increase OF
postal rates, but he does not believe this advis-
able. Economy has been practiced, but neverthe-
less great care has been taken that it should
not affect the efficiency of the service. The
economies have consisted mainly in re-letting
contracts for mail and transportation, and in
the cost and amount of supplies: also in the
abrogation of seven OF the eleven steamship
subsidy contracts, which will mean 4 total saw
ing in the ten years of the contracts life Of Sl4,
43I, Sa5
Mr.. Russell recommends the eyperi-
,,o,,.o1 &C., aoI;,-or,, ,,,o;o.+s sbo,id no
:,
discontinued.
One of the most important and inter-
esting features OF Mr.. Blssells report
is its discussion OF class matter. In
his last report he referred to the great
disproportion of growth of second
class mail matter. He has made a
thorough investigation during the year
upon which he says:
The effect Of all this upon my mind is con-
slc',on .le anu
emhodv the only great abuse ar nresent exist,
ing in the postal service: and that as the bust
ness is growing all the time some remedy should
be applied. ne gives ngures lor tne past oyears
1na,.ar corr;ed was IIa on ooo nonndS ana in
1898 il was 256, 10000. During the wear 1894
there was carried 451, 100000 pounds of all mail
matter OF wnlch .ssooo'o'o POUNDS was second
class illa'ter: 'he .o'ai .os. ueis I'm an
aNeiase vi 80 ~. pounu .n 10 III
Po>.nnaS.eiS sno" mo. .n1 "nIoune upon liioo
pos.ase, ue nc ano 10 ra'o VI en- pei pounu
paid was 2oi, ooooO POUNDS, the remaining d.
oV'ovo pounos oeihe carried free III tne couh-
y vi pupoaoh INC eo s,o o vi 90 ing 'ue
seconu-class niatIer was S-o'o-o,VO'. Mniie DIT
tne raoe vi cen. q po oi INC were
e-''f''ooV, anu q ooooOV spo.iai io.ai ia'oS III
oaiilei ei.Les, ioasins Ae' io'S ~ 'i' so'eiH
ment OF sl6'9'3'ooo
Inc poStndSter-Senerdl uoeS not
favor the postal Telegraph, system
advocated nv his nredecessor The
conditions in this countrv he saws are
such as would enormously increase the
large deficit. He takes as example the
system in Great Britain. which is a
comnarativelv small territory. and
shows that the postal telegrapb entails
n total animal loss of ,hout 90 OO1 OoO
ne Poih.s ou1 .hdo III couhlry "here
the territory Is so large the cost OF
postal telegraph would far exceed any
nossible receints or benefits
II n:-S,1 -: ~ f.II~
MI DioSoii gives INC ioiio" my uaiy