Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-12-01
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Annual Report of the Postmaster
General Presented.
In IL Arc Embodied Many Important sug.
gestions-A buses of Second ClnsH
Mail Privileges AFRO Costly
Department Finances.

WAsHiNGTON, Nov. 20.-PostmaSter
General Bisselrs annual report con-
tains q number of novel, almost
unique suggestions and recon-
mendationS, but these are asso-
ciated with practical ideas and
plans that render them of more than
ordinary value and tend to incite
deeper study into their scope and
worth. He says:
"in general L would recommend that the
first and most important thing to be done is to
revise the law as to second-class mail matter
so aS TO place the post ONCE department I'M
mediately upon self-sustaining basis
'2. Avoid expensive experiments, like tho
postal telegraph, rural free delivery, etc.
"3 Develop the postal service on existing
lines of administration, viz: (a). Extend free
delivery in cities that now enjoy 1t; (b).
cord 1t to towns already entitled to 1t under the
law (c) quicken railroad transportation.
81. Revise and recnssify organization OF
the railway mail service, and reclassify clerks
In post Offices, and
20. Provide for district supervision OF postal
affairs by appointment of expert postal offi-
cals from classified service, as recommended
in my last annual report"
To show just how vast is the postal service
of the United States, Mr., Bissell has taken an
other novel method. He has secured from his
subordinates and Incorporated in the report,
record of what is actually accomplished in one
uaN anu Jne IuDle presented gives q Detter
idea of postal business than fuller and more
complicated details. This record of an aver
| age days business is as follows
Number of miles of post route run, LOO, 900;
number of stamps manufactured, $500, 900;
| number OF envelopes manufactured. 1900 900;
number OF postal cards manufactured. 1.5O0,-
| 600; number of pieces mailed, 15,700,-
| 600; number OF letters mailed, 7,40O,-
! 900, number OF pieces of mail matters
| distributed and redstributed by railway pos
lrln rlyg mum ohpr pfa hap alod
in dead letter oflce, 900; daily transactions
in money order business, Sl,l00,0oO; daily ex-
penses, 1921, 100.
The deficiency in postal revenue for the
| fiscal year ended June 3d. 1894, wus Sq,-
243,e35, The total revenue derived was $780,
| 0SO,4I9, and the expenditures SSd3244 4l4.
| For the current fiscal year Mr.. Bissell
estimates that the expenditures will amount
to 800 S99 4S5, leaving an estimated deficiency
| OF S6.97l,736, ond his estimate for the fiscal
| year ending June 30, 1896, places expenditures
at 99l ,059 2SS, and the deficiency at only S4 15I-
| S76.
According to Mr. Bissells showing the de-
ficency for the last year would have been
much larger IL the department had not cur
tailed the expenses. This was accomplished,
however, without any detriment to the postal
service.
The postmaster general says that the annual
deficiency could be overcome by general in
creuse in postal rates, but he thinks this
should not be resorted to. He believes
the postal service should be self .sustain-
ing, and he holds that the annual de-
hciency Is caused by the undue amount
of mail matter transmitted at the seq
ond-class rates of one cent pound II
retrenchment had not been indulged in, the
deficiency for the last fiscal year would have
been enormous.
The most important topic in the report. il
treated under the explanatory caption;
Abuses connected with second-class mat
ter" MIR. Bissen states without reserve THAI
advertisers. book publishers and others have
taken advantage of the broad construction OF
what constitutes matter of the second class
by sending out their advertisements
and periodicals under the technical dis
guise of newspapers and periodicals.
and have thus secured the benefit OF the lower
rate of postage. He has discovered that tho
abuse has grown so great that 1t now costs the
government eight times as much to carry
second class matter as the revenue derived
from it.
Mr.. Bissell also states that the publications
of fraternal scientific, educational, trades,
professional, literary and historical or
ganizations, admitted TO the privilege
Of second-ciass matter under the act
Of Of July nsr. le isl are alyos' wholly
therefore, not OF the class to which any excep-
tional privilege should be given. 1t is in the
concluding paragraphs on this topic of second
class matter that Mr.. Bissell makes q sugges-
ton of much interest. He says:
IF 1t be the policy of the congress to con-
tinue the privilege of second-class rates to
benevolent fraternal societies. then tho
remedy would suggest would be amend
ment of the law limiting this rate to them and
o to legitimate newspapers and legitimate peril
odical magazines
II believe that one years experience under
such limitations, with the frauds and abuses
e checked. would demonstrate that we have al.
= ready reached the time and conditions when
I all such legitimate newspapers and periodical
magazines may be transmitted through our
mails from publishers into tho hands of sub
: scribers free of all cost"
g The postmaster generals attention Is too
much engroSsed by appointments says Mr..
. Bissell, and he maintains that the improve
U ment of postal facilities is retarded by the
Z present spoils system. One plan proposed to
t relieve the postmaster general of his ever-in-
a creasing burden OF responsibility regarding up
pointments provides for the division OF the
i whole country into two postal districts, each
o under the supervision of an inspector, who il
|, to investigate the antecedents experience.
reputation, etc, of all applicants for vacant
> fourth-class postmasterships in his own
. district and report the results to
e the postmaster general. The postmaster
Q general is then to appoint the
r candidate who. on the face OF the report, ap-
> pears TO be best qualified in all respects. Once
q appointed, n postmaster may not be suspended
r or removed for political reasons This. he
thinks, is plan which is entitled to the most
careful and immediate consideration, and may
become foundation upon which TO build.
Upon the subject OF the postal telegraph Mr..
= Bissell disagrees with his predecessor Mr..
Wanamaker with reference to the deSirability
= Hc thinks it wholly impractcable at this time
y and contends that our existing postal service
: should be fully developed before adopting
postal telegraphy, which would add enormous
|. ly to the already large deficit of the post oce
. department,
y Mr.. Blssell thinks the experimental free de-
~ livery should be discontinued else ex-
tended TO all villages and towns, but he can
= not recommend the latter, us It would cost toe
~ much, with little benefit to be obtained lie
says that free delivery in rural districts is moi
= needed or desired by the people
On the subject OF the boycotting OF post ofices
o by disappointed applicants for postmaster
Or ships and Others Mr. Bissell suggests thai
2 such conspiracy might properly be made
" crime, and he says the practice should be sup
pressed.
IL