The Portland daily press., 1894-12-04

proper care of its convicts by the govern
ment of the United states.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Post master General
presents comprehensive statement of the
operations of the Post Office Department
for the last fiscal year. The receipts of the
department during the year amounted to
ST., OsO, 479O4, and the expenditures to be
1884. 324 4l415 The transactions of the pos
tai service indicate with barometric certain
Nv the fluctuations in the business of the
country Inasmuch therefore, as business
compile ations continued TO exist thfoug ho9t
the last year to an unforeseen extent II IS
not surprising that the deficiency of reve-
nue. to meet the expenditures Of the post
OIL ce department., which was ESTIMATED IN
advance at about eight million dollars,
should be exceeded by nearly one and a
quarter million dollars. The ascerta1ned
revenues of the last year which we're the
being less than estimated the deficiency
for the current year will be corresponding
ly greater, though the postmaster general
states that the latest indications arc SO
favora Bile that he confidently predicts an
increase of at least eight per cent In the
revenues of the current year over those OF
last year. The expendit ures increase steadl-
ly and necessarily with the growth and
needs of the country so thar whether the
deficiency is greater or less IN any year 9e-
ponds upon the volume of receipts. me
Postmaster General states that this de-
fioiency is unnecessary, and might be re-
rersed at once if the laws regulating rates
upon mail matter of the second class were
modifed. The rate received tor the trans
mission of this second class matter is one
cent per pound. while the cost of transmits
sion 10 TIE government is eight times that
amount In tie general terms of the law
this rate covers newspapers and periodicals.
The extensions of the meaning of these
from line TO time has admitted to the
privileges Intended for legitimate news
papers and periodicals surprising range
of publications and created business, the
cost of W hit h amounts o the total deficien-
CIV of the Post Otfice Department. Pre-
tended newspapers are started by business
houses for the mere purpose of advertising
goods: complying With the . law IN form only,
as the period of advertising is over.
sample copies" of pretended newspapers
are issued in great numbers for ike pur..
pose only. The result is a great loss OF
revenue to the government besides its
humi1iating use as an agency to aid IN
carrying out the scheme of business 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
sent through the mails at one cent pen
pound, while the publisher of standard
works are required to pay eight times that
amount in sending their publications. An
other abuse consists in the free carriage
through the mails of hundreds of tons OF
seed and grain uselessly dlstr1buted through
master General predicts that If the law be
SO amended as to eradicate these abuses not
only will the Post Office Department show
no deficiency, but he believes that in the
nearsfuture all legitimate newspapers peril
odicals and magazines might properly be
transmitted through mails to their SUBJ
consideration of this subject and fully in
dorse the views of the Postmaster General
The total number of post Offices in the
United States on the 30th day of June, 1894,
was sc. Sl5, an increase of ,405 over the pre-
ceding year. Of these 42o were fIesldentlaL
an increase in that class of 6S over the pre-
e edaa yfh ree 0esi ay 'o"S
other cities and towns entitled to this ser;
vice under the law have not been accorded
on account of lnsumclent Iunos. me exii
year will be more than 2.3OO, oOO, ana un<
der existing legislation this item OF expen-
diture is subject to constant increase. Inc
ally is so very large that 1t ought not to be
considered in the present condition OF
affairs.
money order Offices .:ere established. The
total number OF these offices at the close Of
the year was 1924. There We're 4'54,oil
money orders issued during the year, being
an increase of over the preceding year OF
994,3O5. The value of these orders amount
to Sl3S, 7s3, 49, increase of l,2l7 1861
There were also issued during the year
postal notes amounting to Sl2,649, 094 90.
During the year 2i8 international money
order Offices were added to those already
established. making total Of 1888, such
offices in operation June 30, 1894. The mum;
Der of international money orders Issued
during the year was 9l7 1913, decrease IN
number of 1888. l.6; and their value was Sl3,-
1872 455. 81, a decrease in amount of S2,o49,-
3S2. S. The number of orders paid was 36l, $50
an increase over the preceding year OF
increase of $l.2S5, .0S: From the foregoing
statements it appears that the total issue OF
money orders and postal notes 1or the year
The number OF letters and packages mailed
during the year for special delivery was 81
436, $40. The special delivery stamps used
upon these letters and packages amounted to
S343.697. The messengers fees paid Tor
their delivery amounted to S26l ,209.1 10, Ieav-
ing balance in favor OF the government OF
49,, 1880. The report shows most crafty
ING results in the way of economies worked
out without affecting the efficiency of the
nostal service These consist in the abrog-
alton of steamship subsidy contracts, re-
letting of mail transportation contracts and
in the cost and amount of supplies used IN
the service, amounting in all to Sl6,ol9,-
047.42
This report also contains valuable con-
tributon to the history of the universal pos
tai union, an arrangement which amounts
practically to the establishment OF one pos
tai system for the entire civilized world.
Special attention is directed to this subject ut
this time IN view Oh Inc lact Indb Tue D6Ab
congress of the union will meet in Washing
ton in 1897 and it is hoped that timely action
will be taken in the direction of perfecting
preparations for that event. The postmas-
ier general renews the suggestion made in a
previous report that the department organiz-
alton be increased to the extent of creating a
direct district supervision of all postal affairs,
and in this suggestion fully concur.
There are now connected with the post
office establishment 80, 661 employees who are
in the classified service. This includes many
who have been classified upon the suggestion
of the postmaster general. He states thai
another years experience at the head Of the
department serves only to strengthen the
conviction as to the excellent working of the
civil service law in this branch of the public
service.
THE NAVY.
Attention is called to the report OF
the secretary of the navy, which shows very
gratifying progress in the construction OF
ships for our new navy. All the vessels
now building. including three torpedo boats
authorized at the last session OF Congress
and excepting the first class battle ship Iowa.
will probably be completed during the CONS
ing fiscal year. The estimates Tor the in-
crease of the navy for the year ending june
3D. 1896 are large. but they include practls