The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-04
rHE posroFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
Summary of the Report and Recon-
mend ations OF Postmaster General

Summary of the report and Recon-
meadations OF Postmaster General
The report Of the postmaster general presents
compress statement 81 the operations OF
the postoSee department Tor tie last fiscal year.
The receipts o. tns department during the year
amounted 70 s75,US9 4700t ga1 The expenditures
10 SesSsss4la 10 Tue transactions OF sAe postal
service indicate with baroaaetrie certainty the
huctusfiou la Ehs business oi the country. IN
usmucn. thereIoF~, business complications
continued - exist IhroUs mont the ast year 70
az unforeseen extent, Il IS 1905 surprising that
there was a deficiency OF revenue to meet the
expenditures OF the postotbes department,
when was estimated IL advance az about
$4,000 The aseertained revenues last year,
which were the basis OF calculation Tor The cur
rent yesE, being less than estimated. TIE do
ncieEcy Tor tie current year " Il be eorrSspon =
iugly greater. though the postmaster general
states shat the lat st indications are SO favor
able that he conhdeRAy predicts an increase OF
az least Der cent Ia the revenues over those
Of last year The expenditures Increase stead
lily ana necessarily Win the growth aud needs
of the county, - that the deficiency IS greater
| or less 10 sny year, depending upon tae volume
Of receipts.
The postmaster general states that this de-
hciency Is unnecessary aud might be obyisted
at onco II the Law regulating rates upon mail
matter OF the second-e.asss was modif ed. The
rate received for the transmission Of this
seeond-siass matter Is l cent per pound. while
the cost OF such ttansIa sslo 80 the government
Is eight times that amount. Ia the general
terms Of the law this rate covers newspapers
Ing o. the terms from ame to time have adj
Inft;ed II the privilege intended for Legitimate
newspapers aud periodicals surprising range
Tor publications aad created abuses. the cost of
which amount IL the aggregate to me total de-
heicncy OF the posoflce department Pre-
tended newspapers are started by business
houses for the mere purpose Of advertising
goods, cpmp,ying with she law Ia form only and
dsscoutinu4ng the publications soon as the
period OF advertising IS over. "Sarn pie copies"
of pretended newspapers are issued in great
numbers. for like purpose only. The result IL
great loss OF revenue - the government, be-
side its humiiiating Use as an agency to aid in
carrying out tae scheme OF a business house 10
advertise It's goods by means OF trick upon
both It's rival houses aud the regular aud leglti-
mate newspapers. Pspsr-covered literature,
consisting mainly OF trashy nsvels to the extent
Of naay thousands of tons, 10 sent through the
mails az cent Ter pound, while the publishers
Of standard works are required TO pay eight
times that amount in sending their publiea-
NOns.
Another abuse consists I'm the free carriage
through the mails OF hundreds Of tons of seed
and grain uselSssly distributed through the de-
partment o. agriculture. The postmaster gen
erai predicts that II the lsw be SO amended to
eradicate these abuses, not only viii the post
office department. not show deficiency, but he
believes that in the future all legitimate news
papers aud periodical magazines may be trans
mitIed through the mail 20 their subscribers
ton of this subject, aud fully endorse tbs views
Of the postmaster general
Inc total number Of postoEices In the United
states on the 1}th day OF June, 1894 IS, sos,
al increase OF i,493 over the preceding year OF
those S9lS were presidential, an increase in the
class or sixty-eight over the preceding year
six hundred aud ten cities and towns are pro-
yded with free delivery, and uiaety-three other
elites cad towns, entitled 70 this service under
TIE .aw. have not he8u accorded il on account
OF insu .keIcut funds. The expense of free de-
livery al the current fscal year win he more.
than sl2sS9,Eo, aud undsr the sx stag Iegisla-
t.on this Item OF eXpeu 1ifure II su jecE - con
start increase. The estimated cost OF rural frpe
delivery generally IS 50 very large that it is not
to be considered in ihs present condition OF
sIairA
During thu year $50 additional domestic
money order cftcos Wsfe este blfshsd. TEe total
| nnmoer OF these Offices at the close OF the year
isspsd during the yea. bellE "a increase over
tue proceed ng yesr OF 99i,556 Tbs value OF
shess orders amounted ~ SiSS,7qS jI3 50, al In
crsRse q *ll.-l2,l3a.st Tasre were also is.ued
during t1c year postal notes amount ng 10 sl2-
esq., sa9A bnilrE the yesr &iS intoru atlonal
monoy order ehtces were added 20 these n ready
established, making total Of ass such Offices
IA operation June -. Is T. The number oI IN
teSna.iona. raon oT@sTs Issued durlnS the year
AMI the va.ue was SIS. 7eZ.45Ssl. a decrease ia
amount oil fL5i9 3s3.Sa. The number OF ordars
PAID vas atl leo, a incre5s over re preceding
year oi U3AaS, sua tlstr value vas s., rs sa3 -
al increase % Sl@s5,l1S From the foreeaing
statements IL appears tnat the total issue OF
money orders sud postal notes Ter she rear
announcer 20 S4bo -, 10 81.
TIE number OF letters and packages mailed
curing sae Teaf for Fuecisl delivery was 49,
W. A+ft tAecsHt delivery stamps used upon
tae'c tef''Fs eaG packages amounted 20 sS4Se9T
ne mssseacefs fees psii fog their aeg3vsry
aAno0utsd 10 &13EAo %. leavtRg q balance IN
faRur % the govern nat 30 81 S. AZ e.
tt- fep9ft Shows Gucst gratifying results N
zee HaS q economics w1cksa ouE without affect
42s -ha enc eocy 81 the postal service These
CONSIST ID TIE ab.oEagioa Of steamship subsldy
co. tsfSs- fe.eti1ug % mail trauspo tation con-
tracts, sa- "a TIE co.i spa amount Of supplies
s.6.6ls0.Zs@
ANS report also contains n vay,ahl. n.,,..-s
nAA4n 90 ths history OF the Universal Postal
th-oa. a. arrange ucnt waicE smsuats prac-
tt94F - tne csta oits1 OF one postal systera
toF 4ae sAtlFe civilized world. special attention
- directed = tae sU5l ect a. tass sine, Ia view
o rs tacA t2At tGG next congress Of she uulna
~tit iae*t ia WashlngJoa Cisy In IssT. aad IL IL
hkt0 tAat timely actioa VIII be taken IL fse
4lEso'a1a o. pSrisCtug Preparations for fhat
event A2s TsostH4ast2E gaaegal rensws the sug-
sssttOE 41a1e IT g previous report taAt tue de-
t.Fttlent Organization oe increased % &ho extent
OF cfeati0g direct distrs CO supary sion Of ssil
t9ssAl sHAirss and IN this suggestion I fally
lfFra are connected vita the postossoa estah-
IL S-,oai empi0yes who are in ne elsssl-
hsa ssryiee- 1.s lnciufes many vac save
S@eA esasstAsd % the Suggestion Of tie post
-lselcF Ee2sEEi. Ha states gaAt another year's
4 eEi-I4ee AZ tie hssd al TIE department ssrves
oatF - stfsagat-21 ths eoHvtctsoE 70 the e.
ceAen% scfA+ng 81 TIE civil service Ia thls
asaSen % tas public servica.