The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-12-07
THE MAIL SERVICE.
Novel and Unique Suggestions aud Recon-
mendations with Pract icai Ideas
Rendering Them of More
than Passing Interest.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2G-It is seldom
that much interest is found i'm the
pages Of the formal annual report of
government officer. but Postmaster
General Bisscll has succeeded in prov
ing the exception TO the rule in his ac-
count of the operations of the post
Office department during the past
twelve months. II contains number
OF novel, almost unique. suggestions
and recommendations but these are as
ISOLATED with practical ideas and plans
that render them of more than ordi-
nary value and tend TO incite deeper
study into their scope and worth.
The policy which Mr.. Bisscll has out
lined may be briefly given in his own
words.
I'm general he says, II would rec
ommcnd that the first and most i'm
portant thing to be done is to revise
the law as TO second class matter, SO
as to place the post Office department
Immediately upon self-sustaining
basis.
"2. Avoid expensive experiments.
like the postal telegraph. rural free
delivery, etc.
3.-Devclop the postal service on ex-
isting lines of administration. viz. ::
A-Extend free delivery in cities that
now enjoy it. B-iccord it to towns
already entitled to it under the law
C-Quicken railroad transportation.
4. Revise and reclassify organization
OF the railway mail service. and re-
classify clerks in post Offices.
5. Provide for district supervision Of
postal affairs by appointment of ex-
pert postal officials from classified
service, as recommended in my last an
nual report"
Two of the novel features. to which
reference has been made, concern a
limitation in the broad construc-
ton placed on second-class mat
ter. and suggestion rs TO the Sc
lection of the lower grade of postmas-
tiers. In the first instance Mr..
Bissell puts forward plan
by which legitimate publications
of the second class. such as
newspapers and periodicals. may be
carried free through the mails, and get
leave the government with a surplus
instead Of the usual deficiency in the
maintenance of the postal service.
With reference to the postmasters in
smaller offices, Mr.. Bissell expresses
his willingness to indorse any reason
able plan which will take their selec-
ton with all the consequent bickcr-
ings and jealousies, from the hands Of
the postmaster general. and he makes
his ideas so broad on this subject as to
leave no doubt that he will favor the
suggested popular vote as the means
out of the difficulty in cases where
there is more than one candidate.
To show just how vast is the postal
service of the United States, Mr.. Bis
sell has taken another novel method
He has secured from his subordinatcs
and incorporated in the report, a rec
ord of what is actually accomplished
in one day. and the table presented
gives better idea of postal business
than fuller and more complicated de-
tails. This record Of an average days
business is as follows:
Number of miles of post route run.
LOO. 900; number of stamps manufac-
turcd, $500. 900. Number of envelopes
manufactured. 1.s00. 900; number of
postal cards manufactured, 1900. 600;
number Of pieces mailed. 1890, 900;
number of letters mailed. 7.40O. 900;
number Of pieces Of mail matter dis
tributcd and rcdistributod by railway
postal clerks, 81. 900: number Of
pieces handled in dead letter office,
$4,000; daily transactions in money or
der business, 81, 100. coo; daily expenses,
1921, 100
The deficiency in postal revenue for
the fiscal year ended June 30. 1894, was
80. 243. 93j. The total revenue derived
was S75.Os0. 40. and the expenditures
Ss4.324.4li For the current year Mr..
Bisscll estimates that the expendi-
-lres will amount To 500. 800. ass. lcav-
ing an estimated deficiency of S5.97l.-
1885, and his estimate for the fiscal year
ended June 30. 1896, places the expcndi-
lures at sol, O59 os3, and the deficiency
at only Si.i51,s.
According to Mr.. Bisselrs showing
the deficiency for the last fiscal year
would have been much larger if the
ucIpdTlILtut itsii npl CuTidlitu thC IA
pcnscs. This was accomplished. how
ever. without any dctrimcnt to the
postal service. fo-. as Mr.. Bissell says.
the post office establishment cannot
and should not stop to consider little
economies on account of its duties
and obligations to the public, but
must needs exert itself to the utmost
to secure the best possible results in
the way Of celebrity. accuracy and Sc
curity in the dispatch of the mails,
and without sparing any reasonable
expenditure in that b chalf."
And to this he adds: The compli-
cations arising from the railroad strikes
of the year served only to emphasize
the wisdom of this policy"
The cause of the falling off in the
revenue is thus explained by Mr.. Bis
sell: 1T is the record of year Of
almost unprecedented business deprcs-
sion and financial distress. and so in
timatcly is the postal service connected
with the business interests and affairs
Of the country. that whatever condi-
tions affect them are Immediately re-
fectcd in the volume ofpostal revenues.
The postmaster general says that the