The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-26
MAKES A FEW SUGGESTIONS
In Regard to Second Class
Matter.
1T is AN ABUSED PRIVILEGE.
Incidentally the Postmaster-Genera
Touches on the Subject of
What Makes a Mail Train.

uent MS annual report LOT the year enQlng
June 80. 1894 he briefly outlines the
policy Of the department in the following:
''In general would recommend that the
first and most important thing to be done
is to revise the law as to secOnd.class
matter. so as to place the Postofice De-
partment Immediately upon self-sustain.
ing basis.
''Second-Avoid expensive experiments
like the postal telegraph, rural free de-
livery, etc.
"Third-Develop the postal service OH
existing lines of administration, viz: EX-
tend free delivery 10 cities that now enjoy
it and accord 1t to towns already entitled
to it under the law. Also quicken railroad
transportation.
"Fourth-Revise and reclassify the or
ganization of the railway mail service and
reclassify clerks in postoffices.
"Fifth-Provide for district supervision
of all postal affairs by the appoin tment of
expert postal officials from classified ser
vice. as recommended in my last annual
report"
Mr.. Bisseil first discusses the effect of
the continued depression upon the postal
revenues, and says: when adverse bust
ness conditions prevail an ordinary bust
ness establishment may overcome them in
part by economies of management and re-
trenchment in expenditures. Not so, how
ever. with the PostOffice establishment OF
the Government. 1t cannot and should
not stop to consider little economies Its
duties aud obligations to the public be-
come Intensified and enlarged"
The revenue for the wear was $75.080.-
479; expenditures. $50, 1924, 414, leaving
deficit OF S9,243,935
The estimates for the current year end
ing June 80, 1885, are: Revenue, $S4. 427,-
748; expenditures. 500, 1893. 4S5; deficiency,
S5,791, 1877.
The estimates submitted to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for the next fiscal
year are: Revenue, $50. 907. 4O7; expendi-
lures, sol O59, 2S3; deficiency, 81, 151, SIG.
This annual deficiency, the Postmaster
General says, could be overcome by the
increase of postal rates, but he does not
practIced, but nevertheless great care has
been taken that it should not affect the eff.
ficiency of the service.
The economies have consisted mainly in
releIting contracts for mail transportation
and in the cost and amount of supplies;
also in the abrogatiol OF seven of the
eleven steamship subsidy contracts, which
will mean total saving in the ten years
of the contracts of $14, 431, 1926.
Mr.. Bissell recommends the experiment
with free delivery project should be dis
continued, aud thinks that free delivery in
rural districts is not needed or desired by
the people. Both of these projects we're
originated by his predecessor.
He refers to the war made by the depart
ment on lottery schemes passing under
the name of bond in vestment companies"
and says it has been waged successfully.
He recommends the enactment of laws
covered in bills now pending before Con-
gress for the further suppression of lot
teries.
OF the obstruction of mails by strikes
the Postmast er-General says: SIN nv
last report called attention to the neces-
sity for legislation such as then was, and
is now, recommended by the Superinten-
dent of the Railway Mail Service for the
punishment of train-wreckers aud for leg
islative determination of the definition of
a mai train. Such legislation would be of
great advantage to the postal service"
One of the most important and interest
ing features of Mr.. Bisselrs report ia its
discussion Of class matter. In his last re-
port he referred 10 the great disproportion
in the growth of second-class mail matter.
He has made thorough investigation dur
ing theyear upon which he says:
THE effect of all this upon my mind is
conviction that the statutes and the
presidents upon which the business now
rests are defective; that they embody the
only great abuse at present existing in the
postal service, and that as this business Is
growing all the time, some remedy should
be applied"
He gives figures for the past six years
showing that in 1888 the weight of second
class matter carried was 143. 600
pounds, and in 1898 it was 256. DOC. 900.
During the year 1894 there was carried
AL. 100000 pounds of all mail matter, OF
which 299,000.000 pounds was second-class
matter, the total cost being 500, 2O7, 572, an
average of cents a pound. Returns
from Postmasters show that the amount
upon which postage at the rate of l cent
per pound was paid was 254 OOo, 900 pounds,
the remaining 100000 pounds being
matter carried free in the county of publi-
So'ion' 1hc CUSt Vi carrying the second
class matter was $40. 800, 900, while at the
rate of 1 cent pound the collections were
50, 547, 900, and $780, special local rates
in carriers cities. leaving a net loss
to the Government OF SIG. $500
After giving these figures, the Postmas-
ter-General continues: ''This calculation
applies to transporting alone. The sep
arate cost of distribution and delivery
will not attempt tn estimate. but any one
can see that those Items of expenditures
would largely swell the loss.
Il 90 not advocate change of rates
now upon legitimate newspapers aud peri
odcal magazines. My purpose is to urge
the Withdrawals of the postage rates from
the large cities and the pretended perio d.
calls that are now improperly enjoying
them. The most conspicuous class OF these
periodicals are what are now generally
known as social paper-covered books.
They are in no sense social, however. ex-
cept in name, being usually given some
SUCH general designation as The Fire
side Series,' The Detective Library or
some other title of like character. They
are nothing but books pure and simple,
and many Of them very trashy books at
that, each one distinct in itself, the Sc
ries' never being devoted to ANYTHING In
particular. having few subscribers and with
M IL aIn