River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-11-29
BiSSELL'S REPORT.
suggestions of the Postmaster General
Regarding His department..

Regarding His department..
WASHINGTON. Nos. 27.-Postmaster
General Bisselrs annual report con-
tains number of novel, almost
unique suggestions and recon.
mendations, but these are asso-
ciated with prae teal ideas and
plans that render them OF Eore than
ordinary value ani tend to incite
deeper study into their scope and
worth. The policy which Mr.. Bis
sell has outlined may be briefly given
in his own words. lie says:
n general l would recommend that the
first and most important thing to be done is to
revise the law to seeond-class mail matter
SO as 20 place the post Office department i'm
mediateiy upon self-sustain ng basis.
~ Avoid expensive experiments, like the
postal telegraph. rurl free delivery. etc.
% eNeiop the postal service on existing
lines OF administration, viz: ta) Extend free
delivery in cities that now enjoy it, %. ac-
tord 4 to towns already entitled to il under the
law; (c). quicken railroad transpo .tation
"A Revise and reelassify orga nization OF
the railway mail service, and reclassify clerks
In pot offices, and
IS. Provide for district supervision of postal
affairs by appointment of expert postal OH
cials from classified service. as recommended
in my last annual report"
The most important topic in the report Is
treated under The explanatory caption:
Abuses connected with seeond-class mat
ter" Mr. Bissell states without reserve that
advertisers. book publishers and others have
tai en- advantage of the broad construction OF
what constitutes matter of the second class
by sending out their advertisements
and periodic ais under the technical dis
guise Of newspapers and periodicals,
and have thus secured the benefit of the lower
rate OF pos age. He has discovered that the
abuse has grown great that it now costs the
government eight times as much to carry
second class matter as the revenue derived
from IT,
Mr.. BIssel also states that the publications
of fraternal, scientific. edlcat ,onal. trades,
professional, literary ard historical or
CARNATIONS, admitted to the privilege
of second-class matter under the act
of July 10, 1894, almost wholly
of II ere advertising character, and are.
therefore. not OF the class TO which any excep-
tional privilege should be given. 1t is in the
concluding aphs on this topic of second
class matter that Mr.. Bissell makes a sugges-
tion II much interest.
Continuing, he says: ~ 90 not advocate
change of rates now upon legitimate newspa-
pers and periodical magazines. My purpose is
TO urge the withdrawal of low postage rates
from the large class of pretended periodicals
that are Improperly enjoying them.
IF ii be the policy of the congress to con-
tinue the privilege of seeond-class rates to
benevolent fraternal societies then the
remedy would suggest would DE an amend
ment Of the law limiting this rate to them and
to legitimate newspapers and legitimate peri
odical magazines.
Il believe that one years experience under
such limitations, with the frauds and abuses
checked, would demonstrate that we have al.
ready reached the time and conditions when
all such legitimate newspapers and periodical
magazines may be transmitted through our
mails from publishers into the hands of sao-
scribers free OF all cost"
Regarding civil service reform In the post
Office department Mr.. Bissell contends that il
should be extended wherever practical and
suggests that the lower grade-the fourth
class-of postmasters might be included with
In the benefits OF the civil service law
Upon the subject OF the postal telegraph Mr..
Bissell disagrees with his predecessor Mr..
W namalIer, with reference to the desiTability
tie thinks it wholly impracticable at this time.
and contends that our existing postal ser, ice
should be fully developed before adopting
postal telegraphy which would ado enormous
y TO the already large deficit OF the post office
department.
Mr.. Bissell thinks the experimental free de-
livery should be discontinued or else ey-
tended to all villages and towns, but he can
not recommend the latter. as 1t would cost too
much with little beuent to be obtained He
says that free delivery in rural districts is not
needed or desired by the people.