The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-25
Deficit of Over Ten Million Dollars
ing for Government Business.
SECOND-CLASS NAIL MATTER
CHANGES IN THE LAW URGED IN
ORDER TO PREVENT ABUSES.
Annual Report of the Director of the
Mint-COinage. Price of silver and
stocks Of Precious Metals.

WASHINGTON, Nov. "A. = Postmaster
general Wilson has made his first annual
report to the President. The receipts OF
the Postoffice Department for the year end
ing June 90. 1895, were s76,111. .09o and the
expenditures ss6,7g0,172 1t is gratifying,
says the report, that large portion of the
deficiency occurred in the first quarter of
the year and that revenues are increasing
with returning prosperity. Mr.. Wilson esti-
mates the revenue for tine year ending June
60 1897 at $50. .l2o and the expenditures
at s94s17.9e0. the difference to be made up
by congressional appropriation. Speaking
of the deficiency, Mr.. Wilson says: THE
regular annual deficiency in the revenues of
the postal service, emphasized. as 1t ap-
pears to be. by the unusual amount of the
deficiencies for the past two years, may
call forth comment from those who believe
that the Postcffice Department should be
self-sustaining. But ii should be remem-
bered that the free business done by this
department for other branches and depart
ments of the government IL paid for at
regular or cost rates would more than wipe
out its deficiencies
The Postmaster-general refers to the
growth of the free delivery service and
says: II believe it is good policy for Con-
gress and for this department to foster the
extension of this service by judicious ap-
propriations and judicious administration
The vigorous and effective efforts of my
immediate predecessor seem 10 have pro-
duced at last an honest administration of
the eight-hour law, and made letter car
riers' trip and official time reports actual
and truthful records of service. To bring
about this substantial reform, just alike to
he Iat rfr, nd 10 he arr-e VIZ
as to lay the foundation for other neces-
sary improvements in this service. a spe-
ciai investigation of the carrier system was
begun under his administration, involving
thorough examination into the needs and
details OF the system. He concurs in the
recommendations of the First Assistant
Postmaster-general for promoting the eff
cheney of the. work.
Mr.; Wilson reiterates the necessity for
legislation TO punish train wrecking and
obstruction to mails urged by his prede
cessor. and recommends legislation author
Concerning the abuses of second-class
mail matter Mr. Wilson says: Il can add
itt- to the reasons given by Postmaster
generals Bisseli and Wanamaker for
amendments to the law to second-class
matter, imperatively needed to save the
and consequent serious loss of revenue
which no regulation of the department or
watchfuness on the part OF its officials can
recommend to Congress a careful scrutiny
into this abuse, and such remedial legis-
tation fa.2i as snail be deemed necessary and ef-
| On another feature OF the second class
matter the postmaster says: 'The volume
of second class matter passing through the
mails increases rapidly, and has reached
such proportions as to seriously retard the
distribution OF mails in the larger, post
/ offices and railway .postoffices. The depart
ment, through its local representatives, has
repeatedly, urged publishers to separate
their publications by States and routes
Territory Is sufficient TO justify it before
sending them to the mailing offices, and
has endeavored to show them that their
own interests would be subserved thereby"
| Postmaster-general Wilson says that the
civil service rules should be extended wher-
tude and multiplicity of its business opera
tions, the perfection of service which the
people are learning to demand and to ex-
| pect of IL, and the palpable truth that such
business operations can be carried on and
such perfect service rendered only by men
trained and expert; all these and many
other reasons call for such stability of ten
| ure alone can command or beget the
/ requisite training. skill and enthusiasm.
| The continuity OF the department should be
preserved i'm changes Of administration. not
| only along the line of its subordinate and
| separate service, but in that larger grasp
| Of its history, it's daily work and its health
| full progress, which is found alone with
| those who direct and control its chief
bureaus. y concur, therefore,. in the judg-
/ at least three of the assistant postma ster-
generals should hold their offices by a civil
service or merit tenure and not by a political
! tenure. refrain from Offering like opin-
! ion as to the fourth assistant postmaster
general. because fourth class postmasters,
% asa Sef Is % fsa Stted
| question of extending civil service methods
to the selection OF fourth class postmasters
/ have been at the head of this depart
ment. but do not find myself able to make.
as yet, any specific recommendations on this
| important subject in the line of the legisa-
! tion which has been proposed.
THE order which you have recently ap-
proved, providing that when the postmaster
Once, such consolidation Shall carry larry
| livery office the postofice department roster
| of employees of the Office consolidated, in
| Guiding the postmaster, MAY be accepted as
| the beginning and foundation not only of a
| better postal service of the public, better
| and more busiuesslike accounting to this
| department., but also wise extension of the
| civil service system 10 postmasters. 1t is
| my purpose to proceed under the authority
| of this order as discreetly 1 can, and. in
| the long run, as far as experience will justi-
ssits.s syi So as TO secure 'nese s0m"enaa0'e re-
The report of James White, superintend-
during the Year 4s7 accidents Occurred "t 70
/ railway postoffices. i'm which seven clerks
were killed and lis injured while on duty.
| and q clerks killed and injured 1t Is
| shown that the service is becoming more
and more efficient each year. OF the 10,
| 377,s75.0O0 pieces distributed and redistrlb-
uted but 1,166,6S errors occurred, being one
| error for each 1886 pieces handled correctly.
| as compared with one for each 2,S34 pieces
| in 1885, one for each 5,564 in 1892 and one for
each 1881 pieces in 1854. The patrons of the
department deposited n the mails during
| addressed to any postoffice or so insuffi.
GENTLY. incorrectly or illegioly addressed as
TO render theiI ueslsery @ iinposs.pie until in
| ers was secured. and o. these 4,2Asfs could
| not be forwarded to the addresses because
the intention OF the senders could not be
ascertained.
GOLD AND SILVER COINAGE.