The Portland daily press., 1896-12-08

work done last year will show more
plainly than any other statement, the
gross abuse of the postal service, and the
growing waste of its earnings:
The free matter carried in the mails Tor
the departments, offices. etc., OF the gov
ernment, and for congress. in pounds,
amounted to "a, $50, 1S9.
If this is offset against buildings for post
offices and stations, the recall OF whlcn
would more than compensate for such
free postal service, we have this weight
of mail matter (other than the aboYs)
transmitted through the mails Tor the
year ending June 30 lo9s.
Glass d Weight revenue
L Domestic and foreign
letters and postal am a., -.
cards IS. 337 343 $50, 624, 454.
2. Newspapers and period
pound 3.afS 9Ss. 64s 81, 900, 403.
3. Books, seeds. etc.. s cents
per pound 7S,70l, AS SIC, 324, o69.
4. Parcels, etc., 16 cents per ,.
pound ~, goU, loI %, LIZ, OIL.
Total 5l2. 977, $50 ST., 044,2 57.
The remainder of our postal revenue,
amounting to something more than
So, 900, 600, was derived from box rents.
registry fees. money order business and
other similar items.
The entire expenditures of the depart
Inent, including pay for transportation
credited to the Pacific Railroads. was
S92. 1856. 1871. which may be considered
as the COST of receiving, carrying, and de-
livering the above mail matter. IL thus
appears that though the second class mat
ter constituted more than two thirds OF
the Total that was carried. the revenue
derived from it was less than one tnlr-
tieth of the total expense.
The average revenue from each pound
of first class ter was Us cents. From
each pound of second class 81 mills. .(of
the second class 90 34s, 297 was county Tree
matter.l From each pound of third class
Ii. cents. From each pound OF IoufGn
class 1916 cents.
The growth in weight Of second class
matter has been from 800, 900. 900 pounds
in 1894 to 3l2, 600, 600 in 1899. and to
almost $40, 600. 900 in 1896. and it is quite
evident this increasing drawback is far
outstrlpping any possible growth OF postal
revenues.
Our mail service should of course be
such as to meet the wants and even the
conveniences of our people, at direct
charge upon them as light as perhaps to
exclude tbs idea OF our post office depart
ment being money making concern but
in the face of constantly recurring deli
cheney in its revenues and in view or the
fact that we supply the best mail service
in the world, it seems to me- 1T is quite
time to correct the abuses that swell enor-
mously our annual deficit. Ii we coneede
the public policy of carrying weekly news
papers free in the county of publication,
and even the policy OF carrying at less
than one tenth of their cost other
bona f1de newspapers and period
ioals, there can be no excuse for SUBJECT
ing the service to the further immense
and increasing loss involved IN carrying
at the nominal rate OF ] cent pound
the serial libraries. sometimes Including
trashy and even harmful literature. and
other matter which, under the loose inter-
probation of loose statue has been grad
ualIy given second class rates, thus aD-
sorbing all profitable returns derived
from first class matter, which pays three
or four times more than its cost, and
producing large annual loss to De PAID
by general taxation.
II such second class matter paid merely
the cost of its handling. our deficit would
disappear and a surplus result which
might be used to give the people still bet
ter mail facilities or cheaper rates of let
ter postage. 1 recommend that iegisla-
ton ne at once enacted to correct these
abuses and introduce better business ideas
in the regulation of our postal rates. Tx
perienoe and observation havo demon
strated that certain improvements IN the
organization of the post office department
must be secured before we can gain the
full benefit of the immense sums ex-
pended in its administration. This in
wolves tine following reforms, which l
earnestly recommend.
There should be small addition to the
existing inspector service, TO De employed
in the supervision of the carrier force.
which now numbers IS, 500 men and per-
forms It's service practically without the
surveillance exercised ever all other
branches OF the postal or public service.
OF course such a lack of supervision ana
freedom from wholesome disciplinary re-
strains must inevitably lead to imper-
feet service There should also be ap-
pointed few inspectors who could assist
the central office in necessary investiga-
tion concerning matters OF post Office
leases. post offices sites, allowances for
rent fuel, and lights. and in organizing
and securing the best results from the
work of the II. 900 clerks now employed
in first and second class offices.
am convinced that the small expense
attending the inauguration of these re-
forms would actually be profitable in
yestment. / especially recommend such
a reoasting of the appropriations by Con-
gross, for the poSl-offlce department and
will permit the post master generals TO
proceed with the work of consolidating
post offices. This work has already been
entered upon sufficiently to fully demon
strate, by experiment and experience.
that such consolidation is productive of
better service, larger revenues, and less
expenditures to say nothing of the fur
ther advantages of gradually withdraw
ing post Offices from the spoils system.
UNIVERSAL POSTAL Union.
The universal postal union, which now
embraces all the civilized world, and
whose delegates will represent one bill
ion people. will hold its fifth congress in
the city of Washington in May. 1897.
The United States may be said to have
taken the initiative which led to the first
meeting of this congress at Rerne in 1874.
and the formation of the Universal Postal
Union, which brings the postal service of
all countries to every mans ne!ghborhnod
and has wrought marveis in cheaDening
postal rates and securing absolutely safe
mail communication throughout the
world.
Previous congresses have met in Berne.
Paris, Lisbon and Vienna and the respeo-
tive countries in whioh they have assem-
bled have made generous provisions for
their accommodation and for the reoep-
ton and entertainment of the delegates.
In view of the Importance of this assem-
blage and of its deliberations and of the
honors and inequalities accorded to our
representatives by other countries on SIM
liar occasions I earnestly hope that such
an appropriation will be made for the ex
papses necessarily attendant upOn the