The record-union., 1896-12-08
POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT.
Ihe Report for the Last Fiscal Year
Very Satisfactory.

Our fOStofflce Department is in good
condition, and the exhibit made of IFS
operations during the fiscal year ended
June ~, 1896. if allowance is made for
lmperfections in the laws applicable to
1t, is very satisfactory. The total re-
ceipts during the year We're So. .499.-
2oS 40. The total expenditures were
9U626,2S6 81, exclusive of 81. $50
S9S -, which was earned by the Pacific
railroads for Transportation and credited
on their debt to the Government. There
was an increase of receipts over the
previous year of S5,516,0S0 81. or II
per cent, and an increase of expendi-
lures of $3.50, 124 02, or 442 per cent.
The deficit was 81 619, ,956 10 less than
that of the preceding year.
/. 1'he chief expenditures of the postal
service are regulated by law and are
Aot IN the control of the Postmaster
General. All that he can accomplish
by the most watchful administration
and economy is to enforce prompt and
thorough collection and accounting for
public moneys, ard such minor savings
in small expenditures and in letting
those contracts for -Postoffice supplies
and star service which are not regu-
lated by statute.
- ""@~' repcrt shows large extern
sions Of both star route service and
.,~...sl. ll.>1i, service, with increased
po ~ facilities. Much higher accuracy
in handling mails has also been reached
as appears by the decrease of errors in
the railway mail service and the re-
duction of mail matter returned to the
Dead Letter Office
ABUSE OF SECOND CLASS MATTER
The deficit for the last year, although
much less than that of the last and pre-
ceding years, emphasizes the necessity
for legislation to correct the growing
abuse of second class rates, to which
the deficiency is mainly attribute bic,
The transmission at the rate of oTfS
cent a pound of serial libraries. adver-
tising sheets, house organs tperiodi-
Gals advertising soma particular
house or institution) sample copies
and the like, ought certainly to be dis
continued. A glance at the revenues
received for the work doce last year
shows plainly the gross abuse of the
postal service and the growing waste
of its earnings, the free matter carried
in the mails for the department, offices.
etc, of the Government and for Con-
eress in pounds amounting to 94, 49,
1S9.
Our mail service should of course be
such as to meet the wants and even
the convenience of the people, at di-
rect charge upon them so light as per-
haps to exclude the idea of our Post
office Department being a money-mak-
ing concern: but in the face of con-
stantly recurring deficiency in its rev.
enues. and in view of the fact that we
supply the best mail service in thf
world, it seems to me it is quite tim
to correct the abuses that swell enol
mously our annual deficit. If We cor
cede the public policy Of carrying weel
ly newspapers free in the county
publication. and even the policy of cal
rying at less than one-eighth of the
cost the other bona fde newspaper
and periodicals, there can be no excuse
for subjecting the service to the further
immense and increased loss involved
in carrying at the nominal rate OF L
cent a pound the serial libraries, some
times including trashy and even harm
full literature, and other matter, which
under the loose Interpretation of
loose statute has been gradually given
second class rates, thus absorbing all
profitable returns derived from first
class matter, which pays three or four
times more than it's cost and producing
a. large annual loss to be paid by gen.
eral taxation. If such second-clasS
matter paid merely the cost of it's
handling our deficit would disappear
and a surplus result, which might be
used to give the people still better mail
facilities or cheaper rate of letter post
age.
L recommend that legislation be at
once enacted to correct these abuses
and introduce better business ideas In
the regulation of our postal laws.
NEEDED REFORMS.
Experience and observation have
demonstrated that certain improve
ments in the organization of the Post
office Department must be secured be-
fore we can gain the full benefit of the
immense sums expended in its admins
tration. This involves the following
reforms. which I earnestly recon-
mend: There should be a small addi-
ton to the existing inspector service,
to be employed in the supervision Of
the carrier force, which now numbers
10000 men, and performs it's service
practically without the surveillance ex-
ercised over all other branches of the
postal or public service. OF course
such a lack of supervision and freedom
from wholesome disciplinary restraints
must inevitably lead to imperfect SER
vice. There should also be appointed
q few inspectors who could assist the