The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-08

other similar items. The entire expen-
| ditureS of the department, including
! pay for transportation credited to the
Pacific railroads was 1872, 1S6, 1871,
! which NAV be considered as the cost
of receiving, carrying and delivering
/ the above mail matter. 1t thus ap-
pears that though the second-class
| matter constituted more than two
/ thirds of the total that was carried, the
revenue aerived from it was less than
one-thirtieth of the total expense.
The average revenue from each
pound of first-class matter was GO
/ cents. From each pound of second-class
! 81 mills, (of the second-clasS 30, 34S, 29T
was county free matter.) From each
| pound of third-class, 13.1 cents; from
| each pound of fourth-claSs, 1916 cents.
The growth of weight of second-clasS
matter has been from 299, 900, 900 pounds
| in 1894 10 212. 100000 in 1895 and TO al
most 349, 100000 in 1896 and it is quite
J evident this increasing drawback is far
outstriDDing 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 a
direct charge upon them so light as
perhaps to exclude the idea of our
postohice department being a money
making concern; but in the face OF
constantly recurring deficiency in its
| revenues, and in view of the fact that
we supply the best mail service in the
world, it Seems to me it is quite time
to correct the abuses that swell
enormously our annual deficit. If we
concede the public policy of carrying
weekly newspapers free in the county
of publication, and even the policy of
carrying at less than One-tenth of their
cost other bona fide newspapers and
periodicals, there can be no excuse for
SnhiaHfinc the service IN the further
immense and increasing loss involved
in carrying at the nominal rate of 1
cent a pound the serial libraries, some
times including trashy and even harm
full literature, and other matter, which,
under the loose Interpretation of a
loose statute has been gradually given
second-class rates, thus absorbing all
profitable returns from frst-class mat
ter, which pays three or four times
more than its cost, and producing a
large annual loss to be paid by general
taxation.
If such second-class matter paid
merely the cost of its handling our de-
felt would disappear and a surplus re-
suit which might be used to give the
people still better mail facilities or
cheaper rate of letter postage. recon-
mend that legislation be at once en-
acted to correct these abuses and in
troduce better business ideas in the
regulation of our postal rates. Exper-
ience and observation have demon
strated that certain improvements in
the organization of the Dostoffice de-
partment must be secured before we
can gain the full benefit of the i'm
menSe sums expended in its admins
tration This involves the following
reforms, which 1 earnestly recommend:
There should be a small addition to
the existing inspector service TO be
employed in the supervision of the car
rier force, which now numbers $4,000
men and performs its service prac-
tically without the surveillance exer-
cised over all other branches of the
postal or public service. OF course such
lack of supervision and freedom from
wholesome disciplinary restraints must
inevitably lead to imperfect service
There should also be appointed a few
inspectors who could assist the central
office in necessary investigation con-
corning matters of postoffice leases
pOstoffice sites. allowances fer rent,
fuel and lights and in organizing and
securing the best results from the
work of the $4,000 clerks now employed
in first and second-class Offices
l am convinced that the small ex-
pense attending the Inauguration of
these reforms would actually be prof
liable investment. I especially recon-
mend such a re-caSting of the appro-
priations by congress for the postoffice
department as will permit the post
master-genera1 to proceed with the
work of consolidating oostoffices. This
work has already been entered upon
sufficiently to fully demonstrate by
experiment and experience that such
consolidation is productive of better
service, larger revenues and less ex-
penditures, to say nothing of the fur
ther advantage of gradually withdraw
ing postoftices from the spoils system.
UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION.
The Universal Postal Union, which
now embraces all the civilized world
and whose delegates will represent
1000, 600 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 con-
gress in Berne, 1874, and the formation
of the universal postal union. which
brings the postal service of all coun-
tries to every mans neighborhood and
has wrought marvels in cheapening
postal rates and securing absolutely
safe mail communication throughout
the world.
Previous congresses have met in
Berne, Paris, Lisbon and Vienna. and
the respective countries in which they
provision for their accommodation. and
for the reception and entertainment of
the delegates. In view of the import
ance OF this aSSemblage and of its de-
llberations, and of the honors and hos
pitalities accorded to our representa-
tiveS by other countries on similar oc
casions, l earnestly hope that such an
appropriation Will be made for the ex-
penses necessarily attendant upon the
coming meeting in our capital CITY as
Will be worthy of our national hospital
ity and indicative of our appreciation
of the event
THE NAVY.
The work of the navy department
and its present condition are fully ex-
hibited in the report of the secretary.
The construction of vessels for our new
navy has been energeticalIy prosecuted
by the present administration upon the
general lines previously adopted. the
department having seen no necessity
for radical changes in prior methods
under which the work was found to
be progressing in a manner highly sat
isfactory. 1t has been decided. however.
to provide in every ship-building con-
tract that the builder should pay all
trial expenses, and it has also been de-
termined TO pay no speed premiums in
future contracts.
The premiums recently earned and
some yet to be decided are features of
the contracts made before this con-
clusion was reached.
On March 1, 1893 there We're in com
mission but two armGred vessels the