The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-10
POSTAL REPORT.
Postmaster General Wilson'S Annual
Report-Cause of Deficit.

Washington, Dec. S-A vigorous pro-
| test against the abuse of the postal ser
vice is made in the annual report of Post
master General Wilson. He quotes fig
ures which show an excess of expcndi-
lures over receipts of $S,127,OSS in the
crease in deficiency of $1,679956 as
compared with the previous fiscal year
This satisfactory exhibit for the last year
has been made possible the postmaster
general sets forth, by vigorous policy
| of bringing suit or pushing collection on
bonds Immediately after default, which
Is the only safe practice for the interest
or the government.
The postmaster general argues that
there is no necessity for the annual de-
| ficency of the department and that but
a few lines of amendment by congress
to the postal law will wipe it out and
give in its place steady surplus. 1t
has its chief source in the transmission
of Sccond-class matter and a large and
increasing volume of matter, never in the
interpolation of the law, which gives
the nominal rate of l cent a pound on
such matter is assuredly outside of the
policy of the law as to newspapers and
periodicals.
The report recitcs the strenuous eff
forts of the past to secure legislation
designed to protect the postal service
from this waste of its earnings and the
taxpayers from the large burden imposed
on them by the regular deficit. But, it
says, up to now the combinations and ac-
tive efforts of the beneficiaries of this
abuse have parted all appeals of the de-
partment.
AS to the sccond-cass matter, the re-
port says:
Thus 349, 100000 pounds in round num-
bcrS ut cents pound for tranSpOrta-
ton, costs S27,920,000; postal revenue
carried at 8 1-2 mills per pound $2,966,-
403, loss on transportation alone of
nearly $25,000,000. But this does not
cover the full loss to the government on
sccond-class matter. Setting off the cost
of mail service on public and official
matter, as above stated, by the use and
rental of public buildings provided for by
the poStoifice department., we have as
the gross weight of all non-govcrnmental
matter handled by the mails during the
last fiscal year, an aggregate of 512. 997,-
323 pounds. The gross money eXpendi-
lures of the department were, as already
| stated, $50 G,296.S4, and. including the
| earnings of the Pacific railways, to wit,
$1.55S, $500, an expenditure of $92,-
| 1856, 1858, to handle this matter with.
| 1t thus appears that from two-thirds of
the matter handled the last fiscal year
| the revenue was less than one thirtieth
of the cost of the mail service.
Postmaster General Wilson discusses
the proposed one-cent letter rate, the
cheapest postage in the world. He
says it would yield great profit, but it
is idle to talk of such reduction while
two-thirds of our mail is handled at n
small fraction of its cost and the deficits
of the department in consequence have
aggregated i'll eleven years, since the act
of March 3, 1885 tone cent Il pound
rate, the enormous sum of $I1,377 ,4SO.
This is made up from general taXations,
and there is the further sum of S15,-
6l0,962 earned by the Pacific railroads
certified to the secretary of the treasury
credit upon their Indebtedness to the
government. making an ascertained
deficit of $S6,99S,442.
The postmaster general estimates q
deficiency in the department for 1897 of
$3,911,140 and for 1898 of S1,2SS,334.
Mr.. Wilson sugge"ts a better organi
cation of the carrier force. This, he
says, might he accomplished by semi
military organizations in the larger
cities, by having a certain number OF
carriers entitled sergeant or similar
official designation. These, in addition
to their usual duties, should be put il
charge of n certain number of subordi
mates and have immediate supervision OF
the performance of duty by them OF
specified routes.
The results of the free rural delivery
experiment are yet incomplete. Time i,
required to familarzc the people will
the innovation and develop its benefits
or failures.
He recommends that as many post
masters as possible come within the
operation of the civil service law.
The report recommends re-classificator
of the clerks of the railway mail service
and provision for clerks at first anG
second class postoffices.
The report says if the two items Of
second class matter at one cent pei