The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-09
POSTAL ABUSES


Protested Against by Postmaster General
Wilson-It.ooninenta ne ntations In III, Au-
nunl Report.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. S.-A Wig.
orous protest against the abuse OF the
postal service Is made ln the annual re-
port of Postmaster General Wilson. He
quotes figures which shows excess of ex-
penditurcS over receipts OF tS,l2ioSS for
the past ilscal year which. however, Is a
decrease In deficiency OF $l619,e56 as
compared with the previous fiscal year.
This satisfactory exhibit for the past
year has been made possible, the post
master general sets forth, BY n vigorous
policy OF bringing suit or pushing collec-
tlon on bonds Immediately after default.
which is the only safe practice for the
interests of the government and thuse OF
the obligrrs.
Postmaster General Wilson discusses
the proposed one cent letter rate, the
cheapest postage In the world. He says
It would Yield II great profit, but 1t Is
Idle talk Of such reduction while two
thirds uf our mall matter Is handled at n
small fraction OF rs cost and the deficits
OF the department In consequence have
aggregated In eleven years since theact
OF March 3. 1885 Zone cent i pound ratc).
the enormous sum OF $7l ,3I7.is0. This IS
made up from the lya!ls OF general tax
attons and there 10 the further sum OF
Sl5.GlO.9se earned by the Pacific railroads
for transporting the malls which We're
certified TO the secretary OF the treasury
for credit upon their indebtedness 10 the
government. an aScerta!ned deiicit OF
SSG,9SSt2. This. In fact, should be fur
ther Increased by the urascertalned
IN lnffn- Nar rria ri M nd N
unliQUidnted Indebtedness OF the depart
mcnt FOR telegraph service, left over
from the last administration. These
would make tha annual dalcIt over
800, 000, 900.
He character!zes the loss sustained by
the frankIng privilege n transmitting
serial libraries, etc. az lndefenslblc,
shows that S4S,9SS,6iS pounds OF second
class matter handled during the year,
oyer 5?,3lS,O00 pounds were county
free matter. and urges the adoption OF
the Loud hlll, now pending In the house
as the remedy he says the passage OF
this bill will not only wipe out the postal
deficit and insure In ordinary years Il
surplus which may be used to cheaper
postage on letters or 10 Increase the mall
facilities of the people, but will really
carry out the one cent pound law OF
1855.
The postmaster general estimates
deficiency IN the revenues OF the de-
pa-tmcnt for 1897 OF S3,iI@,il9 md for
1895 OF Si,2SS,33i.
The results OF the rural free delivery
experiments arc Yet incomplete. Time
Is required to fam!l!arlLc the people
with the Innovation and develop Its
benefits or failures. The thorough
working OF such system involves
some redistribution OF postotilces and
some discontinuance which. cannot
now be safely attempted.
Twelve thousand and ninety ap-
pointments or poStmastcrs were made
during the year, OF which 1871 were
due 10 removals.
The postmaster general concludes his
report with Two significant rccommen-
dltions, which he says are necessary
to complete the civil service reforms
The nrst Il to secure ilStty OF tenure
during efficiency and good behavior to
the three assistant postmasters gencr-
al
The second Is TO cover into the civil
service as mnny as possible OF the
pOStmaStcrS themselves. The 70,G6h or
more pOStmnstCrS arc now the chief
spOils OF an incoming administrnt ton"
The report recommends rCtclassI-
flcntion of the clerks OF the railway
mail service, and OF provision for
clerks AT first and sccond-c class post-
Offices: ten additional postoilice inspcc-
tors, and legislation making postmas-
tcrs and their surcties liable for the
acts and Getalcations OF thcIr suhordi-
mates md authorizing postmasters to
bond their subordinakes