Evening star., 1896-12-07
T HE M E S S A G E
Continued from Twelfth Page)


second class $52,34S297 was bounty free
matter). From each pound of third class,
1871 cents; from each pound of fourth class,
1876 cents.
The growth in weight of second-class
matter has been from 299O0O.OOO pounds in
1894 to 312.OOO,UU in 1895. and to almost
3l9.GOO.GO IN 1S96, and it is quite evident
this increasing drawback is far outstrip-
ping any possible growth of postal reve-
Hues.
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 perhaps to
exclude the idea of our Post Office Depart
ment being a money making concern; but
in the face of a constantly recurring de-
fciency 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 pub
lie 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 f1de newspapers
and periodicals, there can be no excuse for
subjecting the service to the further i'm
mense and increasing loss involved in car
pound the serial libraries, sometimes in
GLIDING trashy and even harmful 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 derived
from first-class matter, which pays three
or four times more than it's cost. and pro-
Gucing a large annua, loss to be paid by
general taxation. If such Second-claSs
matter paid merely the cost of it's handling
our deficit would disappear and surplus
result which might be used to give the peo-
PIE still better mail facilities or cheaper
rates of letter postage. 1 recommend that
legislation be at once enacted to correct
these abuses and introduce better business
ideas in the regulation of OUT postal rates.
Experience and observation have demon
strated that certain improvements In the
organization of the Post Office Department
must Re secured before we can gain the full
benefit of the immense sums expended In
its administration. This involves the fol-
lowing reforms, which 1 earnestly recon-
mend: There should he small addition to
the existing inspector service, to be en-
ployed in the supervision of the carrier
force, which now numbers 10000 men. and
performs it's service prac tically without
branches of the postal or public service.
OF course. such lack of supervision and
freedom from wholesome disciplinary re-
straints must Inevitably lead to imperfect
service There should also be appointed a
few inspectors who could assist the central
office in necessary investigation concerning
matters of post office leases. post office
sites, allowances for rent. fuel and lights.
and in organizing and securing the best
results from the work of the 1900 clerks
now employed in first and second-class
offices.
I am convinced that the small expense
attending the inauguration of these re-
forms would actually be profitable in
vestment.
I especially recommend such a recasting
of the appropriations by Congress for the
Post Office Department as will permit the
Postmaster General to proceed with the
wo:k of consolidating post offices.
This work has already been entered upon
sufficiently to fully demonstrate by expert
ment and experience that such consolida-
tion is productive of better service, larger
revenues and less expenditures, to say
nothing of the further advantage of grad
.ually Withdrawing post offices from the
spoils system.
The Coming Postal Congress.
The Universal Postal Union. which now
embraces all the civilized world, and
whose delegates will represent 1000, go $50
people. will hold it's fifth congress in the
city of Washington in May. 1897 Tie
United States may be said to have taken
the initiative which led to the first meeting
of this congress, at Berne, j., 1874. and the
formation of the Universal Postal Union.
which brings the postal service of all coun-
tries TO every mans neighbornood, 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 respec-
tive countries in which they nave assem-
bled have made generous provision for
their accommodation and for the reception
and entertainment of the delegates
In view of the Importance of this assem-
b!age, and of Its deliberations, and of the
honors and hospitalities accorded to our
representatives by other countries on sim
liar occasions. 1 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 hospitality and
Indicative of our appreciation of the event