The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-08

Us N foreign CON nasca ticES. nut ratEsT -
guarantee as against then They srs not
a temptation % war. but security
against IL TAey are thor1A9 MY u a1ceEG
With he tradi. lions OF our national d.
piOEacy.
Government Ownership of Prisons
The attorney general presents Is a de-
tailed and interesting statement Of the m
poFtant *1rS done under hlS super VISION
during the last fiscal year. The ownership
and management by the goFefnTns1t OF
pefit iSx1sss for the confinement o. Sh0se
convicted IN United States courts OF VIC
iations 81 federal laws which for many
years has been the subject o. executive
recOmns ncakaon has a. last 20 SAsA[
extent been realized BY che Uf1lklatlon OF
the abandoned military prison al Fort
LeaVsnw orth as United states peElSet1-
u2ry- This Is certainly a move n me f2siit
direction. but Z ought 20 oe al once sup
piemenfed By the rebuilding or the extern
siSs enlargement OF this tnIproViSSd prison
and the construction OF A. ie2sS one IoEe,
10 be located IN the Soatfefn states me
capacity OF the Leavenworth pefitenllAFy
Is so limited that the expenses or It's main
ten2nce, calculated 81 a per capita rate
EFcn the nunner Of prisoners u can ae-
corTnodate, does not maize tGs scg1Aoi4lSal
exhibit u would Il IL were larger and Bet
ter adapted 70 prison purposes, cat am
thoroN Ehly convinced that economy anu
humanity and proper sense OF response
bHiy and daty towards those Ntfom We
punish for viola tons Of federal laws dc
tate mat the federal government shoAAu
nave the entire c0HTTD3 anu AAaLtds f1AieAA
OF the pealtentiarles where convicted Nfo-
lators are confined. II appears that since
the transfer of the Fort Leavenworth mill
t&ry prison 10 It's new uses the WORK pre-
yiously done by prisoners confined there
and Tor which expensive machinery has
been provided. has been dlsconLlnHtHl-
This work consisted Of the manufacture
OF articles for army use now done else
where On all grounds. Il Is exceedingly
desirable that the cOnvicts confined IN this
prison be allowed 10 resume Work OF TINS
description.
Abolition of Fees.
II is most gratifying 10 note the salts
factory results that have followed the IN
auguration of the system provided FOR by
the aet OF Nav =, 1896. under when GER
tain federal officials are compensated D.
salaries instead Ct fees. The new plan
was put in operation on the Isl day or
July, lSsS, and already the great economy
E enrorceS, Its prevention OF abuses ana
its tendency 10 4 better enforcement OF
tie laws are stT1kingly apparent Defalied
evidence OF the usefulness OF this long de-
layej, but nov happily accomplished re-
form viii be found clearly set forth in the
attorney generals report.
Needed Postal Reforms.
Our postoffiee department is in cool
condition and TIE exhibit made Of its op-
eratlons during the fiscal year ended June
20 1886, Ii allowance is made fer i1nperkeo-
tons In the laws applicable TO II, Is very
satisfactory. The total receipts during the
year were $50 4as 20S. a. The total expendl-
lures were sec $50 81 exclusive OF Sl.5sl.-
SIS. -, which was earned by the Pacific
railroad for transportation and ere hted
on their debt TO the government. There
was n increase Of receipts over the pre-
vio1fs esr Of A.5I6 }S0 a. or IL per cent;
an increase OF expenditures of 81. SO l2i.uz,
or Az per cent The deficit was 81 6ia,99H. -
less than that of the preceding year. The
chief expenditures Of the postal service are
regulated by law and are not in the con-
troll of the postmaster general All that
he can accomplish by the most watchful
administration and economy, is to enforce
orompt and thorough collection and &C
counting for public moneys and suCn
minor savings n small expenditures and
In letting those contracts for postoffice
supplies and tho star service which are
mot regulated by state. An effective CO.
operation between the auditors office and
the postoffice department. 9nd the making
and enforcement OF orders by the depart
ment requiring immediate notification 10
their sureties OF any deliuuuencies on the
part OF postmasters and compelling such
pOsimas TO make more frequent dcpos-
its of postal funds have resulted In
promptcr auditing Of their accounts and
much less default 20 the government than
heretofore. The years report shows la.ge
extensions of both the star route service
and the railway mail service, with In
crea sed postal facilities. Higher accuracy
IN handling mails has also been reached,
as appears by the decrease OF errors in the
railway mail service and the reduction OF
mail matter destined TO the dead letter
office The deficit for the last year, al
though much less than that OF last and
preceding years. emphasizes the necessity
for steps TO correct growing abuse Of Sec
ond cllss rates TO which the deficit Is
mainly attributable
The transmission at the rate at cent
a pound OF serial Libraries, advertising
sheets, "horse organs periodicals adve~-
Using some particular house or institution
by sample copies and the Ike, ought GER
tainiy to be discontinued A glance at the
revenues received for the work done last
year will show more plainly than any
other statement the gross abuse or the
postal service. and the growing waste or
its earnings. The free matter carried In
the mails tor the department, offices, etc,
Of the government, aud for congress In
pounds amounted 10 A4Sl.1Se. ~ this Is
offset against buildings for pos'ofices and
stations, the rental of which would more
than compensate for such free postal ser
vice. we have this exhibit:
Weight Of mail matter (other than
aboveD transmitted through the malls for
Weight Revenue.
Qbs)
Domestic and foreign
postal cards. etc. GO. $751; is s6062t,464
NewsTa pers, periOdi-
calls q cent per ounce IS, 9Ss.e4s 2.99s.140
Books, seeds. etc. q
cents per pound -. 7S.7Ol,i4s 1o.32I.oss
per pound ............ 1se5o.1g7 $780, 81
Totals ...... ........ .5i2. 977. s2e s77.o44.257
The remainder of our postal revenue
amounting to something more than y Ca
600, was derived from box rents. registry
fees. money order business ard other SIM
lar Items The entire expenditures OF the
department. Including paw for transporta-
ton credited 10 the Pacific railroads, was
So, isS 1871. which may be considered as
the cost OF receiving. carrying and deliver
ing the above mail matter. II thus appears
sean~h ere second class matter con-
stituted more than twO-thirds of he total
that was carried. the revenue derived from
it was less than one-thirtfeth or the total
expenses. The avera Ee revenue from each
pound or frSt-elass matter was rs cents.
From each pound Of second-ciass matter
SO mills (of the second-c'ass Sc 34s. 81 was
county free matter). From each pound or
third-clsss. 49, cents, from each pound Or
fourth-c,sss. 156 cents. The growth OF
weight Of secOnd-class matter has oeen
In ISIS and 70 almost s49 eo9 60 in 1885 and
Il is quite evident this increasing draw
back = far outsfrluDing any possible
growth OF postal revenues.
such as to meet the wants. and even the
conTenleBces. Of our peCnle. with direct
charge upon them so light "a 70 exclude
the idea OF oar Dos neice department beng
a money-InakinE concerns but IN the lace
2 the co0sta ntiY recurring def
-lency In les revenues and IN
lex OF the fact that we SUD
by the best NATL service in the world,
Il seems 10 me 10 IS quite time % correct
~ abuses thai swell enormously our an
nual defictt = we concede the pubic - icy
" carrying paDers free IN the county OF
publication ard even tha policy OF carrying
a. less than oae-tanth the cost
As 20 other bonn dde newspa peFs and
oeriodsca =. there can Be no excuse tor SUD
}ect!UG the service - the further immense
and Increasing -css involved II carrying AZ
ne uonina, rae ~ ! cent a pound The
ser5al hoTarles. s~n7e5 mes incluG .Ds trash ny