The herald., 1896-12-09
Should Show a Surplus Not a
Deficit
FEW LINES OF AMENDME Mt
Would Stop the Sending of the Serial
Libraries
Postmaster General Wilson Makes His
Annual Report-Postal Service Is
Good, but Could Be Better
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8.-A vigorous
protest against the abuse of the postal
service Is made in the annual report of
Postmaster General Wilson. He quotes
figures which show an excess of expen-
ditures over receipts of SS, 127 ,0S8 for the
past fiscal year, which, however, is a
decrease in deficiency of $1,679,95S. as
compared with the last fiscal year. This
satisfactory exhibit of the past year has
been made possible, the postmaster gen.
eral sets forth, by vigorous policy of
bringing suit or pushing collection on
bonds Immediately after default, which
is the only safe practice for the interests
obligors.
Mr.. Wilson argues that there Is no
necessity for an annual deficit in the
revenues Of the department, and but few
lines of amendment by congress to the
postal laws will wipe it out and give in
it's place steady surplus. 1t has its
chief source. he says, in the transmission
at second class rates of large and rap
idly increasing volume of matter never
in the contemplation of the law, which
gives a nominal rate of l cent per pound
on such matter and assuredly outside
of the policy of the law as to newspapers
and periodicals.
The report recites the strenuous eff
forts in the past to secure legislation de-
signed to protect the postal service from
this waste of it's earnings and the tax
payers from the large burdens imposed
on them by the regular deficits. But, it
says, up to date, combinations and ac-
va nf Grfo orta of oh
have parried all efforts at reform. The
gross money expenditures of the de-
partment were 500, ,626, ,296, and included
the earnings Of the Pacific railroads, to-
wit, S1,55S.S9S, and expenditure of $92.-
1S6,1S5 to handle the departments busi-
ness. 1t thus appears that from two
thirds OF the matter handled during the
last fiscal year the revenue was less
than one-thirtieth Of the cost Of the mail
service.
The rules In imposing fines and deduc-
tions on railroad companies have been
modified so as to avoid the temptation
to make slow schedules to escape fines
for unavoidable delays and relieving the
department from paying for service not
rendered.
During the weighing of railroad mails
recently several officers of the roads
sought to pad their mails. and evidence
against one of the more important lines
L.,
request for criminal prosecution.
Changes in the criminal law are i'm
peratively necessary to insure convic-
tion for such frauds
Mr.. Wilson discusses the proposed l.
cent letter rate. the cheapest postage in
the world. He says 1t would yield great
profit, but it is idle to talk of such reduc-
ton while wo-thirds of our mail mat
ter Is handled at small fraction of its
COST and the deficits of the department
in consequence have aggregated in elev-
EN- years, since the act of March 3. 1865
Gone cent pound rate), the enormous
sum of $50, 9SS.442
This, in fact, should be further in
creased by unascertained overtime let
ter-carrier claims, and the unliquidated
Indebtedness of the department for tele-
graph service, left over from the last
administration. Those would make the
actual deficit over $50 900 900. He
charges that the losses sustained by the
franking privilege, in the transmission
of serial libraries, etc, as indefensibe,
and shows that of 34S. .9S6 $40 pounds of
second-class matter handled during the
year over so, 34S 900 pounds We're county
free" matter and urges the adoption Of
the Loud bill, now pending in the house.
as remedy He says the passage Of
this bill will not only wipe out the pos
tai deficit and insure in ordinary years
a surplus which may be used to cheaper
postage on letters or increase the mail
facilities of the people. but will really
carry out the one-cent a pound law of
1885.
The postmaster-general estimates the
deficiency in revenues of the department
for 1897 at $3.472, 419. and for 1898 of ST.
28S,334
Discussing the merits of the postal
system the Postmaster-general says the
people of the United States may con-
gratulate themselves that in no import
ant respect are they behind any other
country IN their postal facilities, and in
many things they are in the van. Touch
ing consolidation of small Offices with
the nearest money -order offices, the hope
is pressed that the limitation imposed by
the last congress on the authority of the
pos Ostmaster-general to consolidate Of
fees will be repealed and that before the
coming fiscal year will permit this re-
form to be carried forward as rapidly
as public interests will allow; as, once
fairly started its demonstrated success
will finally place Its benefits beyond con-
troversy. The postmaster general
thinks it the most feasible method for
bringing the postoffices into the ciassi-
fed service.
Mr.. Wilson suggests better organiza-
ton of the carrier force. This, he says,
might be accomplished by giving semi
military organizations in larger cities a
certain number of carriers entitled
sergeant" or similar official designa-
tion.
The results of the free rural delivery
experiments are incomplete. Time is
requested to familiarize people with the
innovation and develop it's benefits or
failures.
Twelve thousand and ninety appoint
ments of postmasters were made during
the year, of which 1341 were due to re-
movals.
There were 1893 fraud orders issued dur
ing the year. The headquarters of all, or
near all, of the avowed lottery con-
Germs have been removed to foreign
shores, but it is thought much matter
sent by them reaches addresses in this
country through the mails, which the
department practically hos no power to
prevent. and that the express compan-
les carry large sums of money from our
peo~le to them
The postmaster general concludes his
rapo with two significant recoipmen-
dations. which he says are necessary to
complete the civil service reforms. The
first is to secure fixity of tenure during
efficiency and good behavior to three
assistants postmasters general. whose