Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-12-10
POsToFFIcEs AND POST ROADS.
Greater Increase I'm Receipts than In
ExnenIliurpA

Our postoffice department is In good con-
dillon and the exhibit made of its opera
tons during the fiscal year ending June 80.
1896, IL allowance Is made for imperfections
ia the laws applicable To II. is very salts
factory. The total receipts during the year
were SD, 49o. Dos. 40. Tbc total expenditures
were 0.626. 296 As, exclusive Of S1,559,-
S9S.27. which was earned by the Pacific rail-
road for transportation, and credited on
their debt 10 the government. There was
an increase OF receipts over the previous
year Of S3.5l6, oS021. or IL per cenr, and
an Increase Of expenditures of So. S36, l24.02
Or 4.42 per cent.
The deficit was 81 .6ID DIG. 10 less than that
Of the preceding year. The chief expendi-
lures of the postal service are regulated by
law and are not in the control OF the post
master general. All that he can accomplish
by the most watchful adminlst. ation and
economy is to enforce prompt and thorough
collection aud accounting for public moneys
and such minor savings In small expendi-
lures and In letting those contracts for post
office supplies and star service which are
not regulated by statute.
The deficit for the last year. although
much less than that OF the last and proceed
lng years. emphasizes the necessity for
legislation to correct the growing abuse OF
second-class rates, To which the deficiency
IS mainly attributable.
The transmission at the rate Of one cent
a pound Of ceriai libraries. advertising
~s,Gssts. ''house organs periodicals adver-
hsfng some particular house or 'nstitu-
tom. sample copies. and the like, ought
certainly to be discontinued A glance at
tt revenues received for the work done
last year will show more plainly than any
other statement. the gross abuse of the
postal service and the growing waste Of its
earnings.
The growth Of weight OF second-class mat
ter has been from 20, 100000 pounds In
1894 to 3l2, 000. 900 in 1895. And TO almost
349.O 600, 900 in 1Sl6. and 1t Is quite evident
his increasing drawback Is far outstripping
any possible growth Of postal revenues.
Our mail service sho I'D. OF course. be
such as TO meet the wants and even the
conveniences OF our people. at a direct
charge upon them. so light as perhaps to
exclude the idea, OF our postoffice depart
ment being a money making concern. but
in the face of a constantly recurring detic-
Iency in It's revenues, aud In view OF the
fact that we supply the best mail service
n the world. II seems to ne 1t Is quite time
10 correct the abuses that SVEN enormously
)ur annual deficit. If WI concehe the pub
lie policy of carrying weekly newspapers
tree in the county Of publication, and even
The policy Of carrying at less than Que
lenth OF their cost other bonl fde news
papers and periodicals, there can be no ex-
,use for subjectlng the service to the fnr-
her immense and increasing less involved
n carrying at the nominal rate or one cent
, pound the cerial libraries. sometimes liz
slniIn. trashy and even harmful literature,
md other matters which, under the loose
INTERPRETATION OF IL loose starute. has been
rraduaily given sccOnd-ciass rates, thus ab-
,orblng all profitable retrrns derived from
lrst-class matter. which pays three or four
tines more than its cost. and producing a