Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-12-17
THE NAIL SERVICE.
Annual Report to Congress of Post
master General Wilson.
The Excess of Expenditures Over Receipts
she Past Year Was 50 T,OSS-No
Necessity, He Says, for an
Annual Deficit.

Washington. Dec s.-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 expenditures over re-
ceipts OF s.. ~, 0SS for the last fiscal year
which, however, is a decrease in the de-
ficiency Of $,6l9.955. compared with the
previous fiscal year. This satisfactory ex-
hibif for the last year has been made pos
sibIe. the postmaster-genera sets FORTH
by a vigorous policy Of bringing suit or
pushing collection on bonds Immediately
after default, which is the only safe prac-
tice for the interests OF the government
and those of the obligers.
The acknowledgement argues that there
is no necessity for the annual deficit in the
revenues of the department. and that but
few lines of amendment by congress to the
postal laws will wipe II out and give in its
place a steady surplus. 1t has its chief
source, he says. in the transmission at
second-class rates of a large and rapidly
increasing volume of matter never in sthe
contemplation of the law, which gives the
nominal rate of one cent pound on such
matter, and assuredly outside of the policy
Of the law as to newspapers and period
icals.
Loss Through Franking.
He characterizes the loss sustained by
the franking privilege I'm transmitting
serial Libraries, etc. as indefensible, shows
that of 34S $50, GAS pounds of second-class
matter handled during the year over 50, 34S.-
COO pounds were county free" matter.
and urges the adoption of the Loud bill.
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 surplus which may
be used TO cheaper postage on letters or
tn increase the mail facilities of the peo-
pie, but will really carry out the one-cent-a-
pound law of 1855.
The postmasteT-gene estimates a de-
ficiency in the revenues of the department.
for 1897 of $3,472 419, and for 1898 of 81 2SS 1894
Discussing the merits of the postal sys-
TEN, the postmaster-general says the peo~
pie of the United States may felicitate
themselves that in no important respect
are they behind any other country in their
postal facilities. and in many things they
are in the van.
Free Rural Delivery.
The results of the free rural delivery ex-
periments are yet incomplete. Time Is re-
quired to familiarize the people with the
innovation and develop its benefits or fall
ures The thorough working of such
system involves some redistribution of post
offices and some discontinuances which
cannot now be safely attempted.
Twelve thousand and ninety appoint
plents or postmasters were made during
the year. of which 1,541 were due to re-
novals. There were 1893 fraud orders is-
sued during the year.
Lotteries.
The headquarters of all or nearly all Of
the avowed lottery concerns have been re-
moved to foreign shores, but it is thought
much matter sent by them reaches adj
dresses in this country through the mails,
which the department practically has no
power to prevent, and that express COM
panies carry large sums of money from our
people to them.
The postmaster-general concludes his re-
port with two significant recommendations,
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 the three assistant
postmasters-general, whose work is en-
tirely non-political. whose capacity to deal
with the large machinery and great ex-
must come in great measure from expert
enee, and who preserve the continuity of
the department. not in the mere desk or
division work, but in the general admins
traJion.