The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-12

glance at the 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 OF it's earnings.
The free matter carried in the mails for the
departments. offices etc. OF the government and
Tor congress In pounds amounted to "a, 4S0, 1883.
II this is offset against buildings Tor postoffices
and stations. the rental OF which would more
We have this exhibit:
Weight OF mail matter (other than above)
transmitted through the mails for the year
ending June 30, 1895: Domestic and foreign
letters, postal cards, etc., weight Co. S37 3f3
pounds; revenue $50. 624. 464 newspapers, period
icals q cent per poundl. 3iS sSS CAS- pounds; rev.
enue, 1886, 4O3; books. seeds, etc Is cents per
pound), Is, 70l las pounds; revenue, So 1874 069;
parcels, etc Q6 cents per pound). 49, $50. 1877
enue, 1880, 321 Total, 512 977 1926 pounds; rev.
enue, SIT 044,257 The remainder OF our postal
revenue, amounting to something more than
So,OOO,OOO, was derived from box rents, registry
fees money order business and other similar
items The entire expenditures OF the depart
ment. including pay for transportation credited
to the Pacific railroads. was 1872 1856 1876. IL which
may be considered the cost OK receiving car
rying and delivering the above mail matter.
1t thus appears that though the second class
matter constituted more than two-thrds Of the
mall carried the revenue derived from it was
less than one-thrteth Of the total The aver
age revenue from each pound OF first class mat
ter was SO cents. From each pound of second
class 81 mills (of the second class 81, 3IS 297
was county free matter). From each pound OF
third class 1874 cents; from each pound of fourth
class 1916 cents The growth OF weight OF Sec
ond class matter has been from 299 900 600
pounds in 1894 to S12 100000 in 1896. and to al
most S49. 600 600 in 1896 and 1t is quite evident
this increasing drawback is far outstripping
any possible growth Of postal revenues.
Our mail service should, of course. be such
as to meet the wants and even the conven-
fences of our people with a direct charge upon
them so light as to exclude the idea of our
postoffice department being a money-making
concern, but in the face of the constantly re-
curing deficiency in its revenue. and in view
of the fact that we supply the best mail SER
tsfaa IN fl.s a.
time to correct the abuses that swell enorm-
ously our annual deficit
The Remedy.
If we concede the public policy of carrying
papers free in the county Of publication, and
the policy of carrying at less than one
tenth their cost other bona hde newspapers aud
periodicals. there can be no for sub
iecting the service to the further immense and
increasing loss involved in carrying at the NOM
inal rate of cent a pound the serial libraries,
sometimes including trashy liter9 ture and other
matter, which under the loose Interpretation of
a loose statute has been gradually given sec
ond class rates. thus absorbing all profitable re-
turns derived from first class matter, which
| pays three four times more than its cost and
producing a large annual loss to be paid by
| general taxation. II such second class matter
paid merely for the cost of it's handling our
deficit would disappear and a surplus would
result which might be used to give the people
| still better mail facilities cheaper rate of
letter postage. 1 recommend that Legislation be
| at once enacted to correct these abuses and in
troduce better business ideas in the regula-
| ton of our postal rates.
Suggested IIeIOrms.
| Experience and observation have demonstrat-
| ed that certain improvements in the organiza-
ton of the postoffice department must be
| cured before we can gain the full benefit Of the
! immense sums expended in its administration
| This involves the following reforms which
| earnestly recommend:
There should be a small addition to the ex-
| listing inspector force which now numbers 49,
600 and performs its service practically
W. bout the surveillance exercised over all other
! branches of the postal or public service. OF
| a and freedom
| from wholesome disciplinary restraint must in
| evitaby lead to imperfect service. There should
| also be appointed a few inspectors who could
assist the central office in necessary investiga-
| ton concerning matters of DUsJonice leases.
| postoffice sites allowances for rent, fuel and
| lights, and in organizing and receiving the best
| results from the work of the $4,000 clerks now
| employed in first and second class offices
1 convinced that the small expenses at
tending the Inauguration of these reforms
| would actually be a profitable investment.
| especially recommend such a recasting of the
| appropriations by congress for the postofice de-
| partment will permit the postmaster gen
| eral to proceed with the work of consolidating
| postoffces. This work has already been en-
tered upon sufficiently to fully demonstrate by
experiment and experience, that such CONSOLE
dalton is productive of better service larger
revenues and less expenditures, to say nothing
of the further advantage Of gradually with
drawing postoffces from the spells system.
Universal Postal Union.
The universal postal union. which now en-
braces all the civilized world, and whose del
egates will represent 1000 000 900 people, will
hold its fifth congress in the city OF WashlnS-
ton in May, 1897 The United States may be
said to have taken the initiative which led to
the first meeting of this congress in Berne, IN
1874. and the formation of the universal postal
union which brings the postal service of all
countries to every mans neighborhood 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 respective countries in which they
have assembled have made generous provision
for their accommodation and for the recep
ton and entertainment of the delegates II
view of the Importance of this assemblnge anc
| of its deliberations and of the honors and hos
| FATALITIES accorded to our representatives by
other countries similar occasions, earn
estly hope that such appropriation will b'
made for the expenses necessarily attendan
upon the coming meeting in our capital cit,
will be worthy of our national hospitalit,
and indicative of our appreciation of the event