The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-01-12
THE POSTAL
REVENUES
The Annual Deficit Has Grown
to $l3,OOO,OOO.
DEMAND FOR RETRENCHMENT.
Chairman Loud Attributes the Deficit to
the So Called Libraries" Mailed
at Second Glass Rates.
DEMAND FOR RETRENCHMENT T.
A CALL FOR CHEAPER LETTER POSTAGE.


" the most important subjects before con-
gress is that of stopping the annual deficit
In the revenues of the postofiice depart
ment. The deficit has now grown to S13,
900, 900 year. Chairman Loud Of tho
postofiioe committee Of the house makes
the startling statement that II the postal
business Of the country were turned over
TO private corporation 1t would DO man
aged at q profit of from $50, 900, 600 to
$40, 900, 900 a year instead of loss of $1S,
900, 900. At the same time no one pro-
poses to turn the postoffice over to pri-
vate corporation. 1t is safe to say that II
such a proposition were brought forward
in congress it could not command dozen
votes In the two houses.
Cause of the Deficit.
But where does the postofflce department
fall behind $4,000, 900 year in its in
come ACCOUNT Certainly not through car
rylng letters and postal cards and other
first class mail matter, because this matter
earns 80 cents pound, while the average
cost Of handling all mail matter is only
cents pound; nor from carrying third
class matter, such as books, pamphlets
and circulars, which pays cents pound,
or just about the cost Of handling; nor
yet from fourth class matter. such as pat
terms, samples and small articles Of mer-
chandise, for this pays 16 cents pound,
or double the cost of transmission.
But 1t Is different with second class mat
ter, according to the postoffioe committee.
1t says that SO per cent Of all the weight
carried In this class Is composed Of books
and pamphlets which should be mailed as
third class matter, but by pretending to
issue their books as periodicals SHAT
Is, weekly, monthly, semimonthly or quar-
terly-the publishers claim the right to
mail their stuff in quantities ranging from
| an ounce to ships cargo at the second
class rate of cent a pound.
Second Class Matter.
Chairman Loud ascertains from the fig
ures Of the postofflce department that last
year the mails carried $40, sos, 155 pounds
Of second class matter, mailed in bulk,
this constituting SO per cent of all second
class matter. The remaining Is per cent
was made up Of matter mailed free In the
county of publication. Let us see how the
government fares in the business of carry
ing this enormous quantity of freight,
amounting to 100, 900 tons, or 1000 tons
for each business day Of the year:
Cost of handling, 8 cents pound. 81, s52, Csc
Postage paid, cent pound. ........ S,lO5,bSl
Loss to the government. ............ 81, OIL
In this connection Chairman Loud gives
some interesting facts concerning Uncle
Sans great postal business. Last year the
total expenditures were $94, 900, 900.
Transportation of mails costs Gao, 900, 900
a year, leaving s64, 900, 900 for postmas-
tiers, clerks, carriers, railway mail men
and all other cost Of handling. The money
order and registry business are estimated
to cost "a, O00,O 900 year, and this leaves
In round numbers $50, 900, 900 year as
the cost Of handling the malls. Now, as
second class matter takes up about two
thirds of all the weight and one-third the
number Of pieces Of all the mail carried,
It is considered fair to charge to 1t two
thirds the cost Of transportation, which
would be S26, 500, 900, and one-third the
cost Of handling, which would be sic, $780,
900, or total expense entailed by second
class matter Of $43. 600, 900 year. As the
postage received on second class matter is
only about e5, 900, 900 a year, 1t is figured
that the total loss on carrying 1t is S40,-
900, 900 year. And IL is ON this showing
tndb AsOuu iudhcb
that a private corporation could carry on
the postal business at profit of sac, 900, =
600 year.
Chairman LIQUIDS Bill.
1t Is not proposed TO increase the rates
ON all kinds Of second class matter. The
bill now pending in the house provides
that newspapers, magazines and all legiti-
mate periodicals shall DO allowed to enjoy
all the privileges which they now possess
The reform is aimed at the misuse Of the
malls by publishers who dump in their
books and so called libraries" at a rate Of
postage which pays only one-eighth the
cost OF handling. Mr.. Loud asks II the
government Is going to carry this kind Of
freight at one-eighth the cost, why does 1t
not carry wheat and corn and cotton and
clothing and groceries and machinery at
the same ruinous rate.
There Is In the country great demand
for reduction of letter postage to l cent
an ounce. The claim Is made that II all
this fraudulent second class matter was
compelled TO pay a proper rate Of postage
the letter rate could DO reduced. OF course
1t Is not thought possible TO save all Of the
s4O, 900, 900 year which the government
now loses In this way, but IL Is believed
that by enaoting the law proposed by the
postoffice committee Sl0, 600, 900 TO tlb,-
0O0, 900 year may be saved.
Reform Long Demanded.
II Is curious thing that the agitation
for this reform has been going on for ten