The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-26
Remarkable Growth Of Postal Bust
ness In Recent Years.
BUT STILL A DEFICIT
INTERESTING FIGURES IN POST.
MASTER GENERALS REPORT.
Gross Revenues Have Reached Near
ly Hundred Millions-Defcit
For Next Year Over Four Millions
- Auxiliary Cruisers Secured
Through Mail Contracts.

-&
Washington, Nov PIN his annual
report, the postmaster general saysethe
act of 1898 invested the postmaster gen
eral with authority to enter into such
contracts for the carrying of mails on
American steamships as in his Judg-
ment will best subserve and promote
the postal and commercial interests OF
the United States. The first fruits OF
this act were the powerful steamers
which, converted into armed cruisers,
rendered such useful service in the war
with Spain. They were employed IN
carrying the mails across the Atlantic,
and compare favorably with the Allan
tic steamers under any flag.
But the act further provided that the
mail service in lines thus created
should be equitably distributed among
the Atlantic, Mexican gulf and Paclhc
ports. In accordance with this pro-
vision, lines have been established to
ports in the gulf of Mexico, and steam
ers recently launched for this service
and just now undergoing inspection by
a naval officer will be available as
cruisers should they be needed in a
future emergency. But no lines nave
| thus far been established under this act
on the Pacific, and the requirement OF
an equitable distribution which de-
mands attention in that direction is
forced and accumulated by the recent
expansion of American interests on
| that ocean. Should steps be taken to
extend our flag over American steam
ships on the Pacific, as it has been mod
erately extended on the Atlantic, such
action will not only comply with the
spirit and purpose of the existing laws,
but it will naturally follow and utilize
| the opening of American opportunity
in that quarter.
GROWTH OF POSTAL BUSINESS.
Postmaster General Smith calls at
tention to the rapid and amazing
growth of the postal business in all it's
| branches. In the last fiscal year the
gross revenue was $9S,012,6 1S, against
$33, 315, 479 in 1880, and the gross expend-
iture $9S, 033,523, against $50, 542,S 04; the
number of postoffices $4,000, against
43, OOO
Within this period the population has
increased about so per cent, while
postal business has multiplied nearly
three-fold. The general increase of ex-
penditures for the past year has been
little more than the preceding one,
despite the fact that nearly million
dollars earned in mail transportation
by the aided Pacific railroad companies
was paid this year directly out of the
department appropriations. There was
an increase in postal receipts of nearly
six and one-half million dollars over
the aggregate of 1897, which is cited as
a proof that the country is again pros
porous. The estimate of revenues and
expenditures for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1900, follows:
Total estimated revenue, $10095S, 112;
estimated expenditures, $105, 224, coo; de-
ficiency for 1900, estimated, 81, 1865 SSS.
But for the gross abuse of second-claSs
matter privileges the deficit would have
disappeared long ago, and its present
and promised decrease is in the face OF
this abuse.
The postmaster general says the pro-
posal of ocean penny postage, recently
renewed in connection with the adop-
ton of this rate between England and
her colonies, is attractive and much
could be said for it, but the conditions
under which this country approaches
its treatment differ from other nations.
Other countries have short land tran
sit, while ours is often greater than the
ocean distance. Considering the area
traversed, our rate is lower than other
nations. The immediate contemplation,
he says, of so marked a change, how
ever desirable in ITSELF will be prema-
ture.
Discussing rural free delivery, the
postmaster general says replies to cir
culars sent out suggest some assurance
of the permanence of the service. A
revision and Encouragement of the
service established prior to 1887 is con-
templated.
The most marked advance in volume
of money order business in the history
of the system was this past year, the
increase being 100000 in number and
$16,000000 in money carried. There were
IS 1853, 412 money orders issued; face
value 1904, 1891
Legislation is asked for at the next
session of congress to correct the evils
growing out of the practice of bidding
for star routes.
There were 15,6OO,22O pieces of mail
matter registered at the postoffices dur
ing the year, and the aggregate of
1898, 199 in fees collected was an increase
of over per cent over the previous
years business.
Among recommendations for legisla-
ton are those to make depredations of
railway postal clerks continuous
offense; to provide a severe penalty
for employees embezzling or destroying
newspaper mail; severer statutes COW
ering green goods and obscene matter;
the issue of a special stamped envelope
of superior paper quality for 10 cents
for greater security and safety; for al
least curtailing the use of postage
stamps as a medium of exchange, and
for allowing postmasters of the first
and second classes to pay for the spe-
cial delivery of letters by salaried
postal officials and to allow car fare tc
special delivery messengers in the great
cities.