The record-union., 1899-12-04
Abuses, Cuban and Railway Service and
Other Matters.
Not a Se1f-Sustaining System, but
the Deficiency Has Decreased
This Year by Nearly Two and q
Half Million Dollars-Abuses in
Second-Class Matter Cause q
Waste Of Twenty Millions a
Year.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The report
of the Postmaster General of the Unit
ed States, just made public, Is a very
interesting document. In the main it
treats of revenues, expenditures, rural
postal delivery, abuses, Cuban and
similar service, railway service and
registry improvements.
The total receipts for the fiscal year
were from all sources 500, O21, 3S4.1
and the expenditures We're just $780,
1862 in excess of the income, so that
the postal service is not on a self pay-
ing basis, though it is well understood
that it has never been conducted with
that in view, but to give the service
needed, regardless of the excess of dis
bursements.
But it is notable that the deficiency
has greatly decreased by 267 per
cent. as compared with the previous
fiscal year, the reduction being nearly
two and a half millions Of dollars
Attention is called to the necessity
of correcting enormous abuses which
have grown up in the privilege accord
ed to second-class matter. These
abuses, never foresaen by Congress-
drag the service down, cripple the de-
partment and cry aloud for correction
The declaration is that these abuses
cause waste of $20.OO0,0OO a year.
If this can be saved a great improve
ment in and extension of the whole SER
vice can be effected. The chief abuse
is in the frauds perpetrated in second
class" matter. Thus fully one-half Of
all second-class matter paid for at the
pound rate. is not properly second
class, and ought justly to pay third
class rates. Thus the department has
to transport and deliver no less than
146,351, 613 pounds of matter, from
which it derives only fraction Of the
revenue it is entitled to.
Third class matter paying a cent for
each two ounces, pays nominally s
cents a pound. But really it pays
l4.15 cents a pound because Of the
fractional provision. If the adjust
ment had been made that should be
between these classes, and the revenue
each yields, the department would have
increased its revenue by twenty-four
and a quarter millions of dollars
The conclusion of the showing is that
over quarter of the matter paid for
carriage in the mails is rated as Sec
ond-class but ought to be rated third
class; that while this wrongly rated
matter amounts to over one-fourth of
all the mail transmitted, it furnishes
only one-fifth Of the postal revenue;
that the expense of transportation be-
ing reckoned at s cents. the carrying
of this matter costs $14, los, 129 O4
while the revenue from it is only ST.
763,516.13. Thus a group of private
interests, through defect in the law,
uses the mails for purely selfish pur-
poses at the general cost.
SERVICE IN THE ISLANDS.
The organization of the postal service
in Cuba has engaged much attention.
The presence of United States troops
there constrained the establishment of
mail facilities for their needs the OBJ
liberation of the old local system and
a reconstruction of the whole service for
the requirements of the population
The postal arm has been extended to
Santiago de Cuba, to Ponce in Porto
Rico, and to Manila in the Philippines
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
The construction Of the system in
Cuba was made to conform to the ma
ture of our connection with that island
While necessarily directed by the Post
master General, under the Presidents
authority and order, it was framed with
the view of being as nearly autonomous
and Independent as possible
In accordance with this policy, it was
determined to select competent per-
son, thoroughly trained and expert
enced in the postal service, as the gen.
eral executive of the organization; to
send a number of experts familiar with
the various branches to take the re-
sponsible places and give instruction in
American methods; and to use native
Cubans, and, where practicable, the in
cumbents, for the great body of the
force Major E. G. Rathbone was des-
ignated as Director General of Posts
With him were associated in the cen
trail administrative places a number
of trained men. For the position of
Postmaster of Havana an expert fitted