The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-04

lege accorded by law to second class
matter This reform is paramount to
all others. There are many improve
ments and advances waiting develop
ment and application; there are oppor-
tunities for speedier transmissions and
delivery; there are fields for broaden
ing the scope of the mail service and
bringing it closer home to the people;
there are possibilities of reduced post
age; but above and beneath and be-
You'd all of these measures of progress,
which experience AMI intelligence are
working out is the redemption OF the
special concession which congress
granted for a distinct and justifiable
public object from the fungous
growths and the fragrant evils that
have fastened upon it.
For this costly abuse, which drags on
the department and weighs down the
service, trammels it's power and means
of effective advancement in every di-
rection, it involves q sheer wanton
waste of $20.00O,0 900 or upward year.
The postal deficit for the current year
is S6,610,776. But for this wrongful APP
plication of the Second-class rate, in
stead of a deficit there would be q clear
surplus Of many millions With such
an ample margin the possibilities OF
practical improvements are apparent.
The wrongs which have proved so in
furious were never contemplated by
congress. They are wholly outside The
intent of the law. They are directly in
contravention Of its spirit and have be-
come possible only through the evasion
and distortion of it's letter. 1t has al
ways been the purpose of congress 70
ordain low rates OF postage fer 1eglti-
mate newspapers and periodicals. THIS
was in accordance with the deliberate
and settled public policy which en-
courages the dissemination OF public IN,
all;, rI fn Tor0nnNfinn
enlightening influences. In the reform
which is suggested and sought it is not
proposed to restrict the privileges or
legitimate publications or to modify the
design of the law, but only to bring
back its application to it's original ana
just scope.
From statistics it appears:
FirSt--That more than one-fourth OF
the entire volume and weight OF mat
ter carried through the malls IS rated
and pays as second class matcsr'
when, under the spirit and intent OF the
law, it ought to be rated and to pay as.
third-class matter.
Second-That while this wrongly
classed matter amounts to more than
one-quarter OF the whole volume of
mail transmitted, tt furnishes only one
ffty-ffth part of the postal revenue.
Third-That the expense of transport
alton being rechoned at s cents pound,
the mere carrying OF this matter cost
Sl4. 1903 1873 o. while the revenue from II
was only 81, 7e3, 5l6.13 involving loss to
the government Of $12,S44 G12.9l
These statements convey their own
moral, 1t is a gross and manifest
wrong that a particular and llmlteo
group Of private interests, using the
msils solely for their own business eno5
and with no public object, direct or m
cidental. should first succeed in eludlAg
the plain purpose of the law, and should
. ~ their
actions not at their own expense, out
at the expense Of others. II there IS 10
be a favored class, let it embrace al
the people. Penny postage Is pronanly
! not yet practicable, and may pc re-
. earded as a future and not proXlmate
Schieyen,ent. But If the matter which
improperly goes at the pound rate were
made to nay what the law contemplat-
ed, then even peny postage, Win lea-
sonable limitations, could be appiiea TO
letters without entailins deflclt larger
than that OF the last few years, ana
possibly with none at all.
! The department alone is poweriess 10
remedy the evils. Though they Violate
the policy and purpose or the law YET
they are shielded by its want OF precls-
ion respecting subtleties ana oeVlces
which could not have been anticipated,
and by constructions which restrict free
dom Of administrative action. For TINS
reason the difficulty must be cured oy
the lawmaking power.
The free delivery of mails in the rura
districts has proved to be one or the
most important among recent develop
meuts of the postal service. and pre-
SCENTS in it's possibilities question OF
the largest proportions.
The benefits accsuing from the eXten.
sion of postal facilities to the rura
communities may be summarized as
follows:
Increased postal receipts. making
many of the new deliveries almost I'M
mediately self-su supporting. In Grea1
Britain, where an extension of rura
free delivery on broader scale has
been in progress since 1897, the number
of additional letters mailed because o.
additional facilities afforded is esti
mated at 5o.oOo,ooo for the present year
Enhancement Of the value of farm
lands reached by this service, and bet
ter prices obtained for farm products
through more direct communication
with the markets and pronpter lntor
nation of their state.
Improved means of travel some hun
dreds of miles of country roads, espe
cially in the Western states. havint
been graded specifically in order to Cd
tain rural free delivery.
Higher educational influences, broade
circulation of the means of public in
teliigence, and closer daily contact Wit
the great world of activity extended t
the homes of heretofore isolated rura
communities.
Any general extension of the rura
free delivery system will necessarily in
volve some reorganization of the pres
ent service in order to save needles
duplication and to enforce practices
economics.
To justify itself it must be accom-
panied by the discontinuance OF som
| i1l, fI-;I1
: superfuous, and by revision of sta
routes which will be rendered unnecess
; sary. These features of the plan wi
. stimulate the chief objection 1t ma
encounter, but with such PRACTICAL,
and compensating offsets to the expenc
: iture incident to the establishment
the free delivery routes, the systel
,, will entail no such outlay as has bee
! feared, and the essential question
whether it will be for the higher publ
advantage. If SO, the secondary an
I isolated personal interests which ma