Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-07
ABUSES. OF MAILS
Some Are Stated BY the Third Assist
ant Rp,tmastsr General
INCREASE MFALUE OF STAMPS SOLD
Consultations Third and Fourth
!issIu
Class Matter Advised.
MR.. MADDEN'S SUGGESTIONS

| Edwin c. Madden third assistant post
| master general, has submitted his annual
report covering the operations Of his office
| for the past fiscal year. 1t Is a compre-
| hensive document covering every detail of
the important department and dealing spe-
officially with matters Of general interest.
| In part 1t says:
The money taken from dead letters for
which no owners could be found, and that
realized from the auction sale of unclaimed
| articles accumulated in the dead letter
Office, aggregated $14,46 5-O8.
During the fiscal year the total number of
pieces OF stamped paper issued to postmas-
ters was 1924 0S7 ,914, in value $97 OS7 771.54,
a net increase over the issue of the previous
year Of 400, BIS, $50. or S.27 per cent in num-
Der. and of $7,536, III SO, or $3.50 per cent in
value.
Books of Stamps.
| On April 16, 1900, 2-cent stamps bound in
books were first issued to postmasters for
| sale to the public. These books are issued
| In three sizes, containing, respectively, II,
"A and AZ 2-cent stamps, in sheets of six
| stamps each. with paraff1ned paper inter-
| leaved between the sheets to prevent pre-
mature adhesion, and covers of cardboard,
US by 11-16 inches in dimensions The
books are sold at an advance Of 1 cent over
the face value OF the. stamps contained
therein, or % cents for the 12-stamp book,
~ cents for the 24-stamp book and 81 cents
for the 4S-stamp book On the covers ia
printed Information as to domestic and
foreign rates OF postage the money order
and registry systems. Since the first issue
the bureau of engraving and printing has
been able to make considerable Improve
hn hnol
II is believed they are now as perfect as II
Is possible to make them
A new and distinctive set OF stamps were
issued for he BuftaiO expust on + o,low NO
| Is description Of the new stamps.
cent-Ihe lake steamer presents the port
bow, the pilot house is we'll forward and it
Is propelled by side wheels.
2-cent-The train of four cars IL drawn
by locomotive with four drivers: four
parallel tracks are shown.
4-cent-The automobile is Of the closed
ccacn order, with two men on the box and
part OF the United States CAPITOL at
Washington as background.
5-cent-This presents the largest single
span steel bridge In the world: two trolley
cars are seen upon 1t, and full view of
Niagara Fal9 u shown under beyond and
up the Rivera with the graceful springing
arch as frame.
SCIENTIFIC great ship-canal locks at sault
from a higher point including the imme-
date surroundings.
1O-cent-An ocean steamship Of the Amer
lean line, with two smokestacks and masts
presents Its starboard bow Tapped by
rising wave
Mr.. Madden devotes considerable space
to the subject-o of abuse in second-class mail
matter. saying. IN bart:
Abuses of the Second Class of Mail
Matter.
The abuses of The second class of mail
| matter have Seen recited regularly in the
| annual reports OF this bureau for many
years past, and a number Of times the
same subject has received special consider
alton in the reports Of the Postmaster Cen
eral. all for the purpose of mpressing Con-
gress with the necessity Of some legislation
to relieve the service" of the enormous and
unjusttfable burden which it Is made to
bear through the operation Of a law which,
enacted Tor a public benefit, Is turned to
private advantage. So far no relief has
been given. It can scarcely be necessary
for nothing new can be said on the SUBJ
1ect. Enough 1t is to mention that they
still. exist and flourish, with the exception
that during the year one Of them has been
cured, and another has been curtailed al
most to extinction. I refer. first to the
sample copy" abuse. The adoption of a
rule limiting the number OF sample copies
which may be sent with each issue OF a
publication to an amount equal to the sub
scription list has been effectual.
Ihe second abuse which has been curtail-
ed and may be said to be almost extin-
guished Is that Of bulk subscriptions
most 1nSdiOuS SEheme to evade the require
ment OF the law that the publication, to be
admitted to the secOnd-class rates Of post
age must possess Legitimate list of SUBJ
scribers." The law contemplates that be-
fore entry to the second class and during
continuance therein, a publication shall have
public sanction through a subscription pro-
cess OF the voluntary individual variety.
While such subscriptions are held to be
the Intent OF me law, the department does,
by sufferance, allow that one person may
subscribe for another, within reasonable
limits as to number. and especially when
not Tor advertising purposes; but by allow
ing bulk subscriptions the public sane.
ton or test which the law requires Is cir
cumvented, one person subscribing for num-
bers Of others without limit.
OF the abuses which remain and flourish
may be named book serials (alleeed
periodically, Premiums for subscriptions"
and the Return Of unsold matter to news
agents" Legislation on these Is a great
necessity, and 1t is hoped that the bill now
pending in Congress, the aim Of which ia to
correct at least two Of the abuses men
toned. will not fall to become q law. Per-
haps the third abuse may be corrected In |
an administrative way.
Private Mailing Cards.
I am satisfied. from the interest mani
tested TN private mailing cards, that the use |
Of these cards has materially increased dur
ing the year, but up to the present time
their use has not noticeably diminished the
issue OF the government postal cards.
Additional Recommendations.
I beg to recommend that Congress be
asked to appropriate the sum Of $40, OOO and
to authorize the department to expend the
same In the preparation and issue to the
public. free, through tho post offices of