The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-10

and revenues for postal expenses in eX-
cess OF the postal receipts should be made
by the Director General of Posts and paid
by the Governor-General only on the ap-
prevail of the Postmaster General. As a
matter of fact, no such acquisitions for de-
fciencies We're afterward sent TO Wash
ington. and they were made and paid with
out the approval of the Postmaster Gener-
al. II is only just to add that after the
failur. to observe the order was developed,
enquiry into the cause brought out the ex-
PLANTATION that the order Was supposed to
apply only to the particular requisition
made at the time it was issued. This
was a complete misapprehenson. and it
was unfortunate, for the observance of
the order, if it could not altogether have
prevented the frauds would have led to
their earlier detection and stoppage.
When the facts were brought to light
immediate action was taken to right the
wrongs and erraign the wrongdoers. The
offence of those implicated was mere than
infidelity TO the confidence reposed in them
and more than ordinary malfeasance in Of
fee. Its turpitude was enhanced by the
fact that it was the betrayal Of trust held
for people who were our wards. which
carried peculiarly sacred obligations, and
il merits the severest condemnation. The
cases have passed to ase custody of the
courts and early trial is expected"
Speculative Kidding.
Regarding speculative bidding the re-
port says:
ut is believed that effective measures
have been devised to eliminate the evils
growing out of speculative bidding for
mail transportation contracts which have
existed for many years. An order was
issued last February providing that no
bids submitted under any advertisement
thereafter issued by the deparT nent
should be considered unless the bidder
resided on or contiguous to the route, or
would agree. in the event of the service
being awarded to him. to fulfill this re-
quirement and give his personal super
vision to the performance of the service.
The object of this order is to secure
the faithful performance of service con-
templated by the contracts and to avoid
the frequent failures and inferior service
which has often resulted from awarding
contracts to persons living hundreds of
miles away from the route on which the
service was to be performed. 1t is be-
lievcd that by placing these contracts in
the hands of local bidders, who will gire
their personal attention to the service
and who will receive the full contract
price instead of working under sub
contract with some speculative bidder.
there will be a decided Improvement in
the service rendered.
In reference TO the pneumatic tube ser
vice. the report states that the investi-
CATION of the cost of construction and
operation and its utility, instituted Icy
the Postmaster General by order OF Con-
gress, is being now conducted by experts.
The investigation is nearing completion.
Revenue From All Sources.
The postal revenue from all sources
was as follows
Sales of stamps, stamped envel
opes newspaper Wrappers, and
postal cards Observation-Disclosures. S'i,olJ,b'J 10
Second-class postage (Iruuni rates.,
paid in none! .................. 'i,s23,5so w
Box rents. Observation-Disclosures. 2s2I,.2' ~
Money order recei prs............... 1.l55,li5 50
Letter postage paid in money.
principally balances due from
foreign postal admnist rat IONS. li.32i ID
Miscellaneous receipts . ~, lG3 %
Fines and penalties 2l,1i 81
Receipts from unclaimed dead let
tiers li,i37 -
Total receipts. $I02, 354, 579 ~
Excess Of expenditures re
ccipts OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ',ooo,ooo ~
OF the expenditures. So, $40, 734iS went
for railroad mail transportation. POST
masters received $l9ll2 O96.99 and post
office clerks 81. 400, $685. For free de-
livery services the cost was Sli,5l2, l90Oi.
The following recommendations for leg
islatiOn by Congress were included in the
last annual report and are now renewed:
That an act be passed 10 punish per-
sons who by force attempt to enter car
or apartment in ear used for the distri-
button of mail or who may assault rail-
way mail clerk while in the discharge of
his duties as such.
That statute be enacted providing for
the compulsory separation by publishers of
secOnd-class mail matter. While the ma
jority of the publishers have shown will
ingness to undertake this work at the re-
quest OF the special officer in charge OF 1t,
a few are unwilling to cooperate with the