The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-03

the custody of objects. of art and Of the
valuable results of scientific expeditions
by the The nsd SaeS nHe Reen
ton " furtherance of its declared puree
knowledge Ia among men@Mthe congress
has from time to time given 1t other I'M I'M
executed by the institution with notable
ndelity. There should be no malt , N the the
with the plans which its secretary has
presented, for the preservation OF the
animals annals in r the Nafional zooiogical park
The urgent needs of the National Museum
are recommended to the favorable con-
s'uera'ion P & fIf3GgT LIBRARIES.
perihaps the most eharactsriss5ic ednca
that which has created the modern public
active serVice' TRere are now over 5000
public libraries in the United States, the
product of this period In addition to ac-
method and by cooperation to give
hold, to make it more widely useful, and
by avoidance of unnecessary duplication
in process to reduce the cost of its adj
ministration-
In these efforts they naturally look for
though still the library of congress. and
SO en ni e the one hati9nai prary OF
single collection of books on the western
hemisphere. and certain to increase more
rapidly than any other through purchase.
exchange and the operation of the copy
right law, this library has unique OPP
portunity to render to the libraries of
this country-to American scholarship
service of the highest Importance. 1t is
housed in building which is the largest
and most magnificent yet erected for Ii
brary use: Resources are now being pro
properly, equip it with the apparatus
and service necessary to its effective use.
render its photographic work widely avail
able, and enable it to become, not merely
a center of research, but the chief fac
tor in great cooperative efforts for the
diffusion of knowledge and advancement
PERMANENT CENSUS OFFICE.
For the sake of good administration.
sound economy, and the advancement OF
science, the census office as now consti-
tuted should be made a permanent gov
ernmeht bureau. This would insure bet
ter cheaper, and more satisfactory work,
in the interest not only of our business
but of statistic, economic and social sci
POSTAL SERVICE.
The remarkable growth of the postal
nues have doubled and its expenditures
have nearly doubled within twelve years.
It's progressive development compels con-
stantly increasing outlay, but in this per-
iod of business energy and prosperity its
grow so much faster than its ex-
penSeS that the amount has been steadily |
reduced from $11 41l,779 in 1897 to 50 923. 727 |
in 1901 Among recent postal advances the |
success of rural free delivery wherever |
esta blished has been so marked and act |
plain that the. demand for its extension
RURAL DELIVERY.
population should share in the improve |
ment of the service. The number of ru- |
raj routes now in operation is 5000, prac- |
tically all established within three years |
and there are 5000 applications awaiting |
action 1t is expected that the number !
in operation at the close of the current |
then be daily carried to the doors of 81, |
700 900 of our people who have heretofore |
been dependent upon distant offices, and |
one-third of all that portion of the cOun- |
try which is adapted to it will be COW |
cred by this kind of service.
n0Gfll
hampered and obstructed by the heavy |
burden imposed the government |
the intrenched and well under |
stood abuses which have grown up i'll |
The extent of this burden appears when |
it is stated that while the second-class |
matter makes nearly three-fifths of the |
weight of all the mail. it paid for the last |
fiscal year only 1924, AS of the aggregate |
postal revenue of $111. 631 1913. If the pound |
rate of postage. which produces the large |
loss thus entailed, and which was fixed |
by the congress with the purpose of en- |
the dissemination of public |
were limited to the legiti- |
mate newspapers and periodicals actually |
ton could be taken. That expense would |
be the recognized and accepted cost of a |
liberal public policy deliberately adopted |
for justifiable end. But much of the |
is wholly outside of the intent of the law, !
and has secured admission only through |
an evasion of its requirements or through |
lax construction The proportion of such |
wrongly included matter is estimated by |
postal experts to be one-half of the whole |
volume of Second-class mail. If it be only |
of the burden is apparent. The postoffice |
department has now undertaken to re-
move the abuses so far as is possible by
Il = e.rc r. 1,faf1 off