Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-12-05


S179,312. Still another periodical
mails 159 ,243 pounds Of a single issue,
the carrying of which involves a loss
to the government of s6,369.72. These
Illustrations might be multiplied in
definitely.
TO correct the various abuses thus
indicated, the department has under
taken more strict application of the
law. The saving will amount to sew
eral million dollars a year, and will
not ony make the service self-sustain-
ing but permit important advances on
other lines.
Legitimate Periodicals.
In this work of reform the legiti-
mate newspapers and magazines have
an interest as immediate and vital as
that of the government and people
themselves. No criticism falls on
them and no laying of the AK at rooted
evils menaCes their position. They
ask no favors. They stand on their
rights. With their fixed place, their
public object, and their regular body
Of readers, they are the direct objects
Of that deliberate and enlightened pub
lie intelligence. They observe and full
fill the requirements Of the law. And
because they do they have the more
concern in eliminating those which
do not.
Rural Free Delivery.
10 r~oI l01s 4
vanced with increased strides. It's
extension during the past year has
been nearly three times as great as
the whole amount of service previous.
~ established. The number of routes
in operation at the beginning of the
fiscal year was $1,276, and at the close
1901. During the current year, with
an augmented Appropriation and a
more experienced force, the work will
proceed still more rapidly The num-
Der of routes will encrease by July l
1902, to $500.
lies on route. Under the Old system
they travelled from to miles in go
ing to the postoff1ce. If the cost in
time and other factors be reckoned at
10 cents a day for each family, it is
clearly a moderate estimate. That
made an aggregate of $3.50 a day
The government can deliver the mail
at the doors of all for So. Why
shouldn't it do so and save them the
larger burden? Extend the calcula-
IN hn yrrhr-
about 100000 families dependent Oh
the rural service. The aggregate cost
to them of going to the postofice
reaches an enormous sum. The gov
eminent can carry the postoffce to
them for a fraction of the amount
Under such circumstances the claim to
the serv+ te becomes irresistible. 1t is
the business of the government to de-
liver the mails as far as practicable
The apprehended obstacles to rural de-
livery have largely vanished with act
ual experience, and the manifest ad-
vantages, now clearly shown, urge the
full development Of the policy.
Even the fear that the ultimate cost
of this service would so far exceed the
return as to make it a heavy national
burden is sensibly dissipated by the re-
suits of the experimental trial. 1t is
demonstrated that the establishment
of rural delivery is invariably followed
by large increase of postal receipts :;
on the other hand, it permits a mate
rial retrenchment through the discon.
of ct (,1ltn
Offices; and the combined effect of the
augmented revenue and the consider,
able saving brings the net cost of the
delivery system to proportions which
may be regarded without apprehension
The saving during the last fiscal year
on star routes thus superseded was
$173, 404.41, and on postoffices discon-
tinued it was $3.50, 221.43. The two to-
gether amount to one-siXth Of the en-
tire appropriation for this service.
The Increase Of revenue is equally
marked An analysis of the returns
for the last fiscal year shows that in
the free delivery Offices the increase
of receipts averaged II per cent; in
the nondelivery presidential Offices 31a
per cent, and in the strictly rural sec.
tons 2 is per cent. Long experience
has made it clear that under the old
conditions the annual rate of growth
of postal revenue in country commune
ties is about 2 per cent. But wherever
rural delivery has been established
this annual gain has risen to or 10
per cent. 1t is clear that if a saving
can be effected in the curtailment OF
star routes and fourth class offices tc
the extent of one-sixth of the cost OF
rural delivery, and if the annual gain
in postal revenues shall advance
wherever it is applied from 2 per cent
to or 10 per cent, then the net out
lay involved in the complete develop
ment of the system will not be sc
great that it need deter congress from
the prosecution Of this enlightened
policy.
Miscellaneous.
Postmaster General Smith says the
postal deficit in the Philippines for the
year was $4,000; urges 100000 ap
preparation for pneumatic tube service
in the big cities; reports that the rail
ways got s34,000,000 last year for car
ryipg the mails and that the total re
ceipts for the year were Sill, 631 900
and the deficit s3,923,000.
A new domestic postal card will
very shortly be issued under a con.
tract recently executed. This card
will be of an entirely new and i'm.
proved design; and will bear in the