Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-08
INCREASE ! 1 !. ! ! | N RECEIPTS
Postoffice Department Will Make
q Splendid Showing in
Annual Report.
An Increase Of More Than ST.
100000 Will Be Shown.
New Ruling.
Regulation Of Second Class Mat
ter Commended by the Post.
master General.

Washington. Aug. S.-Henry "A. Castle,
auditor for the postofflce department, is
preparing his annual report Regarding
the increase of postal receipts Mr<Castle
said: The increase in the postal re-
ceipts this year will probably be more
than 100000. We have not received all
the returns of the last quarter and con-
sequently can not state the exact in
crease. The last year was an unusually
prosperous one, but it will be eclipsed.
1t is estimated that the postal receipts
this year will amount to at least SILL
100000. In 1890 they were only ;so,ooo,-
ooO."
What is your opinion of the new rul-
ing OF the postmaster general in regard
TO second-class matter?'.
II believe that it is ansexcellent plan.
The result of it, however, will. not be
seen for some time, owing to the fact that
the contracts with railways for carrying
the mail are made for period of four
years. This method of contracting for
tour years service has heretofore oper-
ated In favor of the department, as each
year the amount of mail matter carried
increased, and the railways did not re-
celVe any compensation for this in
crease. Now the railways will benefit
o! the new order, as the price will not
pc lowered for three years, and be-
lieve they will not have to carry as many
tons of mail as they did previously. A
great many publications which will be
barred from the second-class will send
their books by express rather than pay
third-ciass postage. If this is done the
department will be the gamer, as all this
class of mail is carried at dead loss
IT Will take great deal Of time to
weed out all the publications that are
not entitled to second-class rates. There
are thousands of them. Tons of matter
are carried annually at loss of mil
lions OF dollars. The only matter that it
pays to handle is that which is sent at
the rate OF cents an ounce. The money
order and registry divisions of the post.
office are no: making any money, when
the enormous expense they entail is ia
ken into account. They are generally
accredited with making large amounts
each year. but this is incorrect, because
the expense Of clerk hire Is not charged
to those divisions, but 10 paid out Of the
general postoffice fund.
But what causes the deficit in the
postal receipts each year is the abuse of
the second-class privileges. The steps
that are now being taken will eliminate
this evil, and the next four years will
see wonderful changes in the it,stoffice
receipts and the disappearance of de-
ficit.''
The officials Of the postoffice depart
ment are disappointed that letter car
riers, after petitioning for several years
to be permitted to wear shirt waists
during the summer months, have not
awaited themselves of the privilege now
that the consent of the department has
been given. No particular pattern is
prescribed in the order, nor is any at
tempt made to dictate the way in which
the shirt waist should be made. The de-
partment regulates only the color of the
shirt and the quality of the goods to be
used in making 1t. Nevertheless few car
riers have taken advantage OF the free
dom. The shirt coat selected by the de-
partment has fallen flat failure.