Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-12-05

statutory requirements. But, in fact,
thousands of publications which are in
reality books or purely advertising
sheets or gift enterprises, and which
the law never meant to include within
the second class, have crept IN
through evasions and loose construc-
tons until this abuse has grown to
colossal proportions and imposes bur
den of many millions of dollars a year
on the government and the people.
The second-class matter constitutes
nearly so per cent. Of the weight of
the entire mail of the country, and
yet, while the postal revenue for the
last fiscal year was Sill .631 1873, the
second-clcass matter paid only $4,294,-
445 of that amount That is, while
making three-fifths of the mail in
weight, it furnished only one twenty
eight part of the revenue. The trans
portation Of the mails is paid for
chiefly by weight. The enormous dis
proportion of return to cost in second
class matter is thus apparent at a
glance.
II is difficult to determine accurate
ly the exact ratio which the cost of
handling and carrying the second
class mail bears to the aggregate cost
Of handling and carrying all the mail
Though three-fifths in weight, it mani
testify could not be fairly charged
with the same proportionate share OF
the cost. A considerable portion of it
Is handled in bulk. On the other side,
the cost in time, space and labor in
handling individual pieces of second
class mail is greater than that of the
hrst-class. To reach the best at
tainable estimate, superintendent of
the railway mail service and 30 post
masters of representative cities,
were asked to give their judgment,
based upon the practical work of
their respective branches, as to what
justly chargeable to second-class mat
ter. The railway mail service
answered 80 per cent The answers
of the postmasters range from 10 per
cent. to 40 per cent, though most of
them vary but little from 20 per
cent Taken altogether, the average
b 20 per cent, and this may be ac-
copied as the substantially correct
ratio. But this is the relative cost
only in the postofflces. 1t takes no
account of transportation. In that
branch weight is the decisive item.
Including this service with the other
estimate. 1t is extremely conservative
to say that the second-class mail,
which makes three-hfths of the weight
Of the mails. may fairly be charged
with one-fourth of the cost. This,
declares Mr.. Smith. certainly under
states rather than overstates the
truth The cost of the mails for the
last fiscal year was SIZE. 554.920. One
fourth of that amount is S2S,SS8,73
The revenue from second-class matter
was S4.294 ,445, leaving an actual net
cost and loss to the government of
s24 .594.2S5
Throwing aside all the expense OF
and combining the examina-
ton to the single item of trasporta-
ton, the result may be more definitely
stated and is no less striking The
expense of carrying the mails, making
the whole cost divisible by the
whole volume, has in the past been
generally reckoned at cents pound.
1t is now believed that this figure is
A more accurate weighing
and a closer analysis place the cost of
carrying the mail as a whole at 6
cents pound, and, making all allow
ances, put the cost on second-class
matter at about cents a pound.
This figure is clearly within the
truth. The second-class mail mat
ter which paid the pound rate
amounted for the last fiscal year to
429. 444,573 pounds. At 5 cents a
pound It cost s21.472,22s to carry it.
It paid in postage s4,294. 445, leaving
net loss to the government of ST.
2777S3 on transportation alone.
II the mail thus carried at a heavy
loss were limited to what the law in
tended, there would be nothing more
to be said. In that case it would be
deliberate and rational public ex.
penditure for a well-deflned, justifable
and worthy public object. ard taking
the service as a whole there would
be no loss at all. Our free institu-
tons rest on popular intelligence,
and Ii has from the beginning been
our fixed and enlightened policy to
foster and promote the general diff.
fusion of public information. Con-
gress has wisely framed the postal
laws with this just and liberal con.
ception. 1t has uniformly sought to
encourage ntercommunication and
the exchange OF intelligence. AS
facilities have cheapened ii has gradu.
ally lowered all postage rates. II has
never aimed to make the postal serv-
Ice a source of profit, but simply to
make II pay its own way and to give
the people the benefit OF all possible
advancement In harmony vath this
sound and judicious policy ii has de.
liberately established low rate OF
postage for general newspapers and
periodicals. with the express design