The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-15
RURAL DELIVERY PAYS.
The Postoffice Department Has Big
Increase In Revenues.

l
Increase In Revenues.
The authorities of the postoffice de-
partment make the gratifying an
nouncement that it's receipts for the
fiscal year which ended June 80 last,
will come within $1,OOO,OOO of cover
ing the entire cost of the postal SER
vice.
1t has been the policy of the gov
eminent to resist all temptations to
make the department self-sustaining,
if that end must be attained only by
impairing it's efficiency in any respect
or by any lack of progressiveness.
| The department has kept pace with
| the growth of the country and in so
doing it's expenses have increased
year by year while the cost of trans
mission of mail matter has been re-
duced-to the patron.
The revenues of the department
has been regulakly less than it's ex-
penses, the excess for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1901, being $4,000
| 600. The reduced deficit for the year
| just closed is attributed by the de-
partment not to any retrenchment, in
the ordinary acceptance of the term.
On the contrary, betterments involv-
| ing much expenses have produced
this happy result The establish
ment of the free rural delivery SER
vice is the improvement that has
yielded revenue that has aided most
materially in the reduction of a de-
felt of $4,000,000 to one of $1,000 900
1.-The smallest in more than twenty
years. This innovation was bitterly
| opposed in the beginning by many
congressman on the ground that it
would cause a large increase in ex-
penditures without any correspond
ing return. Some of those who
fought the new idea were prompted
by a less worthy motive They
dreaded the loss of patronage that
might ensue from the inevitable dis.
placement Of many fourth-class post.
masters
The reform was inaugurated, how.
ever, more than five years ago and
the people have been clamoring for
more free delivery routes ever since
though they have been established as
rapidly as possible.
During the last fiscal year the rate
of increase in postal revenues in ru.
raj communities where free delivery
was not in operation was about two
and one-half per cent In districts
where routes had been established it
was from eight and one-half to ten
per cent. This does not represent
the entire increase in revenues from
this source. 1t stands only for the
| increase which is due to added mail
districts No account is taken of the
additional matter sent into these
neighborhoods. This, of course
swells the postal revenues for the
villages and cities. Merchants OBJ.
tain lists of people residing on free
delivery routes and send circulars
and other advertising matter to them.
| This accounts for large share of the
added revenue, though it is credited
to the cities. The circulation of
newspapers is also largely increased
and the farmers and their families
do more letter writing, read great
number of periodicals, keep in closer
touch with the world and are bene-
fitted in many ways.
Rural free delivery is the greatest
advance step taken by the postoffice
department and it is satisfaction to
know that it is not only blessing to
millions but a source of revenue
Minneapolis Times.