The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-29
Ill. 631, 1899 s121, s4S, 047. PC
lis, 554, 92O.S7 124, 1855. e97.07

Excess of ex-
penditures over
receipts $50. $3,923,727.4S $685., 49S
This is a decrease in the deficit from the
previous fiscal year of $9S6,07767
The estimate of the revenues and expendi-
lures for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1904 is given below:
Total postage revenue for 1902. =. .s12l S4S Oi7
Add per cent. for estimated in
crease year enuing June 30. 1908. 1886, 324
Estimated revenue for 1903. ..... S1S2 Si4, 81
Appropriation for postal service
for 1903 ..............'.-......... l5S4lb,5sS
Estimated deficit for 1903. ........ $500, 227
Estimated revenue for 1903. ....... 1872 S14, 81
Add per cent. for estimated in
crease year ending June 80. 1904. IL 953. 293
Estimated revenue for 1904 80. sl44, 767, Sol
Estimated expenditure for 1904. 153.010,590
Estimated deficit for 1904........ SS,2i2, $50
The estimate is based upon the ordinary
business of the service, and without con-
steering the effect of special measures. the
results of which are not yet determined.
The increase in postal revenues not only
attests the wonderful prosperity of the
people and the activity of business inter-
ests throughout the country. the secretary
saws. but also indicates that the extension
of postal facilities carefully directed re-
suits sooner later in increased receipts
and diminished deficits. With phenomenal
growth of population and other favOring
Conditions. the mail matter poured into
the postoffices has rapidly helped to lessen
the percentage Of deficiencies. Despite
largely increased expenditures, the rev.
after each added outlay has marked new
standard
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
"Rural free-delivery service has become
an established fact" the secretary says.
ut is no longer in the experimental stage,
and undoubtedly Congress will continue TO
increase the appropriation for this service
until all the people of the country are
reached, where 1t is thickly enough settled
to warrant il. The estimates of the de-
partment are to the effect that the avail
able territory for this service embraces
about 100000 square miles, one-third
of the country's area exclusive of Alaska
The IL $50 routes now in operation cover
about one-third of the available territory.
From this 1t will be seen that ii will require
900 employees additional to those now in
the service to cover this territory. If Con-
gress shall make the necessary appropria-
lions it is believed that within the next
three years the extension of the service
will have been completed.
Five years of experiment In this serv-
ice added to several months experience
under permanent organization controlled
other branches of the postal service, have
demonstrated that all the claims hereto
fore advanced in advocacy or the extension
of rural free delivery and Its adoption as a
nermanent feature of postal administration
have been sustained.
at was said that it's development would
increase postal receipts. Every route es-
tablished, with one or two exceptions (and
these have been recently ordered discon-
tinued) has shown marked and continu-
Gus increase of mail matter delivered and
ihfffc a. 70 hn anil-
tiles afforded. In this connection 1t will
also be interesting to note that rural free
delivery carriers received applications dur
ing the past year for 625,946 money orders.
ut was claimed that rural delivery would
increase the value of farm lands. Official
reports indicate that in communities served
by rural free delivery, Isolated farms have
been enhanced in value because of that
service at an average rate of at least
per cent. in the older settled States, and in
the more remote States and Territories,
where postal facilities have heretofore been
few ard far between, the increase of value
has been much greater.
1T was asserted that to bring the farm
ers into close touch with the markets would
enable them to obtain better prices for
their products. Specific instances have
been brought to the attention of the de-
livestock quotations. indicating a tenn
porary glut in the market, TO farmers in
tending to ship to the stockyards, by en-
abling them to hold back their shipments
ditions. has saved TO individual cattle
raisers more than the total cost of one
years rural delivery over the routes on
which they lived. On the other hand in
many instances, information of an advance
in the prices of particular farm products
has reached the grower, by means of rural
| free delivery, i'm time to enable him TO
make much more profitable bargain with
his commission merchant than he could
otherwise have done.
Lastly. the claim was made that all
1 mn a. nj a ha ola<l
If not surpassed by the social and educa-
tional benefits conferred in relieving the
monotony of rural life, by bringing city
and country into close connection, and Civ
ing the farmer an opportunity Of keeping
abreast with the rest of the world through
the daily receipt of his newspapers and
/ correspondence. as had hitherto been en-
/ joyed exclusively by the city man. How
/ thoroughly these features of the service
/ have justified the claims made i'm their
/ behalf is known to all who are familiar
with the operation of the rural free-deliy-
/ cry system.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The report contains many interesting fea-
/ lures which have already been covered
/ fully in the reports of assistant secretaries
The Secretary's recommendations are:
"That the extension of free delivery 70
| towns of not less than 5000 population. OF
$500 gross annual postal receipts, be au-
/ thorized.
THAT substitute letter carriers in cities
of 5000 population and over be guaranteed
monthly earnings of not less than $50. and
| in cities of less than 1900 population not
! less than S25.
THAT rural letter carriers be allowed an
annual leave of absence OF not to exceed
/ fifteen days with pay.
i THAT the maximum fee for money or.
der be fixed at % instead of 80 cents.
! THAT Section of the act of June IL
/ 1898, Chapter 446, providing that assistant
postmasters. cashiers, and other employees
/ OF postoffices of the first. second and third
| classes shall give bond direct TO the United
States, be repealed. and that statute bt
/ enacted requiring such officers TO give bono
directly TO the postmasters, and holdinp
postmasters responsible under their owT
| bonds for any and all acts and defaults
/ occurring at their respective offices.
THAT the interstate commerce law bs
/ amended TO prohibit common carriers 70
wit, telegraph and express companies o,
| any of their employees, from aiding anc
| abetting in the green-goods or lotter,
swindles. or any other scheme carried or