The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-20
BIG POSTAL INCREAsE.
Rapid Growth of Receipts Almost
Wipes Out Deficit in Revenues.

Washington, Oct. 20.-Postal receipts
are increasing at such a rate that the
deficit in the postal revenues would be
wiped out and a surplus be created were
it not for the increased expenditures in
cident to the growth of the rural free
delivery service.
OF the fifty largest postofices only
one-Albany, N Y.,-reports decrease
in receipts during the month of Septem-
Der, 1902, as compared with the same
month of the previous year. This de-
crease is small, less than per cent,
while the other forty-nine offices report
increases varying from 3 per cent to
SOS per cent, twenty-one of the offices
having increases in excess of 20 per
cent.
This gratifying condition is partly due
to the prosperity which the country
generally is enjoying. In some instances
local influences have been at work One
of the most potential influences in pro-
ducing the increased receipts, in the
opinion of officials of the POStOfHce de-
partment, is the correction of the abuses
of the second-class mail rates..
The department through the third as
sistant postmaster general, is diligently
wedding out those publications which
have been enjoying these second-class
rates Of l cent a pound without comply
ing with the law. This rate is intended
solely for publication with a bona fide
list of subscribers and not for those
ing premiums and prizes sometimes of
value in excess of the price of subscrip-
ton.
Most of this wedding has been done in
Chicago and New York but it has not
been confined exclusively to any cities
or sections, and is general. When it is
realized that two-thirds of the weight
of all mail handled in this country in
a year is second-class matter the i'm
portance of the reform can be appre
ciated.
Its effect can be easily understood
when it is stated that some publications
which have been paying about 62 cents
postage upon every thousand copies dis
tributed through the mails are now re-
quired to pay approximately $40 per
thousand ounces.
rate. which is collected upon the bulk
weight of the newspapers and period
icals, those publishers who are barred
from these rates are forced to pay post
age fixed upon each and every copy at
the rate Of ! cent for each two ounces
or fraction thereof. This new classified
ton often means a 1 cent postage stamp
upon a publication that weighs less
than an ounce
While the ruling of the third assistant
postmaster general in excluding publ
cations from the benefit of the pound
rate is regarded as arbitrary and is be
ing contested in the courts, the officials
are confident that the correction of the
abuses of the second-class rates is be
ginning to tell as the chief influence that
is swelling the postal receipts.
In 1882 the postal receipts exceeded
expenditures, the excess amounting ia
that year to more than 50, SOC, 900. The
balance was on the wrong side of the
ledger from that year until 1900, when III
the first quarter receipts again exceeded
expenditures. but then only by SIPS. 000
and this gain was wiped out and turned
into a deficiency before the close of the
year The expenditures for the postal
Ia cod ON,
average of about 81 600 600. Since the in
auguration of the rural free delivery
service this increase has about doubled,
the rural service growing on an average
Of approximately 1900 600 a year.
The task Of the department in meet
ing these increased expenditures by in
creased receipts imposes the strictest
economy, but the confident belief is en-
tertained by the officials that in these
good times. with the abuses of the sec
ond-class rate corrected, the receipts