Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-10
lHt PUSIAL RECE|P|S
What the Report of the Post
master General Will Show.
LOWERING THE DEFICIT
RESULT OF MR.. MADDEN's PLAN
FOR CLASSIFYING THE MAILS.
First Surplus in Receipts Since 1885
Reducing the Bulk of Second
Glass Matter.
LOWERING THE DEFICIT

The results of the reform in the classified
ton of mail matter instituted by Third AS
slstant Postmaster General Edwin c. Mad
den, when he came into office July 1 1899
VIII be shown in the next annual report of
the postmaster General June 3d. 1888, the
excess of receipts OF the Post Office Depart
ment over expenditures We're shown to be
S2,691 ,992. From that year until the third
quarter of the fiscal year ended June g. 1900
there was always excess of expenditures
over receipts, and Congress has had to an
propriate to make up the amount of the
dehcit. For the fiscal year ended June 80,
1881, this deficit amounted to over three
millions The next two years it was nearly
seven millions, the next three and a half
millions, the next over three millions For
each OF the following five years it was over
1ive millions. The fiscal year ended June 30,
1884, mad deficit of over nine millions
and the next year this figure was increased
to nearly ten millions. In 1896 it was over
eight millions, the high-water mark in the
deficit being reached in the following wear
when 1t was over eleven millions In 1898
1t was nearly nine millions and In 1899 six
ana half millions. June 1, 1899, Mr. Mad
den's administration began and he deyoted
especial attention to the Classification of
mail matter. In the third quarter of the
Following fiscal year the first Instance of
an excess of receipts over expenditures in
seventeen years was shown, this excess be-
ing $274, 1851. That reduced the total defi
cheney for that fiscal year to less than i've
millions, which was less than at any time
Tor over ten years. A further reduct;on Of
the total deficiency was secured In the fiscal
year ended June 80. 1901, to S., 4Os, 413.
Result of New Ruling.
1t was not until October 1, 1901, that the
new ruling of the department about the
mail matter which should go into third in
stead of second class went into effect Rv
that ruling various publications that had
been mailed at the rate of a cent a nound
and which actually cost the government 4
cents pound to handle, were transferred
from second class to third class. in which
MT Madden claimed they properly he
ionged, and paid at the rate of one cent
aor euca Two ounces. This rate of cents
pouno IN actual practice results in the
government receiving from ID to IA cents a
pound. because each fraction of weight
over Two ounces pays one cent. All this
CLASS OF matter from being q burden on the
nsoaI resources OF the Post Office Depart
Hl1 On, became source Of profit.
The result of this has been that IN the
second quarter Of the last fiscal wear there
was an excess Of receipts over expenditures
OF y U0o, 40O. and in the third quarter n wa
fooo, 100. Inc returns for the fourth quar-
YET nave not been completed yet, but from
Mnat nave been received 1t is estimated
ma. the excess Of receipts will be $292, 241.
the three quarters s., SS9, S97. The expendi.
lures In the first quarter. however. ara
aiways very heavy, and the deficit In thai
QuaItet last year was $3,647 Sl3 which
makes the probable deficit Of 81 ,S07. 9i8 FOR
sas year. That places the Post ONCE De-