The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-04
Use of Stamps as Money
harmful, He Says.
LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT
Postmasters, He Says, Have Salaries
Increased and Department Bears
the Burden.

out, as the most feasible scheme for
sending small sums Of money through
the mail
Mr.. MAIDEN complains that the practice
OF using stamps as currency has in
creased enormously in the past few
years. This works harm in several
ways. Ii causes dispropOrtiolately
large sales OF stamps at small offices,
and in many cases the sales are so
much larger than should be that the
postmaSter has his salary increased,
representing a clear loss 10 the Govern
ment. The custom of using stamps as
money is also held responsible for the
increase IN the robbery OF postofices.
Consolidation of Matter.
The consolidation Of third and fourth
class mail matter with a uniform rate
of ] cent for each two ounces, Is rec
commended, on the ground that the dis
tinction between the two classes serves
no useful purpose. and is an annoy
ance 10 the department. The effect of
the consolidation upon the revenues
would be immaterial MIR. Madden
again asks Congress to pass a law al
lowing the mailing OF large quantities
Of identical printed matter or small
articles without afiixing stamps to each
piece.
Holding publishers to strict com
pliance with the rules regulating second
and third class postage, caused the
receipts from publications refused
admission TO the second class to rise
10 So. 1925. an increase Of SIG per cent.
OF the rases considered and acted up
on by TIE classification division. it is
estimated that 5.c61 related TO mail mat
ter Of the first. third. and fourth classes.
penalty envelopes, and the Thanking
privilege. Deducting these from the to-
tai number of cases received. leaves
1o.117 cases relating TO mail matter OF
the second class
Admission of Publications.
The applications for admission OF pub
licatiOns 10 4he second class OF mail
matter favorcbly considered number
ed :. $50. a decrease of ~ from the pre-
vious year OF these. , 4S3 We're shown
by the serial number 10 be in the first
year OF issue, and are regarded as new.
While the remainder Q.41O We're old-re-
entered by reason OF, change of name.
Office OF publication. periods of issue
or other cause. Entry was denied LIB
publications. an increase Of 50 over the
previous year. The total number of ap-
plications acted upon was 5.5e3. de-
crease Of 600 from the previous year.
The total number of publications pass
cd upon and their status determined
was 5.67s, a decrease Of 1854 from the
previous year.
The number Of pounds OF second-class
matter mailed, upon which postage at
the cent-a-pound rate was paid, was
5et.537.9 62. creating a revenue Of $685.
S79-G2-an increase Of 55.SS5. SOB pounds In
weight. and So. S56.O3 in postage collect
cd at the pound rate-an increase of
-
Second-Clsss Matter Mailed.
The number OF pounds of second-ciass
matter mailed free OF postage during
the fiscal year was 90. 305. $50 pounds, az
increase during the year OF 2.2ll $40
pounds. o. 6.4S per cent. and this repre-
sents 6S5 per cent OF the entire amount
Of second-ciass matter mailed during the
year in the United States.
The aggre gate amount Of second-class
matter ra'led at the pound rate and
free OF ..ostage during the year was
545.S43, SIC pounds. or "a. 921.s2 tons, an
increase Of 57,596.9i8 pounds over the
previous year
The number OF postoffces az which
second-elass matter was mailed at the
pound rate was s.5sS. an increase over
the previous year Of 162.
DECISIONS OF courts.
Thirty publications are involved IN
court proceedings because the depart-
ment placed them in the third class.
and upon the decisions in those cases
largely depends the success Of the ef-
forts TO reform the abuse Of the second
class privilege Four court decisions
sustained the department last year and
two were adverse. These two related 70
ell =.
be legitimate periodicals in the meaning
OF the law. Special efforts We're made last
year TO reiegate TO the third class pc
riodicals OF an advertising nature pub
hshed by schools and colleges. and a
number Of them suffered that fate.
Mr.. Madden expresses the opinion that
II the rural free delivery service had
been extended In normal manner with
out the remarkably big increases I'm it's
annual appropriations. the Postohice
Department would probably be seIf-sus-
laining The deficit last year was
81 5S6.sT.16. and the expenditures for
rural free delivery were s., 101 .928S5 The
deficit last year was about one and one
half times that OF the year before. while
the rural free delivery expenditures
were more than twice as great last year
as they were IN the year before, showing
how rapidly revenues were catching uD
with the expenses
Stamped Envelopes Sold.
OF the 94s. So. 90 stampee envelopes is
sued. Ss2. 05l. 900. or 500 per cent. were
Ordinary" and 6l6s03. 900. or 6499 per
cent. were "special-request' with print
ed return cards. There was g decrease
OF 100000 in the net profit on stamped
envelopes and newspaper wrappers on
account o the increased cost OF ma
teriaL
There were issued during the year
Ss29,2f9 stamp books. an increase Of
2,135,S66, or 56-5s per cent. over the pre-
vicus year Deducting the cost Of man
ufactare. $50. 293.S2. from the selling price
over the value Of the stamps contained
in these books, S98. 2s2.40 the net profit
10 the department in their sale Is found
10 be SCI 1855.
The number of postal cards for the
year was S867. 766. go The Bureau OF
Posts OF the Philippines was furnished
last year with 556s.160 stamps, and 3d.
O00 stamped envelopes and wrappers.
The issue OF special delivery stamps
last year was i0.ls0950. an increase Il
I arsHr he t.aF 81,