The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-16
THE PosToFFICE DEPARTMENT.

New York Financier.

New York Financier.
The Postofice Department is one OF the
most important bureaus OF the public sery-
ice. 1t handles upward of $15OOoO,00O
year, and so far as administration IL con-
cerned is virtually a law unto itself. The
scandals already unearthed deal with ex-
penditures for supplies and awards OF con-
tracts. 1t is bad enough to know that the
revenues Of the government are being I'M
lawfully diverted from their lawful pur-
pose but the inquiry will not be complete
unless il embraces a practical overhauling
of the postal laws as applying TO the CLASH
fication and distribution Of mail matter.
Take the sections of the law as applying
to second-class mail matter, for instance.
The statute passed originally py congress
has never been amended in single par
ticular except to reduce the price of second
class matter from cents TO j cent per
pound, a reduction justified by ,1 the I'M
Yet the department, apparently at its own
WILL is continually interpreting the law
In new forms. The present third assistant
postmaster general in particular Is becom-
ing famous for his weird rulings on the
question. He has apparently determined
in his own mind that the law means not
what IL says, but what he thinks IL ought
to say, and Is acting accordingly. There
fore he Is throwing out of the mails re-
spectacle, legitimate publications and Is in
terfering through local postmasters with
the regular transmission of newspaper
mail matter. Affairs have come TO such
state that the average publisher is afraid
to make a departure from old meth
interest se of the reading public and OFFER
something better or more convenient, with
out running against one of the third assist
ant postmaster generals rulings which de-
mails, or involve him in snarl which rem
ders his product absolutely worthless by
reason of delays while appeal is made TO
Washington. In short, Mr.. Madden, osten-
sibly in the interest of economy, is dealing
heavy blows at one of the most important
industries Of the United States. The worst
part OF the matter is that the decisions are
final and autocratic In their nature and are
not general in their application. AS the
law stands now the Postoffice Department
can literally ruin publisher by individual
decision. 1t goes without saying that this
situation cannot endure. The publishing
business cannot be jeopardized by the
whims of subordinates, who take pleasure
in asserting brief authority by reversing
the ruling of predecessors.
The attack on the publishing business will
probably come to head at the next ses-
paternity of which Is laid at the door Of the
third assistant postmaster general Will
come up for consideration. This bill is
curiosity in its way It provides for cheap su
cations printed on pink paper and dealing
with sensational police episodes. while de-
barring. except at high cost, the great
monthly literary reviews. We do not mag
inc the bill will pass. Rather the search
light of congressional investigation will be
turned on the entire Postoffice Department,
which seems sadly to need attention. The
investigation now under way has served to
show that at least S., 000,00 Is wasted annu-
ally through extravagances and worse in
the administration of the department.. The
contention of Mr.. Madden that the deficit
in postal revenues is caused by excess Sec
ond-class matter is therefore absurd. The
vate life are usually dealt with by the GRIM
inal courts. Possibly the onslaught pub
fishers will be less vigorous after Congress
has thoroughly investigated the department
uyho