Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-01
BUSINESS INTERESTS
THEIR GROWTH ILLUSTRATED BY
POST OFFICE FIGURES.
Mr. Shallenberger Says That Postal
Receipts Indicate the Ebb
and Flow Of Business.

Called to preside at republican rally at
Beaver Falls. Pa, last Friday evening. w.
s. Shallenberger, second assistant postmas-
ter general, used the following statistics
from the Post Office Department as an Illus
tration of the growth and development OF
business interests in this country during the
four-year periods from the administration
of President Arthur to that of President
Roosevelt, averaging the receipts OF the
four-year period in round figures as fol-
lows:
Arthur administration, 1882 to 1885, inclu-
sive, $43 300, 600; first Cleveland administra-
ton. 1886 to 1889. inclusive, $50, 4OO,OOO. an
increase Of more than 16 per cent; Harrison
administration. 1890 to 1893, inclusive. $685.
100000. an increase Of more than % per
cent: second Cleveland administration. $lo,-
100000, an increase OF 10 per cent: Mchin-
ley administration, 1893 to 1901, Inclusive,
500 SOC. 600. an increase of more than 70 per
cent. The latter year OF the RooseVeit au.
ministration is, of course, estimated put
safely based on figures that the Post once
Department is expected to use In the an
nual report of this year and In the treasury
estimates to Congress. the average receipts
for this latter period were $l39,OOO,OOO' an
increase of 40 per cent.
Mr.. Shallenberger's Comment.
Commenting on these figures today. Mr..
Shallenberger said to reporter Tor Inc
Evening Star:
ut is charged that extravagant expendi-
lures have been made in recent years, and
yet, comparing the expenditures of the sew
eral periods named. 1t is found that In the
period from 1886 to 1880, although the In
crease in receipts was more than IL per
cent, the increased expenditures amounted
to % per cent. In the second Cleveland ad.
ministration the increase in receipts was III
frnor n
was 20 per cent over the preceding admins
tration. In the Mckinley administration the
increase in receipts. as I have stated, was
more than 25 per cent. the increase in ex-
penditures over 10 per cent.
Rural Free Delivery.
1.-The estimated average increase in re-
ceipts in President Roosevelt's administra-
ton being 40 per cent, the estimated aver
age increase in expenditures was over 81
per cent, although in the last year Of this
period it is estimated that there will be a
deficit of probably $4,000 600. owing to rural
free delivery, 1t must also be remembered
that the expenditures for rural free deliv-
cry in that year will be over $26,OOO,0OO
which, If deducted, would leave very
handsome surplus as the result of the pos
tai administration up to the present time
but for the fact that the rural free delivery
service has been widely extended, and
with such beneficial results to every COM
munity.
"The Post Office Department being the
business department of the government in
a sense that can scarcely be said Of any
other department. and the postal receipts
indicating the ebb and flow of business to
an extent that perhaps no other statistics
will show SO WELL gives conclusive evidence
of the amazing industrial growth with
which America has been favored in the past
eight years, and which has been a surprise
not only to our own people, but to the ma
tons of the world