Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-03
STILL SHOWS DEFICIT
POSTAL EXPENDITURES EXCEED
THE RECEIPTS.
MI. Madden, Third Assistant Postmas-
ter General, Charges Deficiency to
Rural Free Delivery Expense.

An Increased deficiency of 92.53 per cent
over the previous year is shown by the
financial statement for the postal service
incorporated in the annual report Of E. c.
Madden, third assistant postmaster gen.
eral, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1904.
The report shows, however, that the in
crease in expenditures is on account of the
rural free delivery service. Were it not
for this extraordinary expenditure the pos
tai service would now be about self-sus-
tanning. The total receipts from all sources
for the fiscal year were $143. $50, ga, and
the total expenditures s152, 362.11 leaving
a deficiency of $S,779,492. The deficiency
for the previous year was $4,56O,O44. Mr..
Madden says:
TT is believed that as soon as the rural
free delivery service is fully established
the increase in the expenditures on account
of that service each year will not be more
than the normal increase for other items
Of the service, and that within q short time
after such normal conditions obtain the
postal service will again be self-support-
ing. a condition which has not existed
International Postage Stamp.
The question Of an international postage
stamp is one which has not been urged by
the department for many years, but in this
report it is held that If such a thing can
be operated. and the interest Of each gov
eminent protected, it would be a step In
advance The subject is considered wor-
thy of the consideration of the postal con-
gress soon to convene in Rome. Mr.. Mad
den recommends also that the delegate OF
the United States Post Office Department
present for the consideration OF the uni
versal postal congress the question of es-
tablishing uniform postage rates and con-
ditions of worldwide application. 1t is ar
gued that the United States is now carry
ing mail half way around the world for the
domestic rate, and every step in the direc-
ton of postal uniformity is step toward
the facilitation of the worlds business.
Money taken from dead letters for which
no owners could be found and that realized
from the auction sale of unclaimed articles
accumulated in the dead letter office aggre-
gated 2,21O
Padding Accounts.
Reference is made to the padding of ac-
counts by postmasters at offices or the
fourth class in order to increase their COM
missions and the suggestion made that
some revision be made in the method OF
compromising the officials of the depart
ment Mr. Madden does not, however. OF
fer a remedy, but says that he hopes 10
do SO at some future time. he does say
that the postmasters referred 10 seek 70
defraud the government by purchasing
stamps In large quantities. renting them
in payment for merchandise and claiming
cancellation on them. Since they never
passed through the office In payment OF
postage the department soon discovers the
trick and RECEIVERS from the postmaster.
Mr., Madden says that as much as LOCO II
recovered each month from this source.
An idea OF the size OF the postal service
may be gained from the statement that 14I
carloads Of postal cards were shipped ny
freight during the year to the several dis
tributfng agencies, the number OF the caros
being 731, 226 600 and their weight 6.50421O
pounds. 1t is found that cards and enyei-