The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-12-14

carriers, city and rural.
An increase of 5.77 per cert In the
amount of ordinary mail h,ndled asV
compared with 1904, is noed In the
railway mail handled, whid the Post
master General says, shoVs a normal
maintenance of eficienct. During the
year eleven clerks wee killed while
on duty and 125 seriotsly injured. Ev-
cry effort has been rade to surround
the clerks with evry possible safe
guard. The ardpus and hazardous
duty incident to the service, he de-
clares, calls fo7 some legislative ac-
ton that willy make provisions for
clerks who Te in the service and
maintain itseficiency by the gradual
elimination of superannuated clerks.
The present method of determining
the rate of pay to transportation
compares for carrying the mails is
not regarded by the Postmaster Cen
eral as altogether satisfactory, and
he says that while he is not at pres
ept prepared to recommend specifcA
changes, he believes that certain in.
'quiries being made by him will afford
data on which to base future recom-t
mendations. He thinks worthy Of
serious consideration a suggestion
that substantial saving would be
made in railway transportation by
forwarding bulky periodicals and
mailable merchandise by fast freight,
but when transported by what or
dinarily is known as "fast mall"
should pay extra postage
Hesays that fast mail steamers
of other countries leaving ports of the
United States will more and more alb
serb our foreign mail transportation
until such time as the United States
provides an adequate compensation
for the outward voyage of steamers
Of equal speed and regularity of seized
ule
The Postmaster General says that
an effective domestic parcels post sys-
tenn could be organized on the same
lines substantially as express compa-
MES conduct their service and as par
GELS post service is conducted in other
countries.
While he does not deem it wise att
this time to ask Congress for such a
system he earnestly recommends thatt
third and fourth class mail matter
be merged at the rate of one cent
for two ounces. In this way he says
all merchandise parcels not exceed
ing four pounds in weight will contin-
lie to be carried at one-half the charge
now charged and afford a great OPP
portunity for distributing light pack
ages to a multitude of places not
reached by express companies.
Dealing with second class matter,
Postmaster General Cortelyou de-
clares that statute to be inherently
wrong. He based this opinion on the
fact that during the last fiscal year
the total weight carried at one cent
d pOuuO anu 1Io0 was OUO,1II ,lAO
pounds.
"If,' he says, "it costs the govern
ment as much as five cents a pound
to handle this matter in the mails, it
will be seen that the amount paid was
$50, 1885, 1856, while the actual revenue
was $6,1S6,647." He recommends a
thorough review Of the whole subject
by Congress.
AS regards the rural free delivery
service the Postmaster General ex-
presses confidence that future legiti-
mate extensions can be accomplished
at lower rate of expense.
At the end of the fiscal year, June
80, there were in operation 68,131
postoffices. The number of employees
in the service at large is stated to be
100000, of which 1859 are in the de-
partment at Washington.