Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-12-20
BOTH DISCUSSED IN POSTMASTER
GENERALS REPORT.
GOOD RECOGNIZE NDATI0NS
More Than II Per Cent of
Mail Now Goes Free at
Yearly Loss Of Nearly
$4,000, ooo-Some Specific sueees-
tions.

General Cortelyou in his annual re-
port for the last fiscal year says that
while a self-sustaining condition O.
tho postoffice department would be
gratifying he is less concerned about
the deficit than the efficiency of ad-
ministration. For the fiscal year
1905 the total receipts from all
sources were S152,S26,5S5 and total
expenditures S167,1S1,959, leaving
deficit of s14.572.5S4.
In connection with these figures
the postmaster general directs atten,
ton 10 he increased amount of free
matter handled, which he says
averaged 1858 per cent of the entire
weight carried, or loss in revenue
of $19,S22 900. "Manifestly," he says,
had the matter now carried free been
required TO nave been prepaid, not
withstanding the large expenditures
for the rural free delivery service,
there would have been no cit"
Answering so7ne of the criticisms
which he says have been directed
against the pc, ral service, he states
that much of it overlooks the unusual
conditions existing in this country,
its great extent of territory and its
widely scattered population. With the
introduction of -llral free delivery as
| yet unfinished and other details OF
postal development incomplete he
thinks 1t the part of wisdom to pro
| coed conservar lvely until the present
service is more nearly perfected,
In other words, says he, ''it is
believed that for the time being at
tention can be more protitably devoted
/ to an improvement in the service al
ready established than to an i'm
mediate consideration of such ques
tons as the reduction OF the rates OF
postage, a pa-Hels post, postal say,
ings repositories, postal telegraph
and telephone and kindred subjects"
AS a remedy for the Thanking evil
/ of which he complains the postmaster
general suggests that there are sound
be better business policy for each de-
| partment to ray postage upon its
mail matter sLcording to its class
than to return to the practice of re,
quiring government free Ina tier to be
prepaid by postage stamps in ohe
lc.Y Cd,
by the public. The weight of opinion,
he says, is in f. yor of the plan sug-
gested so modified as to eliminate the
necessity of atiiing stamps, but main,
tanning the principle that each depart
ment be charged with the whole ex.
pense of conducting its business.
From this change" he adds, there
would come some great advantages,
The tendency &c use the mails for mat
ter that ought Otherwise to be trans
ported would be restrained; mechan-
disc, including heavy quantities of
printed matter not requiring ex-
lpeiitious hauling, would be sent by
cheaper modes of conveyance; only
matter not requiring expeditions de
livery and on which the postage can
be properly paid as for government
business would be sent by mail and
the true relation of the postoffice de.
partments as regards actual receipts
and expenditure would be more &C,
lcurately determ ned"
Discussing appointments OF post
masters, the postmaster general says
that under instruction recently issued
a careful rating, based on inspectors
reports, is given each postoffice ana
that this rating carries weight in de-
terming the question Of reapp0int.
Imcnts. He Gays that fourthclass
ipostmasters will be retained during
satisfactory service, while in the
case Of presidential postmasters their
reappointmen. win be determined by
the ratings given them.
The work OF purifying the mails is
mot confined TO the suppression OF
frauds and lotteries, but includes as
well the exclusion therefrom the
Eobscene, indecent and scurrilous mat.
ter and th- punishment OF those found
Ito have deposited such mater for
transmission He adds that more
strict enforcement Of these statutes
recently nas brought about highly
gratifying results.
The work of the postofice in.
Ispectors is praised and the opinion
lis expresses that many Of them are
underpaid A similar view is ex.
lpressed with respect 20 postoffice
clerks and letter carriers, city and
rural.
Government control OF the pneu-
matte tube service and mail wagon
service is recommended, and in the
latter case an appropriation is asked
to purchase wagons on approved pat.
tern for carrying the mails. An in.
lcrease of 5.57 per cent In the amount
OF ordinary nail handled, as com.
Ipared with 1901, is noted in ne rail
way mail ser~.ce, which the post.
master general says shows normal
Igrowth with gratifying maintenance oil
deficiency. During the year twelve
lclerks were killed while on duty and
l125 seriously injured.
The present method OF determining
the rates OF pay to transportation
compauies for carrying the mails is
mot egarded 1y the postmaster gen.
iersi as satisfactory, and he Says that
while he is not at present prepared 70
recommend specific changes he be