Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-11


than postage rates. An effective domestic
parcel post should be organized on the
same lines, substantially. as the express
companies conduct their service in this
country and as parcel-post service Is con-
Quoted In other countries. 1t would be
necessary to adopt rates of postage that
would meet the rates charged by express
companies.
II is not deemed wise, at least at this
time, to ask authority of congress for the
establishment Of a separate parcel post in
the domestic service, but an earnest rec
ommendation Is made that third and
fourth class mail matter be merged at the
rate OF 1 cent for two ounces. This could
be done without the necessity of rear
ranging the service. All merchandise
parcels not exceeding four pounds in
weight would continue 10 be carried in
ordinary pouches and sacks at one-halt
the rate now charged, and afford a great
opportunity for distributing light pack
ages to a multitude of places not reached
by express companies and at a charge
sufficient to reimburse the government
for actual cost Of carriage.
According to estimates heretofore made
and published. matter, OF the second class
approximates in weight two-thirds of the
bulk of all mail matter. yet produces only
about per cent of the postage revenue.
all mail matter is estimated to be be-
tween and cents q pound. A portion
Of second-class matter mailed by pub
fishers and news agents is carried free
Of all postage, and from the remainder
the revenue is ] cent a pound upon the
bulk weight paid in money. regardless
cept that copies addressed for carrier de-
ySTy in the he city Of duplication are re-
Ted at the PrSs Of copS 6S
newspapers regardless OF weight. i cent
a copy on periodicals not in excess OF
two ounces in weight, and 2 cents a copy
II over two ounces Publishers usually
employ private carriers for delivery in
the city Of publication. The revenue de-
estimated to be but twenty-four one
hundredths OF ! per cent of the postage
revenue, and is not taken into account In
these calculations.
where Deficit Comes In.
During the last fiscal year the total
weight carried at l cent a pound and free
was 6b3l0ll2S pounds, II it cost the gov
eminent as much as cents pound to
seen That the amount paid out was 1913 l55,-
S56.4 40 The actual revenue was So lS6,6iL54
The statute in relation to this class OF
matter is inherently wrong. In many par
uculars it is vague and uncertain. Its
proper administration depends too much
upon ideal distinction.
There can be no doubt that the interests
of all concerned will be the best subserVed
when the rate of postage upon any news
PAL er, periodical or piece of printed mat
ter can be determined and charged by the
postmaster at the office where the matter
Is to enter the mails without recourse to
perpleXing questions as those heretofore
enumerated
| recommend thorough review Of this
whole subject by the congress, and the
enactment of a statute to take the place
of those existing which will render uuneces-
sary, in determining the class to which
any mail matter belongs, the consideration
OF such questions as those upon which
second-class matter now depends.
The delivery of mail by carriers in the
rural districts of the United States was
begun October l. 1896, with the establish
ment of one route from Uvilia, one from
Halltown. and three from Charlestown, w.
Va. During that fiscal year eighty-three
routes were installed in twenty-nine states:
At first some of the carriers were paid
year the salaries of the carriers ranged
from $175 to $500 per annum.
In the act of making appropria tons for
appropriations for rural free delivery serv-
ice were segregated for the first time. Pro-
the various employees and the word 'ex'
perimental' was dropped Up to October
2, 1905, the cases covering regular petitions
and including cases in which petitions weps
waived numbered 50,39S, or which 80 iS6 have
been favorably acted on and Il, 257 filed with
adverse ac1ion, leaving 1855 cases pending.
Routes which have been discontinued are
included in the number of adverse cases.
Rural Service REORGANIZATION.
There is already a decided Improvement
In this service over the old conditions whom
it was weighted down with abuses but the
work of reorganization and inspection must
be still further prosecuted. ! am confident
that future legitimate extensions can be &C
complished at a lower rate of expense. The
policy for the future contemplates
The discontinuance without delay of any
route where It is found on inspection that
because of a lack of appreciation of the
service the expenditure inyolved1is unwar-
ranted.
The discontinuance of all postofhces, when
not inconsistent with existing law, II the
patrons can be Adequately served by rural
free delivery. This will result in many in
stances in saving to the department the
amount of the cancellations.
The substitution of every-other-day serv-
ice for daily service where the patronage Is
not sufficient 20 warrant daily service,
thereby disseminating the employment of a
carrier.
The restriction of service on routes to not
more than one delivery and collection daily
The requirement that conditions precedent
to the establishment of rural delivery shall
be a possible patronage of 100 families on a
standard route of twenty-four miles, or
proportionate number of families on routes
OF less length: and that roads shall be kept
in good condition, unobstructed by gates,
with ali streams fordable at all seasons OF
the year; provided that in completing the
service in county the average patronage
per route shall be not less than ninety
families.
stalled the postmaster shall certify that not
fewer than three-fourths of the possible
patrons have provided for approved rural
mail boxes.
The requirement that all patrons not
using an approved box, OF box which can
provide themselves with an approved box,
whether the box now in use by them was
erected prior to october 1, 1902, or not.
Statement showing, by years, the number
of rural free delivery routes in operation
and the total amounts appropriated and eX-
pended therefor:
Routes