Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-02-16
POSTOFF|CE
CUT CAUSES
BIG HOWL
OVerstreet Busy WipiRg Out
The Deficit.
JANlTORS AND CHARW0MEN
ARE FIRED IN DR0VES
CorteIyou Believes That CurtaiIment
of Extravaganza Will Make
Revenue lump.
The Morning Journal Bureau,l
1929 Pennsylvania Ave-, N. W..


1929 Pennsylvania Ave, N W.,I-
Washington, d. c., Feb. Is, 1906.
1t is the opinion of Chairman Over
street of the house committee on
postoffices and postroads, that a mod
crate reduction of the railway mail
and postal car pay and proper re-
classification of mail matter would
wine out the postal deficit and enable
the postofhce department to be self
sustaining. The necessity of over
hauling the law relating to mail clas-
sification is apparent. Great abuses
exist in the transportation of second
class matter and the extravaganza III
the use of the franking privilege ana
other government free" matter IS
notorious. Mr. Overstreet is consider
ing the advisability of restricting the
franklng privilege by permitting men,
hers of congress to send franked mat
ter only within the boundaries of their
own districts.
Postmaster General Cortelyou
speaks frankly of the extravaganza OF
sending government free matter
through the mails. He refers to the
weigh" of all mails in 1899, which
affords basis for calculating the per-
centage of free matter carried, and
adds
ut appears from this report that
government free matter exclusive or
equipment, constituted 1858 per cent
of the entire weight carried and ap-
plying this ratio to the revenue (lSh-
747,O2O.03) from matter mailed by the
public during 1904-which, according
to that report. is S7.42 per cent of the
entire weight carried-the frankins
and penalty envelope privileges arc
found to have occasioned, in round
numbers. an estimated loss in revenue
of $19,s22,0OO.'
1t Is not expected, of course, that
there will be an abolition of the
franking and penalty envelope priv
ileges, but reasonable curtallmeht
of the extravaganza now rampant
would unquestionably result in COM
narrative increase in revenue. MI
Cortelyou suggests that each govern
ment department should pay postage
upon mail matter according to ITS
class. thus making each department
responsible for the entire expense or
conducting its business, instead of
throwing the burden of free man
transportation upon the pQstofiice de-
partment.
Second-class matter approximate
in weight t'/,-thirds of all mail mat
ter. according to estimates, which are
accepted as correct by the postmaster
general 1t pays, however, only per
cent of the postage revenue Second
class matter pays / cent pound
while the estimated cost of transport
ing all mail matter, according to MI
Cortelyou. is from to cents
mound. This estimate, it must be con
ceded is almost guesswork, but posta
experts generally believe that it Is
near the truth. The actual revenue
from second-class matter last yenl
was $6,tS6,647, while the cost o
Transporting it, at the estimate of
cents a pound, was $33, ,155,S56.
Change VIII BE Tedious.
The postmaster general points on
that the elimination of matter from
the second class that does not belon'
there is a tedious process, but ina
progress is being made. The post
masters at New York and Chicag
have eliminated 100000 pounds an
nuaIly in books. which had been i'm
properly placed in the second class
Other matter to the amount of 49,
OOO, 900 pounds has been eliminate
from the second class. Legislation
however, is required to correct tn
great abuses that remian, and MI
Cortelyou recommends thoroug
review of the whole subject by con
gress.
Members of the house of represer
tatlves are receiving just now a beau
tiful object lesson in the nature. qua
tiles and latent dangers of the boon
erang. They threw the weapon at tn
mark economy-and it has returne
to smite them.
II all comes of the efforts of tn
house committee on appropriations
keen the expenditures of the govern
ment down to the lowest possib
level When Secretary Shaw's eme
geney appropriation bill was befo'
the committee, that collection of col
structlve statesmen Topped off claus
giving $50, 900 for the payment of sa
aries of the forces of custodians
nublic buildings throughout the coul
try. Secretary Shaw promptly ISSUE
orders TO the custodlans to dismiss M
reduce their employees, according
fixed schedule. until the need'
saving had been effected.
Tho Howl.
Then came the howl From the
cities congressman were advised tn
faithful henthmen. welded to tht
politlcal interests were being reduc
IN salary or else-which was mu
worse were being peremptorily d
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