Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-21
Assistant Postmaster General
Makes Important Recon-
mendations in Report
SIZE OF THE DEFICIT REDUCED
Reduction in Excess Of Expenditures Of
Department Amounts to More Than
$4,000, ooo-stamps Sold During Year
Number ,ooo,ooo-Dead Letters
Help Revenues.
Help Revenues.

Washington, Dec. 21.-A reduction OF
more than $4,O00.0O0, or 27.S3 per cent,
in the excess of expenditures over re-
ceipts of the postoffice department is
shown in the annual report of Edwin C..
Madden, third assistant postmaster
general. The postal revenue total for
the fiscal year of 1906 shows an in
crease of more than $15,OOO,0O0 over
that of 1905, the greatest increase in
one year in the history of the postal
service. The total receipts from all
sources was $167,932.7s2, and the total
expenditures $17S.44s,77s. The gross
deficit, including losses by burglary
and fire, and thru uncollected debts,
amounted to s1o.542,s41.
During the year $24,0S5 was realized
by the department from dead letters
for which no owners could be found
and from the sale of unclaimed articles
accumulated in the dead letter divis-
ion.
An enormous increase in the demand
for stamp supplies-nearly SO0,OOO,OOO
stamps, amounting to a gain of more
than 10 per cent over the previous
is striking indication of the wonder
full growth of the postal business due
TO the country's great prosperity. Dur.
Ing the year, 14,840,910 stamp books
We're issued, on which the government
realized net profit Of $103,233.
Considerable space is devoted in the
report to the consideration Of second
class mail matter. The aggregates
amount Of second class matter mailed
at the pound rate and free of postage
during the year was 70S,178,4 23 pounds,
an increase OF more than 45,0OO,00O
pounds over the previous year.
After discussing the work of the con-
gressional committee appointed to con-
slider the work Of handling second class
mail matter Mr.. Madden says it was
proposed to meet the situation by the
establishment of rate of cents a
pound on second class matter and re-
move all present restrictions. He urges
that what Is needed is an "up to date,
lava law that can be enforc-
ed, law that the terms. and limita
of which will be plain to publishers, to
postlnasters and to the department"
These recommendations are made by
Mr.. Madden:
That the rate of postage on letters,
not exceeding l ounce, deposited in any
postoffice for local delivery by it's car
riers or otherwise, shall be uniform at
1 cent each, but If the letter be for
warded to another postoffice the
be cents
That the seven different rates OF
postage for the second end the one for
the third class be abandoned and in
their place there be adopted a uniform
rate for all printed matter of quarter
of cent AN ounce or cent for each
four ounces or fraction thereof to one
address, which is cents on an even
pound, and that there be provision for
the payment of postage on newspapers
and periodicals in money as at present
and another for the expeditions hand
ling in the mails. That existing law be
so as to permit, under suitable
the use of ordinary post
age stamps as we'll as special delivery
the latter not always being at
hand or easily obtainable, for the pur-
pose of securing special delivery on
any letter or package.