The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-02
POSTOFF|CE RECEIPTS
SHOW BUSINESS GAIN
Increase of 6.3I Per Cent i'm the
Revenues Indicates a Healthy
Condition.
DECREASE IN MONEY ORDERS
A Washington Correspondent Says
Postal Statistics Clearly Set
Forth Country's Growth.

most accurate barometer we nave VI
the condition of business. If man
or firm is not doing anything they
do not use the mails, but when they
are busy they have to buy stamps and
a return is made of every one that IS
sold. Hence the sales of postage
stamps are an index of the condition
of business, and during the fiscal year
ending June so, 1909, the receipts from
that source were s1S4, 1867 ,S15,46. an in
crease of 81, 593, 104.44 over 1908. The
second-class postage paid in money
amounted to s7,236.05S.70, an increase
of $3.50, 551.95. Third and fourth class
postage paid in money was S3,229,-
741.35, an increase of $685., 1880, and
the revenue from box rents in the post
offices throughout the country was 3d.
946,259.71, an increase of S112,9o6.lo
over the previous year.
There was a falling off in various
other sources OF revenue, the most con-
spicuous being that from the money
order business. During the last hscal
year there was a decrease of $lSS,OOO
in the amount of domestic money or
ders issued and decrease of s12,31O,-
759 in the amount of foreign money
orders issued The revenue from this
source was S3,417, 625.3S for the year,
showing decrease of $3.50, 1906 from
1908.
The total revenues of the Postoffice
Department for the fiscal year 1909
were 5000, $50 ,3S3.07, being an increase
from the previous year of $12,OS3, 49,
sc, or 631 per cent-a very healthful
sign of the restoration of business
from the panic of 1907, which was felt
even into the first and second quarters
of the recent fiscal year.
The only way to explain the falling
off in the money orders is on the
theory that the foreign-born element
in the United States had not sufficient
~ recovered from the hard times OF
1907 and 1908 to afford sending any
part of their savings to the old folks
in the countries from which they
came.
During the last ten years $49S, $751;
915 has been sent abroad in money or
ders alone, Practically the entire
amount beinl the savings of the for
eign-born population in the United
States RENTED to their parents and
other relati.rrc, or for investment.
The growth of the country is indi
oil hn POL
statistics than by any other standard
of comparison, although there has been
a decided falling off in the total num-
Der of postoffices since the rural de-
livery was introduced. Highwater
mark was reached in 1901, when there
were 76,945 postoffices, but those of the
fourth class on the country roads and
at the four corners have gradually
been abolished and the mail of their
patrons has been delivered at the door
step of the farmers homes by carriers
The total number of postoffices in op
Grafton on the 30th of June last was
60.144, which was a falling off of 16,-
sol since 1901 and a decrease of LOLA
during the previous twelve months.
The number of first and second class
offices increased considerably, however,
and the amount of money devoted to
postmasters' salaries was S26,571 ,911,
a decided increase from the previous
year.
The revenue of the Postoffice Depart
ment is increasing rapidly. and
amounted to S203, 563,343 last year, an
increase of s12,OS3,719, but it does no.
yet equal or even keep pace with the
expenditures, which were 1921 1904, 102
crease of $12,662.216 from the previous
year. There seems to be no way of
pulling down the expenses, notwith
standing the efforts of the Postoffice
Department to economic and to rule
out of the mails cast quantitiessof Sec
old-class matter that was formerly car
ried free.
The deficit in the earnings last year
was larger than ever before in the
history of the government, and
amounted to $17,479,77O. Ten years
ago the deficit was $685. .6SS, while in
1902 it was only $2,961. 100. 1t is in.
creasing so rapidly every year that
there is very little hope that the Post
office Department will ever become
self-supporting, as it is in nearly every
other country.