Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-03
Increase of OBI Per Cent IN n
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 have OF
the condition of business. If a man
or a firm is not doing anything they
do not use the mails, but when they
are busy they have to buy stamps ana
a return is made of every one thar ls
sold. Hence the sales OF postage
stamps are an index of the condition
of business, and during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1909, the receipts from
that source were 1854, 967,S15,46, an In
crease of S11, 593, 104.44 over 1908. Ihe
second-class postage paid in money
amounted to $7,236,05S.70, an increase
of $2S5,551.95. Third and fourth class
postage paid in money was $3,229,
TAI. 35, an increase of 1895, 1890, n
the evenue from box rents in the post,
offices throughout the country was 3D.
946,259.71, an increase of $1l2,9oo.lo
over the previous year.
There was a falling off in various
other sources of revenue, the most con
s%picuous being that from the money
order business. During the last fiscal
year there was a decrease OF SlSS,oou
in the amount of domestic money or
ders issued and a decrease OF Sl2,3lO,
759 in the amount of foreign money
orders issued. The revenue from this
source was S3,417, 625.3S for the yeaf,
showing a decrease of S260,13O.O6 from
1908.
The total revenues of the Postoffice
Department for the fiscal year 1907
were S203, 62,3S3.J7 being an increase
from the previous year of S12,OS3,ll9.
&c, or 6.31 per cent-a very healthtul
sigp Of the restoration OF business
from the panic of 1907, which was 1eit
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
Iy 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 S49S,SS3,-
915 has been sent abroad in money or
ders alone, practically the entire
amount being the savings of the for.
eign-born population in the United
States RENTED to their parents and
other relatives, or for investment.
The growth of the country is indi
Gated more accurately by the postal
statistics than by any other standard
of comparison, although there has been
a decided falling off in the total mum,
Der of postofices since the rural de
livery was introduced. Highwater
mark was reached in 1901, when there
were 76, postoffices, but those of the
fourth class on the country roads and
at the foul corners have gradually
been abolished and the mail OF thelr
patrons has been delivered at the door
step of the farmers homes by carriers
The total number of postofices in op
Grafton on the 30th Of June last was
6O,144, which was a falling off of IT,,
SOL since 1901 and a decrease OF l,0l4
during the previous twelve months
The number of first and second class
offices increased considerably, however
and the amount of money devoted tc
| postmasters' salaries was S26,511,9ll
a decided increase from the previous
year.
The revenue Of the Postofice Depart
ment is increasing rapidly, and
amounted to s2O3, 563,343 last year, an
increase of s12,oS3,719, but it does no.
vet equal or even keep pace with the
expenditures, which were $221,004,1 02
during the fiscal year 1909-an in.
crease of $12, 6 6 ,216 from the previous
year. There seems to be no way of
| pulling down the expenses, notwith.
| standing the efforts Of the Postofice
| Department to economic and to rule
out of the mails cast quantities of 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 s17,479,7 ITO. Ten years
ago the deficit was s~5,sS5,6SS. while in
1902 it was only S2,961,169. 1t is in.
creasing so rapidly every e that
there is very little hope that the Post
office Department will ever become
self-supporting, as it is in nearly every
other country.