The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-12-12
POSTAL DEFICIT
REDUCED WITHOUT
CUTTING SERVICE
Postmaster General Eliminat.
ed Waste and Increased
Efficiency.
Extension OF Usefulness Of
Department.
DISCUSSED IN HIS REPORT.
DISCUSSED IN HIS REPORT

Washington, Dec. 1S.-foStmaster
General Hitchcock submitted the fol-
lowing report today:
A year ago the fiscal records OF
the postal service disclosed a deficit
OF seventeen and a half million dol
lars. the largest In the history of
the country. In the space OF twelve
months a reduction OF eleven and a
half millions has been made In this
deficit, the excess OF expenditures
over receipts as reported for the year
ended June 30 last amounting to
only s5.sis.56e.ss.
II rs most gratifying TO report mat
this unprecedented reduction has
been made without any curtallment
OF postal facilities. On the contrary
the service has been largely extend.
ed.
EXTENSION Of Service.
There were established curing the
year over 1900 new postoiiices,
while the rural delivery system was
greatly extended by putting into OPP
GRAFTON SIS new routes. traversing
altogether 1925 miles.
There were appointed from the
eligible lists OF the civil service com
mission over i,SO0 pos,ofice clerks
to enlarge the working forces OF city
postonices and over 1000 additional
letter carriers. The railway mail
service was strengthened by the APP
pointment of about $50 employees.
all of whom were taken from the
civil service eligible liss. The aggre-
gate sa'arlsr Of The new clvll-servicel
employees appointed during the year
exceeded $4,000. 900.
Not only we're thesc numerous APP
pointees placed on the rolls. but the
department made liberal increases In
the compensation OF employees al
ready in the service. About s1.750.-
90 war expended In advancing the
sa'aries OF postoffice clerks. while
che compensation OF city letter car
ers was raised TO the extent Of
s1.22e. 600. Railway mail clerks
received Increases OF salary aggre-
eating nearly $3.50, 900.
All Increases In the compensation
OF possoihce employees we're based on
a recently adopted system OF efic-
lency ratings that has had a most
beneficial effect on the service.
second-Class Mail.
In the last annual report OF the
department special attention was d.
rected to the enormous loss the gov
eminent EhstaIns In the handling and
transportation OF second-class mail
Owing TO the rapid Increase In the
volume OF such mail the loss Is con-
stanty growing A remedy should
be promptly applied by charging
more postage. In leyylng the higher
rates Il IL believed that a distinction
should be made between advertising
matter and what Is termed legiti-
mate reading matter. Under present
conditions an increase in the postage
en- reading matter Is not recommend
ed. Such an Increase would place a
special burden on a large number Of
second-c.ass publications. including
educational and religious periodicals
that derive little or no profit from
advertising II Is the circulation OF
this type OF publications. which aid
so effectively In the educational and
moral Advancement OF the people,
that the government can hest AFFORD
10 encourage. For these publications.
and also for any other legitimate
reading matter in periodical form,
the department favors continuation
Ct the present low postage rate of
cent pound. and recommends that
the proposed increase in rate be APP
rlied only to. magazine advertising
matter. This pan would be In full
accord with the statute governing
second-class mail. law that never