Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-12
FIVE HUNDRED
NEW RURAL
ROUTES
AND FIFTEEN HUNDRED
ADDITIONAL P0ST0FFICES
Record for Year Under Hitch
cock Administration; Postal
Deficit Being Gradually
Wiped Out,

IBy Morning journal Special Leased wirel
Washington, Dec. lin the space
of twelve months reduction had
been made in the deficit of the post
office department of 11,500,000, ac-
cording to the annual report Of Post
master General Frank II. Hitchcock
made public today.
While year ago the fiscal records
of the postal service disclosed a de-
ficit of S17. 100000, the largest in the
history of the country, the excess OF
expenditures over receipts for the
year ended June both last, amounted
TO only $5,S4S,566 In commenting
upon this reduction Postmaster Gen
eral Hitchcock says in his report:
'It is most gratifying 20 report that
this unprecedented reduction has
been made without any curtailment
of postal facilities on the contrary
the service has been largly extended.
"The policy of the present admin
istration has been to wipe out losses
by increasing the postal business
along profitable lines, and while thus
enlarging the departments income to
reduce as far as possible the rate OF
expenditure by cutting out wasteful
processes, by simplifying and render
ing more effective the methods OF
handling postal business. and by rails
ing to the highest possible standard
the efficiency of officers and en-
ployes.
"The more quickly mail matter can
be handled the less expensive Is the
process The department, accord
ingly has devoted itself with great
earnestness to the work of increasing
81. IA. 80 hn
considering this the surest method of
making the postal establishment self
supporting
The departments policy Is to ex-
tend the service as rapidly as Is war
ranted by increasing population. In
furtherance Of this policy, 1900 new
postoffices were established during
the last year and 5t5 new rural de-
livery routes traversing altogether
I12,235 miles, were instituted. Nearly
5000 new employees of various classes
were placed upon the rolls Of the de-
partment. whose aggregate salaries
were more than S2,000,0 goo annually.
In addition to this sum, $l,16O,0 600
was added to the salaries Of post
office clerks, $1,226,000 to the salar-
les Of letter carriers, and $2bO,O00 to
the salaries Of railway mall clerks.
upon efficiency ratings
In the discussion of second-class
mail. Postmaster General Hitchcock
points out the constant growth Of
this class Of matter It Is carried at
loss, and he urges that remedy
should be promptly applied by charg-
ing more postage
I'm leyying the higher rate" the
report suggests, "it Is believed that
distinction should be made between
matter and what Is
termed legitimate reading matter.
"Under present conditions an in
crease in the postage on reading mat
ter is not recommended. such an
increase would place special bur
den on a large number OF second
class publications, including cduca-
tional and religious periodicals, that
derive little or no profit from adver-
tising. Il Is the circulation of this
type of publications. which aid so ef-
feetivoly in the educational and moral
Of the people, that the
can best afford to en-
For these publications, and
also for any other legitimate reading
matter in periodical form, the depart
ment favors q constitution of the
present low postage rate OF one cent
4 pound, and recommends that the
proposed increase I'm rate be applied
only to magazine advertising matter
''ln view of the vanishing postal
leficit it Is believed that If the mag
izines could be required to pay what |
t costs the government to carry their |
advertising pages the departments |
'evenues would soon grow large |
,nough to warrant one-cent postage
IN first-class mail.
Newspapers are not included IN |
he plan for high rate on advertise
ng matter because. being chiefly or
ocal distribution. they do not en-
10y the malls 70 any such extent as
he widely circulating magazines
While the loss resulting from the
ow postage rate on seeond-class mall
: the greatest i'm the postal service,
he loss on rural delivery service is
cry considerable The appropria-
ions annually granted to maintain
he rural delivery system, however
s pointed out in the report, are eN-
ended in the interest of a vast popu-
alton. Mr. Hitchcock urges the Wis
ON of further extension of this sys-
am even at q considerable loss to the
overnment. He points out, also, the
usiness wisdom of the consolidation
uring the last year of the star
QUITE and rural delivery system, the
having been the means
4 effecting a large saving and of in
reasing the efficiency of the service.
Mr.. Hitchcock reviews the work
lready accomplished. looking to the
sta blishment of postal savings banks.
trial of the new system VIII be
iade. beginning January !, 1911. at 4
ne postoffice in each state and terri !
,ry Of the Union. The amount ap-
ropriated by congress for this trial !
as 500, 900. An of the offices Z
elected for the trial are Of the sec 5
nd class. wage earners being par :
cuIarly benefited. II is expected I
lat the new postal savings system /
IN be extended to many other Of {
ces before the end of the current
seal year.
4 renewal Of the previous recon-
endation for a limited parcel post 3
rvice on rural routes is made. MT. q
itchcock expresses the hope that {
,ngress win authorize the delivery g
a rural routes Of parcels Weighing @