The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-12

DEFICIT IS VERY SMALL

! WASHINGTON, u. g.. December
1.-THE annual report of the Post
master General was submitted to con-
sress to-day. 1t is in part as fol-
lows:
y year ago tine nscal records Of the
postal service disclosed deficit ri
seventeen ana IL natf million aoiiars,
tue largest In the history oil the coun-
Try. III the space et twelve months q
+ reduction OF eieSen and a halt nut
ions mas been Inaae IN this deneit. the
excess OF expenditures over receipts
as reported tor the year endea June
81 last amounting to only so.s4s,-
a66.sS
IT is most gratifying TO report that
thls unpret euontcu REDUCTION mas been
inade without any curtaiiment OF
postal faettitIts. ON the contrary, the
service has been largely extenaed. At
tefnpts III previous years to reuuce a
aehclt by restricting the development
OF the postal service have invariably
tailed. The policy of the present ad-
flinistrat1nn has been 10 Wipe out
losses nN increasing the postal business
along profitable INES. and while thus
charging the DEPARTMENT. income to
reduce as far as possible the rate of
processes, by simplifying and render
lng more effective Inc methods of
handling postal business, and by rails
Ing To the highest possible standard
the efficiency OF ofneers and en-
ployes.
Every practicable measure has been
taken during the Year to accelerate
IN" movement OF the mails. The more
quickly mail matter can be handled
the less expensive is the process,
Extension of Service
me departments present policy. as
already indicated. is 10 extend the SER
/ wee as rapidly as liz warranted by in
efeaslnS population. and t. accom-
push It's sas tnss, not by the curtaii
ment OF postal facilities, but by nand-
! ing In a more systematic ana nusi-
ness-iike manner the constantly eN-
paHd.ng Xoiume tf the rnaits IN fur
therahee OF this policy there were IS
faoAsned during the year ostr Loo
new pestotnees. WINE the rural de-
/ iAery system was erea.iy tXtenaesf
ty putting into operatjon aIa new
] routes. traserslng altogether 2-95
miles.
second Class Mail
III Tue last amman l.pOrI Of the de
hartment special attention vas u3rect !.
ed to the enormous loss the govern
theht sustalns IN the handling and
{ transportation Of serond-elasS mail
owing Ia the rapid increase in the
volume ct such mai tue loss IL cuu-
IantiN growing. 4 remedy SHOULD to.
promptly appued by charging more
postage. In leVsing the higher rates
Ii Is believed tnat "a distinction should
he maze between advertising matter
ana what Is termed legitimate read
iEg matter. Under present cpnaltttl54
an increase in the postage on readln :
+ matter Is not recommended. SuCn
an increase would place "A special bur
den on "a large number al second
class publications. including edura-
ti9nal aud religious periodicals. that
derive little or no prent from adver~
tisinK 1t Is the circulation of this
type OF publications, which aid so
eittttlNtfS IN the educational anti
moral advancement of the people that
the government can best afford 10 cn-
courage, For these publications, ana
also Tor any other legitimate reading
matter In periodical form. the depart
Hent favor5 continuation oT the
present low postage rate Of | cent a
i pound, and recommends that the pro-
posed increase in rate he applied only
To magazine advertising matter This
] plan would be in iuii accord with the
statute governing seeand-class mail Il
law that never justified the inclusion
under the second-ciass rates of the
vast amounts of advertising now frans-
ported hN the government at Il tre~
mendous loss.
IN view oI the vanishing postal def
~ ~ ~ 'slieVeo mat "a the magazines
11.iu "s itauFtu 70 pay what tt costs
,"e government 10 carry their adVer-
Using pages the departments rcve-
toes "ouio soon grow large enough to
val aA' cent postage on hrst class
mai
new spapefs are not included in the
| p'An ioi Hisher rate on advertising
.,,a..nr netause' being chlehs or local
uist,iputioh' they 90 not employ the
,'a'is W eiiaS sucH extent as the wide
- 'ii"uia.ths iiaEaHlhes'
nurh wan service.
~ ehe heaNS loss resulting
. ON .ne ~" postage rate on second-
lass iiiaii' 'ie prihelpai ihfoad into
Pi1A.s ~ the poNtai service II
.'i". A'uue ~ .he excessive cost or
suIai ueiNtrs. me large expenditures
~ .uiai man service are lar more
!aa.,.'" pt'', Ho"eNei' IMAM are the
~" ''ta'iei a.nieh,S required TO
-. ~ ioas,S nv ,eu On account OF
9,,c,'' ass mail NNAliiohs Or dollars
u,n . seq saeh year tor the latter
p n' poso "ie pau on, Giiery LOT the
osiieii ,,, =. 'onipaialV9iy small class
=. pup ,,a i" me the appropriations
anhua,y srahted 10 MAINTAIN ana ex-
u .n1 J., ~. ~, p.'.T.s system are eN-