The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-01-05
NORMOUS POSTAL DEFICIT
:. 900. 900 HOLE IN ONE OF UN-
Gle SANS POCKETS.
luraI Delivery and Second Glass Mail
the Cause. Long Haul of Maya
zines a Source of Great Loss.

zines a Source of Great Loss.
! WASHINGTON, D. C.-Confronted
i a deficit of STATISTIC, the
esent administration of the post
flee department began its opera
ons. This was the largest deficit
/ the history of the postal service.
i long as the deficit in the depart
ent aggregated only few millions
dollars annually little attention
as paid to it; but when, in the last
bars, it leaped to upward of $10,-
10000, and finally, in 1909, exceed
S17,O00,0OO ordinary business
udence suggested that the causes
definitely located.
These are statements in the annual
4port of Postmaster General Frank
Hitchcock concerning the results
inquiries into the deficit. The
bstmaster general says:
Recent Investigations have shown
lat the two great sources of loss
the postal revenues are second
ass mail matter and rural delivery.
''The loss on second-class mail mat
sr has been increasing for many
bars until it now amounts to $64,-
b0,O0O.
1.-The loss from rural delivery, a
bry begun hardly a dozen years
10 and of unprecedented growth,
eaches as high as $28,000,00O.
"The annual loss on third-class
hail is something over $4,000, 200.
The mail matter carried free under
CONGRESSIONAL franks costs the gov
srnment annually about half mill
{ on dollars. A greater loss about
Nyo and a quarter millions annually
results from the free handling of
sRcial mail for executive depart
Aents other than the postoffice de-
sartment. The annual cost of hand
ng the free official mail of the post
/ fice department is estimated at
bout 100000.
"The service now has about $685.
loo employees, and these employees
landed during the last fiscal year
learly fourteen billion pieces of mail
1.-The number Of postOffices in OPP
ration is 60,144. There are 26, 652
Domestic transportation routes, ag-
lregating 448,61S miles in length,
nth an annual travel of 542, 10 L.
l21 miles. A delivery service by car
her is provided on 40,62S rural
Eoutes and in LAO cities and towns.
ordinary postage stamps to the num-
Der of 8,712,007, were sold dur
sng the year, and domestic money
orders to the value of $491, 074, 844
we're issued The total receipts were
5000, 562, 383.07 an increase of 6.3 1
per cent. over the receipts of the
previous year. The total expendi-
lures amounted to $221,0O4,1O2.89,
An increase of 6.07 per cent.
Mr.. Hitchcock recommends a pos
lal note or check be adopted to less
IN the custom of sending coins, bills
md stamps through the mails.
He urges more liberal renumera-
ion for mail carrying steamers to
australia and South America, in or
Her that more American ships may
lind it possible to establish lines to
these countries.
He recommends the establishment
Df postal savings banks. Nearly
$50, 100000 was paid railways dur
Ing the last fiscal year for carrying
The mails, he states. In regard to
he rural free delivery service Mr..
Hitchcock says it has developed in
h2 years to be lone of the largest
branches of the postal establishment,
with an annual expenditure exceed
ing $35, 1000. The postage on
matter mailed on rural routes is es-
fimated at about $7,000,00O. The
of this service to a large
humber of people is fully appreci-
Ated. 1t brings the farms and viii
ages into closer communication with
commercial and education centers.
It encourages the improvement of
country roads. BY making rural life
more attractive it stimulates agri-
culture. No doubt it is partly re-
sponsible for the increase in farm
values"