The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-12
POSTAL DEF |C|T
BEING WIPED 0UT 7
Hitchcock Hopeful That Penny
Letter Postage May Soon
Be Justified.

Washington, D, G., April ll--Basine
his conclusions on the auditors returns
IF postal receipts and expenditures ioi
the first half OF the current fiscal year
md on preliminary returns for the third
quarter OF the year. which closed
March 81, Postmastcr-G General Hitch
cock predicted to-day that the first
year OF the present administration
would show Il decrease of over 10000
GOO in the deficit of Sl1,4s0,000 handed
down from the preceding year The
detcit for the first halt OF the current
year was s4,012,0o0, as against Si0,-
$4,000 for the iirst halt OF last year
a reduction of over $6,000,Q00 in SIN
months.
The recent publications of the aud
itor's returns for the quarter ended
December 81 disclosed the fact that the
service had been conducted during that
period at an actual profit of $2,l40,0U0,
the largest surplus recorded, 1t is
of the department.. Postmaster Gem
ctal Hitchcock expressed the belief
that the anal hSuies for tile quarter
ended March 81 also would SHOW a
surplus OF close 10 S2,oo0.OU0.
The iinal quarter OF the year-that
ending June 80 next, in which certain
heavy expenses OF the service VIII
falls likely, Mr.. Hitchcock said, to-
now running, he expected that deficit
to be exceptionally small the POST
masterGene SAID he would not be
surprised IL the excess of expenditures
over receipts for the entire year fell
as low as s5,00090Q, which would mean,
lie said. the wipng out Of over Sl2.-
100000 Of deficit in the period for the
twelve months.
The oficers of the department attri-
butte the extraordinary reduction
shown in the rate OF expenditure TO
certain radical reforms that were in
troduced at the opening of the year
.l,,,lu r,f l,a,, "A I,,,.r In To
business.
During the first months OF the adj
ministratlon the Postmaster-Ge
assembled at Washington the most eN-
perienced officers in the registry SER
vice, the money order service, and In
general post Office management. Each
set of officers remained in conference
for several weeks, and before adjourn
ing submitted definite recommendations
for the betterment of their respective
services. The recommendations were
Immediately put into effect. Mr.. Hitch
cock also said further;
The work of reorganization is still
In progress, and the Postmaster Gen
oral believes that with certain changes
he has recommended to Congress in
some of the postal laws that now
hamper the department, II VIII be pos
stble in another year 10 place the pos
tai service on a self-Sustaining basis,
Notwithstanding the tremendous losses
resulting from the low rate of
postage on second class matter Dur
ins- the first half of the present fiscal
year for which the auditor's returns
are now available. second-ciass matter
constituted In weight fully two thirds
OF all mail handled. but the receipts
from 1t amounted to about si000.000.
or less than 4 per cent. OF the total
receipts for the half year
In view of the large reduction al
ready made in the rate of postal OK
penditures. | am now nrmly of tho
opinion that n proper postage charge
not only the postal deficit, but would
cause sufficient surplus of receipts
u warrant 1cent letter postage"