People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1894 — BISSELL’S REPORT. [ARTICLE]

BISSELL’S REPORT.

SoKieitlom of the Postmaster General Regarding HU Department. Washington, Nov. 27.—Postmaster General Bissell’s annual report contains a number of novel, almost unique suggestions * and recommendations, but these are associated with practical ideas and plans that render them of more than ordinary value and tend to incite deeper study into their scope and worth. The policj' which Mr. Bissell has outlined may he briefly given In his own words. He says: “In general I would recommend that the first and most important thing to be done is to revise the law as to second-class mall matter so as to place the post office department Immediately upon a self-sustaining basis. “2. Avoid expensive experiments, like the postal telegraph, rural free delivery, etc. Develop the postal service on existing lines of administration, viz.: (a). Extend free delivery in .cities that now enjoy it; (b). accord it to towns already entitled to It under the law; (c). quicken railroad transportation. “4 Revise and reclassify organization of the railway mall service, and reclassify clerks In port offices, And •*. Provide for district supervision of postal affairs by appointment of expert postal officials from classified service, as recommended In my last annual report.” The most important topic In the report Is treated under the explanatory caption: ‘ Abuses connected with second-class matter,” >lr. Bissell states without reserve that advertisers, book publishers and others have taken advantage of the broad construction of what constitutes matter of the second class by sending out their advertisements and periodicals under the technical disguise of newspapers and periodicals, and have thus secured the benefit of the lower rate of postage: He has discovered that the abuse has grown so great that it now costs the government eight times as much to carry second class matter as the revenue derived from it. Mr. Bissell also states that the publications of fraternal, scientific, educational, trades, professional, literary and historical organizations, admitted to the privilege of second-class matter under the act of July 16, 1894, are almost wholly of a mere advertising character, and are, therefore, not of the class to which any exceptionql privilege should be given. It is in the concluding paragraphs on this topic of secondclass matter that Mr. Bissell makes a suggestion of much interest. Continuing, he says: “I do not advocate a change of rates now upon legitimate newspapers and periodical magazines. My purpose is to urge the withdrawal of low postage rates from the large class of pretended periodicals that are improperly enjoying them. "If it be the policy of the congress to continue the privilege of second-class rates to benevolent or fraternal societies, then the remedy I would suggest would be an amendment of the law limiting this rate to them and to legitimate newspapers and legitimate periodical magazines. ”i believe that one year's experience under such limitations, with the frauds and abuses checked, would demonstrate that we have al. ready reached the time and conditions when all such legitimate newspapers and periodical magazines may be transmitted through our malls from publishers into the hands of subscribers free of all cost." Regarding civil service reform in the post office department, Mr. Bissell contends that it should be extended wherever practical and suggests that the lower grade—the fourth class~-of postmasters might be Included within the benefits of the civil service law Upon the subject of the postal telegraph Mr. Bissell disagrees with his predecessor. Mr. Wanamaker, with referenco-to the desirability He thinks it wholly impracticable at this time, and contends that our existing postal service should be fully developed before adopting postal telegraphy, which would add enormously to the already large deficit of the post office department. , 1 Mr. Hissoll thinks the experimental free delivery should be discontinued or else extended to all villages and towns, but he cannot recommend tho latter, as it would cost too much, with little benefit to be obtained. He says that free delivery in rural districts is not Deeded or desired by the people.