Show A ACCOUNTS FOR POSTAL DEFICIT Free Matter Handled Represents Repre-sents a Loss of Twenty Millions in Revenue Postmaster General Is Less Concerned About Deficit Than the Efficiency of the Postal Deficit De-ficit for the Year Is Nearly Near-ly Fifteen Million Washington Postmaster General Cortelyou in his annual report for the past fiscal year says that while a selfsustaining condition of the post olllco department would bo gratifying he is less concerned about the deficit than the efficiency of administration For the fiscal year 1905 the total receipts re-ceipts from all sources wero 162 82CCS5 and the total expenditures 167399169 leaving a deficit of 14 572584 In connection with these figures fig-ures the postmaster general directs attention to tho Increased amount of free matter handled which ho says averaged 1258 per cent of the entire weight carried or a loss In revenue of 19822000 Manifestly he says had the matter mat-ter carried free been required to havo been prepaid notwithstanding the largo expenditures for the rural free delivery service there would have been no deficit Answering some of the criticisms which he says havo been directed against the postal service he says that most of it overlooks the unusual conditions con-ditions existing in this country Its great extent of territory and its widely wide-ly scattered population Governmental control of tho pneumatic pneu-matic tubo service and tho mall wagon service Is recommended An appropriation of 10000 for sending send-ing three experienced postal officials abroad to study foreign postal systems is asked |