San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-12
POSTAL DEPARTMENT FAILURE.


The curses continue TO grow louder
and deeper from all quarters concerning
the miserable inefficiency OF the postal
service OF the UGited States. These
complaints are by no means confined 10
republican states or to republican journ-
ais or 10 republican persons. 10 the
democratic states Of the south and south
west the complaints are longest, loudest,
deepest. The postmaster general comes
to the rescue OF this badly administered
service and denies tie allegations made
Oh the complaints and says:
Careful inquiry and close examination
Of the complaints made from time TO
time TO the department or through the
several divisions Of the railway mall
service falls TO disclose any trnsble
ground for The complaint quoted Ia the
resolution of congress. In no section OF
the country embraced 10 the system OF
the railway mail service has there been.
during the past three years, more prompt
and liberal response on the part Of the
department TO the needs Of the people.
Tho postmaster general unhesitstingly
asserts that the entire mall service. not
only in kansae, but throughout the en-.
tire Nest and the whole field OF its oper-
atiOns, 10 In better ana more efficient
condition than IL has ever been before.
Commenting upon the declaration OF
the head Of the postal department. the
New Orleans Times-Democrst, hitherto
a staunch administration paper, and al
ways a democratic journal VI the first
water says some pretty hard things. Its
arraignment bears not only upon the
postal department.. but incidentally As
Will upon the whole administration OF
the government 10 Its nlggsrdliness and
lack Of efficiency In maintaining the
service. Among other things the Times
Democrat says:
"rhe charge 10 not SO much that the
department 10 better or worse than IL was
before, but that IL is Insufficient and
unsstisfsctory.
We do NOT know the condition OF
postal affairs prevailing in the west,
although papers there. both democratic
and republican, are full OF complaints;
but Of the southwest, we do know that
the service is not what 1t ought to be,
and, without drawing comparisons with
contradiction, that the service is poor
and inefi lent. putting the people and
the press to Inconvenience. Indeed
only the other day the postoffice de-
psrtment, In reply to the complaint OF
the transportation committee Of this
CITY confessed the deficiencies that exist
ed here, and held out the encouragement
at some future day OF double daily
mail service on each OF the railroads
going out OF New Orleans.
The defects are due, not 10 the in
efficlencies OF the clerks but to the lack
Of funds and OF a sufficient service; but
that there are defects, no one who has
had aught TO do with the mails can fall
to see"
The defects are charged to fslse econ
omy in cutting down appropriations for
the service, and though the Times-Dem-
ocrat Is too good democratic journal to
insinuate or suggest cause for the re-
duction Of such estimates, the LIGHT un-
hesitatingly expresses the opinion that
they have been reduced to give color to
the democratic charge Of wasteful ser
vice against republican administration
and to pile up a surplus which will in
tensify the national desire for reduction
to the extent Of destroying the revenue
from imports by the adoption OF a free
trade policy. The democratic party
will find that tue Intelligent Journals OF
their own following will not consent to
this ruinous policy to bolster up a rotten
ad administration, aud the end will be the
overthrow Of the Cleveland dynasty.