Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-12-13
WANAMAKER'S REPORT.
THE HEAD OF THE POsTOFFICE DE.
PAYMENT.

PARTMENT.
He Notes the Growth of the Service in e
Hundred Years - Business Princinles
Should BE Everywhere Employed to In.
crease Efficiency and Lessen Expense.
The Postmaster Generals renort h..
been given out for publication. It opens
as follows:
To THE PRESIDENTS: The first Post
master General submitted his report ia
President Washington 100 years ago. Its
exact date was Dec. 0, 1889. 1 mentios
this as of interest in this centennial age.
have the honor to state that to the Post
master General OF the United States Is
committed the management of the largest
business concern in the world, consisting
OF central establishment, with almost
$1,000 branches and employing over l5O.-
900 people. It's agents embrace one-hals
Of the civil list 1t maintains COM
munication between the near and
the remote places of tbs
country with frequency, celebrity and
security. The number and value of lts
messages are such that the imagination
can scarcely form a conception of them.
The capital in use in carrying OH this vast
business was last year 81 to each mas.
"OAAAA AAU SA4tlu Lu0 OnlLOu STATES.
nevertheless, the postal service is not d
money making enterprise. It is not 10.
tended to be. It's mistake to expect il
to be self-sustaining until it is fully per-
fected. The postofflce is the visible for,r
OF the federal government to every COM
munlty and to every citizen. Its hand IL
the only ono that touches the local life,
the social interests and business concerns
of every neighborhood. 1t brings tbs
government to every door in the land
and makes it the ready and faithful
servitor of every interest of
commerce and society. The
poop Q, from whom alone this ALL
pervading agency springs into action, aud
by whose encouragement alone it can sup
ply their jealous needs, simply want tho
system administered with such efficiency
and economy that it shall offer them more
and more accommodations and tax them
less and less. The only method can sug-
gest by which all their desires may be
gratified is not merely to talk about the
application of business principles to the
department. 1t is really to apply them.
1t is not to work in poor quarters, it is
not to transport mails afoot when they
should go in railroad trains; it is not to
tolerate disloyal or listless employees If
better ones can be had; it is not finally
to keep unwillingly abreast of the tlmea;
it is always to lead the times.
Ancient regulations and time-honored
customs require the Postmaster General to
make numberiess signatures each day tS
vouchers, journals and papers that could
as we'll fall into other hands. He must
receive delegations of the people who have
claims of all sorts to present, must maks
appointments to office and removals, must
establish offices and hear suggestions.
The Senators and members of the HOUSE
must represent their constituents at the
Postoffice department and have the Post
master Generals best attention consider
ing the 1900 presidential cases. Com
plants of irregularity at the various post
offices and demands for enlarged services
come to the ear of the Postmaster General
The various department heads must refer
many subjects and be in frequent consul
tation OH the daily work of the Office
There is but little time to originate plans.
to study the means of developing the sys--
tenn, or to improve the service. The POST
master General is continually in the deep
drudgery OF each days recurring duties,
and with but little opportunity to attend
to anything beyond the routine work"
Mr.. ,anamaker says his chief recon-
mendation is the creation of the office oe
fourth assistant post,naster-general He
says what is needed first is fourth assist
ant postmaster general to be in direct
charge of the great divisions of the railway
mail, the foreign mail. the money order
office, the registry and supplies divisions
and the dead letter office. Congress
should create this new place and the best
educated postal man in the service at the
Postoffice Department., or in any of ths
$4,000 postofEces should be found and made
general manager.
Mr.. Wanamaker wants a now depart
ment building and a new building for
the telegraph question at length, and SAYS:
II respectfully ask that such legislation
be enacted as is necessary to empower the
postmaster general to enter into contract
with responsible parties for term not ex.
ceeding five years on conditions favorabls
to the government for the purpose OF es-
tablishing limited post and telegraph
SERVICE"
The report favors pensions or retire
ment allowances for old employees OF tl,s
department. On the question Of Sunday
mails it says: "This subject shall continue
to receive my thoughtful considerations,
and snail make use of all proper meant
tending toward the minimizing Of post
office work upon Sunday, because J. be-
lieve that the government should, as far
as possible. make no requirements whica
will prohibit its employees from enjoyinga
day Of rests
One cent postage, the report says is an
easy possibility of the near future and
must come as a matter of course.
The Postmaster General states that chs
increase in the number of postotfices since
1880 is II, 500, and that during the sanfe
period the length CT the routes has in-
creased y, 159 miles, the gross revenus
$22, 81, 81 and that the number Of stamps
issued for the Inst year was 1,OS5.a So
The total expenditure to foreign steam
ships during the last fiscal year was $685.
5s2.57, the amount paid to American
steamships 800, s24.lA. The aggregate
amount of the money orders issued in tbs
United States for payment in Europe large
" exceed the aggregate amount of money
orders issued in those countries for pay.
ment here The amount issued for pay
ment in the United Kingdom was IS, zi1s.,
15Y, and the amount issued there for
payment here was only $S50,065. Il
letters and arguments ana articles in Tbs,
newspapers presented at the departments
are evidence of interest there is a growing
sentiment in favor of the government
Offering through the postofiice depository
for savings. Tho deficiency in the revenue
for the fiscal year is $6, $50, 1873; gross