Telegram-herald., 1889-12-01
OUR POST-OFFICES.
Mr. Wanamaker Reports on Their
Needs
A POSTAL IELECRlPH FAVORED
la Advantage 80 ths sersios tsSses-
tlo4lea- EEs AppllC4tioe II n1si1ess
frluSiplcs 40 ths Depart
S1eats " ark kEsS0.

THE POS osTNAsIRE-0ENEkALs Kkfoha.
WAsRlAouoN. Nov SQ.- Postmaster
General M4namaAer les s-anl fle4 Als
first report O. President Harrison
Amoug other pressions are these.
'.Ihe post-ealae is tne ylsls.e ioEzl a tae
Fcalral Government fo ssrrs community llo t3
etes cillIen- Tle people went the system "a.
rl .lLS.eIea WIN ss1cA e-ncieECy al4 oc.sa.'AAs
tlat q Ala erer naol alorS ans laore sttsin
l.olatlols aL1 tex lgm gss aa1 loss 1he
Vly Letho1 oal saEEest - aAlcl AZ .Ae4f
ctsirts a.aJ be sr4utc1 r. r.ei merely q t-lA
alo-t tAs application af principles 10 Tie ae
p2r.uest b IS rcAliy 10 ap9ls taona- "a is los
= era Ia lo-r .-artars t ls nei to L@lsli-ls
mails @iaoi w1eI t-sy s1q4ia - tn railroad
trains it ls not - tolerate clslcyAl c. l.stiess
employees Il better opes can be hat. So ls uot.
nnGlly te keep uuuittlng,y abreast 81 the
tiInes II il aiwass ~ leso ne nmes-
'Nhet is nsecso arst - Fourth Assistant
PostIu astoG Genera 30 be a. Glroei charge ~
he great divisions 81 tl4s railway mai tie
foreign mail The mo1fy -ordcT once.
tie registry and supplies division, ana
!ift out o. The once o. the FIRST A.
sistAht Postmaster General AZ clles ca
oopt those q Studying men fof appoint
ment establishing 0noes. changing fies. a.
aiming reports o. Inspectors anc az care
q The bond division. Create = lev Place aud
fad the best educated postal man ID thr
service a. he Posf-0rncc Dep4ri uent or
IL auy - the 5goDo post onces. and
make lim TIE general mana ger No great
business establishment can succeed that
changes It's princp oucer once lA liccr
months There ouGat 90 be- one peftec-y cdu-
Gated postal man charged wlth the general
MANAGEMENT whose controlling ui-na -ld hrn
grasp sAolld remain while ctAeis come ano &C.
Tho post-arloes Throughout flc country and
tie department without mean .ns a. are in A.
uuf1cncly attitude because The posinastvf> are
generally wanting something which the depart
ment does rot seem ready or able 10 gram
There Is but nttle 90 encourage hardly any
thing 70 stimulate. q postmaster 20 DO M best
work A new hfe aad spirit must oe infused
By dividing tho country into postal districts
and placing supers lsOr over each believe u
car be done"
The report next reviews the contro-
yersy with tho Western Union Company
relative 20 rate on Government business,
and the Posumaster-General expresses
disappointment that the discussion olo
not lead 20 a postal-telegraph scheme.
The statistics OF the English Govern
ment system, he says. show that 80 per
cent Of the messages are family and
social, and not from business sources.
The report continues:
The great proprlety and advantage Of
united service can Eot be questioned from q
point OF convenience and economy 10 the
people There is 20 reason whatever
why the night messages Of the tele-
graph companies should not be delivered
as postal matter ty the first morning
delivery OF the carriers. This is proper post
once business and would add 10 the profits of
the department. A contract should be made
that may be hereafter built, under advertise
ment and public bid al the most favorable
rate that car be obtained in the same man
ner the PostOIce Department nOv
contracts with railroad companies for the car
rying OF letters and postal cards. connecting
the wires with free delivery and other desig
mated post ofnces and receiving messages 20 be
delivered in each instance al the next carrier
delivery after their receipt IL The city 10 which
they sent.
Il respectfully ask that such legislation be
enacted as is necessary 10 empower the Post
masterCSeneral 70 enter into contract with re-
sponsible parties for term not exceeding i've
years. on conditions favorable 20 the Govern
ment, for the purpose OF establishing limited
post and telegraph service"
Touching civil service the report saws:
'The postal department has an Individuality
OF its own. The ordinary good clerk Of the
Government might suit perfectly well IN any
other o. the civil places. but for pOstoflce
work b must almost learn q trade. There
ought 10 be q kind of Apprenticeship. With pro
motions throughout the ranks from the lowest
20 highest place"
The report recommends that larger
discretion be given for making con-
tracts for carrying foreign mails with
American registered vessels; and says
the minimizing OF Sunday work viii be
a subject Of careful attention. il
is recommended that all places
with a population Of rot less
than 5000, or where the post
Office has shown a gross revenue OF 81
600 for the previous fiscal year. shall
have the benefit OF the free-dolivery
system. The early consideration OF the
question OF establishing postal savings
banks al 10000 Of the fourth-class Offices.
where such facilities ars needed. is sug-
gested.
The Postmaster-Genersl saws that ono
cent postage 10 al easy possibility of the
near future and will come As . matter
F. of course. but IS not practicable while
. the present deficiency exists. The same
objection applies 10 the idea of estab-
fishing a parcels post for delivering
packages, etc. az the post-ofces Of small
places not reached by the express com
panles.
In The special topics discussed by Mr.
Nansmaker be recon ends double
postal card Ter return answers; the
establishment o. postal museum, and
the prompt delivery q All letters on
which ire postage SIS not PrePa and to
llect double postage
IN bis report FOR tbe fscal year Third
Assistant Fostmastes-Ge Haven
shows that the total cost II the service
for the year vas Ss5 -5l s1l. Or q. .6os ssf
IN excess q the revenue. The revenus
exceeded that Of the previous year ~
s2,452s3s.