The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-12-05
THE POSTAL SERVICE.

wanamaker-A Plea for the Establish.
ment OF = Postal Telcgraph-An Appii-
cation OF Business Principles In It's
Work Would BE Of Great Advantage TO
the Department.
WAsHrxsToS, Nov. 80.-Postmaster-
General Wanamaker has submitted his
first report TO President Harrison.
Among other expressions are these:
.The post.o.yice is the visible form OF tho
Federal Government to every community and to
every citizen. The people want the system ad
ministcrcd with such efficiency and economy
that II shall offer them more and more accom-
modations and tax them less and less. Tho
only method can suggest by which all their
desires may be gratifed Is not merely to talk
about the application Of principles to the de-
partmcnt; II is really to apply them. II is not
to work In poor quarters: II Is not to transport
mails afoot when they should go In railroad
trains; II Is not 70 tolerate disloyal or listlcss
employees il better ones can be had; It Is not,
finally, TO keep nnwittingly abreast Of the
times. II Is always 10 lend the times.
what Is needed first Is Fourth Assistant
Po,tmaster-Gencral, to be In direct charge of
the great divisions Of tho railway mall, the
foreign mail. the money-order once,
the registry and supplies division. and
lift out Of the ONCE OF the First As
ei-tant Postmaster General all duties ex-
cept those Of studying men for appoint
ment. establishing offices, changing sites, ex
amining reports OF inspectors. and taking caro-
Of the bond division. Create new place and
find tho best-educated postcl man In the
service NJ the Post-of1ce Department or
In any Of the 5000 postonices, and
make him the general manager. No great
business establishment can succeed that
changes its principal officer once In fifteen
NHI -
Gated postal man charged with tho general
management whose controlling mind and frm
grasp should remain while others come and go.
"The pos t-ofices throughout the country and
the depart ment, without meaning Il, are In an
unfrfendiy attitude because the poStmasters are
generally wanting something which the depart
lnent does not seem ready or able to grant.
There is but little to encourage, hardly any
thing to stimulate, q postmaster to do his best
work. A new life and spirit must be infused
By dividing the country into postal districts
and placing supervisor over each ] believe il
can be DONE"
The report next reviews tho contro-
versy with the Western Union Company
relative to rate on Government business,
and the Postmaster-General expresses
disappointment that the discussion did
no. lead to a postal-telegraph scheme.
The statistics Of the English Govern
ment system, he says, show that so per
cent. Of the messages are family and
social. and not from business sources.
The report continues:
Tho great propriety and advantage OF .
united service can not he questioned from .
rnint Of convenience and economy TO the
people. There IL no reason whatever
why tho night messages OF the tcle
graph companies should not be delivered
Us posta! matter by the first morning
delivery of tho carriers. This Is proper post
Office business and would add TO the profits Of
the department. a contract should be made
with tho telegraph lines now In operation or
that may be hereafter built. under advertise
ment and public bid at the most favorable
rate that can b. obtained, in the same man
nar ~ the postOfllce Department now
contracts with railroad companies for the car
rying of letters and postal cards, connecting
the wires with free delivery and other dcsig.
nafed post OFFICES. and receiving messages to bc
delivered In each instance at the next carrier
delivery after their receipt In the city tn which
they are sent
Il respectfully ask that such legislation be
enacted IA is necessary To empower the Post.
master General to enter into contract with re-
sponsible parties for a term not exceeding five
years. on conditions favorable 10 the Govern
ment, for the purpose OF establishing q limited
post and telegraph service
Touching civil service the report says:
The postal department has m individuality
OF its own. The ordinary good clerk Of the
Government might suit perfectly we'll in any
other OF tho civil places, but for postofficc
work he must almost learn d trade. There
oaght TO be i,ini Of apprenticeship, with pro-
motions throughout the ranks from the lowest
10 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 will be
. subject of careful attention. II
is recommended that all places
with population Of not less
than 5000, or where the post
Office has shown gross revenue Of ST.
900 for the previous fiscal year, shall
have the benefit Of the frce-delivery
system. The early consideration of the
question OF establishing postal savings
banks at 10000 OF the fonrth-class Offices,
where such facilities are needed, is sug.
gested.
The Postmaster-General says that one.
cent postage Is an easy possibility Of the
near future and will come as q matter
of course, but is not practicable while
the present deficiency exists. The same
objection applies to the idea Of estab-
fishing = pa.s = post for delivering
packages, etc, 4. the post-ofiices Of small
places not reached by the express com.
panies.