The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-11-30
OUR POSTAL NEEDS,
The Report of Postmaster Gen.
eral Wanamaker.
A POSTAL TELEGRAPH SERVICE
Is Among the POssibillties-A Postal Parcels
Delivery not Encouraged-The Question
OF Postal Savings Banks.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Postmaster-G Gen
eral Wanamsker in his annual report says:
The postmaster general with his advent
into office and taking up the duties of the
department, finds other and new officers
enter the field, the whole organization at
the top is changed and the work falls
into unframed hands. This constant
change will continue, but from
business point of view thus to unset
tie the service cannot be beneficial
to any department. The postmaster gen.
erals first, second and third assistants
have too much work to attend TO and more
officials are needed. A fourth assistant
postmaster general is needed to be in di-
rect charge of the railwey mail, foreign
mail, register and supplies division and the
dead letter Office. A general manager one
of the best educated postal men in the ser
vice, IS also needed, a manager charged with
the general management, whose controlling
mind and firm grasp should remain while
others come and go. Also general secre-
tary to whom should be referred all plans
of Improvement, man whose business
capacity and authority would bring about
reforms at once without the usual delay,
sometimes of months, existing under the
present cumbersome and Anticipated meth
DDS.
OF the proposed limited post and tele-
graph service which the postmaster gen
eral hoped to have outlined in this report
for Congress to consider, he says the
great prOpriety and advantage of united
service cannot be questioned from the
point OF convenience and economy to the
people. There is no reason whatever why
the night messages of telegraph companies
should not be delivered as postal matter by
10 frat morning 6plivarv 20 Y.,.iarS 1fhiG
is proper postoffice business and would add
TO the profits of the department. The vast
network of wires covering the country
could easily reach many of the village post
offices, and benefit more people than
by stopping at the railroad stations,
which are often mile or more distant
from where people live. The experiment
could be easily and quickly made whether
demand for cheaper telegraphy exists as
it is claimed. 1t could be done without
any outlay to the government and with
no interference with existing telegraph
interests inasmuch as it would create, as
stated, new class of business. He asks
for legislation to bring about the establish
ment of such limited post and telegraph
service.
On Sunday mail service the
postmaster general makes use of all
proper means tending toward an econo-
MIXING of postoffice work on Sunday
because he believes the government should,
as far as possible, make no requirements
which will prohibit clerks from enjoying
the day of rest.
The postmaster general does not favor
any extension of the parcel postage System.
All postotfice buildings are overcroWded
and could not make space for enla ged
package business. When the postal service
is carried nearer the point where there is
an excess Of revenue, this business can be
considered.
AS to using the mails forlotteries he sug-
gests law for jurisdiction over the offense
by courts at the offices of delivery the
same as the Office of mailing, thus making
the offense continuous between the ONCE
of mailing and that of delivery and enlarg-
ing the opportunity to convict. He also
recommends an amendment to the postal
laws which will permit the mailing of
works of fiction as second class matter.
In special topics discussed by the post
master general he recommends a double
postal card for return answers establish
ment of postal museum and the prompt de-
livery of all letters on which postage is
not prepaid and to collect double postage.
Touching the civil service the report
runs thus: THE postal department has an
individuality OF its own. An ordinarily
good clerk of government might suit per
fectly well in any other of the civil places
but for postothce work he must almost
learn the trade. There ought to oe kind
of apprenticeship with promotion. With
the $4,000 employees rightly selected, who
feel q proper pride in representing the
government and are alive every day to It's
Improvement, the postal service would
soon become the best in the world"
The board recommends that larger dis
erection be given for making contracts for
carrying mails with American registered
vessels. 1t is recommended that all places
of population of not less than five thou
sand where the postoffice has shown o
gross revenue of $1,000 for the previous
fiscal year shall have the benefit free de-
livery system.
Early consideration is suggested Of the
question of establishing postal savings
banks at ten thousand third class offices
in tC WINS where such facilities are most
needed, causing the extension OF the prIvi-
lege to be determined after trial of two
years.
Regarding one cent postage, the report
says if reduced now it would reduce the
revenue by nearly fifteen million dollars,
and the department is not ready for that
while the present deficiency in receipts
exists.