The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-29
WANAMAKER'S BIG WORK
IN HIS REPORT HE REVIEWS RE-
CENT LEGISLATION.

and Stamped Envelopes Two Hun
dred Thousand Saved on Letting
Routes Effect of the Anti-Lottery
Law-Postal Telegraphy Again Ad-
vocated.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-The Postmaster
eeneral. in his annual report, reviews the
LEGISLATION of congress for the Improvement
of the postal service, and dwells at some
length upon the changes for the better dur
inc the past year in the administrative
methods of the department. In connection
with the last named subject, he
saws: Over 100000 has been saved
on the contract for pos al cards. which
though they were properly criticised at
first. were quickly brought up to the re-
oured standard by the contractor. -Four
hundred thousand dollars has been saved on
the contract for stamped envelopes. Two
hundred thousand dollars or more has been
saved on certain lettings of contracts for
carrying the mails and at the same time
mail routes have been extended over almost
100000 miles of railway and steamboat
and stage lines
ANTI-LoTTERY LEGISLATION.
The antlottery legislation has entailed
much extra labor upon the Inspector force.
hut on the other hand the temptation to
tbeving among the employees of the depart
ment has been much diminished by the
same means.
The past year has been very disagreeable
TO the "green goods' swindlers
The negotiations with the German
authorities looking to the establishment Of
a sea postOffice have been successful
The gross revenue is nearly $4,000 600
larger than it ever was before Almost
5000 new postoffices, more than in any one
wear before, have been established upon the
petition of communities which have needed
them. The decreasing limit for the exten-
sion of the free delivery has permitted the
employment of letter carriers in over fifty
tovIs.
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.
The Postmaster General devotes a large
space to an argument in favor of q postal
telegraph system, of which he says In
one form or another the public imperatively
demands cheaper telegraphy, and the post
Office department can supply it at less cost
chan any other corporation unless the latter
has rent, light and fuel free and carriers
aud CLERKS without pay. IL has been argued
hat it is not the business of the govern
nent to operate the telegI aph, but the gov
srnment Of this and every other
country controls the mail service
and stoutly maintains that the
general welfare Is promoted by managing
the transmission of correspondence. In
pursuing that object it puts on fast mails at
great cot. cheapens postage and constantly |
adds facilities for ready communication.
The general welfare will be similarly pro-
noted by going one step further and giving
the quickest of all modes of com municatlon,
namely cheap telegraphic facilities as it does
mails, at points not profitable for private
capital to reach, as well as at ali other
points.
He also recommends the establishment of
postal savings bank.
LOTTERIES AND THE NAILS
The subject Of the lotteries and the mails
is treated briefly as follows: The new
act OF congress concerning lotteries accords
with the recommendations ofmy last annual
report. The intent of the law is to shut
cut all lottery business from the mails.
Power IS given the Postmaster General, as
the executive of the department, within
the limits OF the constitution, to exclude all
such matter. Quick action was taken to
close the mails against this business.
Each of the 62, 4Ol postmasters and
inspectors have been officially notified
Of the terms of the Gct, and the
department. has issued regulations to govern
their procedure in executing the law. The
two months that it has been in operation
are two short time to produce results, but
there Is satisfactory progress. The LOTTERY
companies cannot but see that there is to be
no tIlfiing or evasions in dealing with them.
The press has aided the department by its
very general approval, and the public at
large have seconded its efforts to make the
law effective
INDECENT PUBLICATIONS.
Considerable space is given to an expla-
ton Of the act for the exclusion of indecent
publications.
The foreign mail service shows a profit
ioT the year OF over 81, 100000.
appears from the report that 14,072
Pstmasters We're removed during the past
Wo years. and %, $50 appointed in the same
uhe The appointments for the past year
numbered Ia, 44S and the removals 6,274
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Inc report touches upon the question of
ciVlI service as applied to the postoffice de-
parVment in the following words: Ths
years experience confirms me in the judg-
ment formed twelve months ago that the
cVli service system, as applied to the rosters
" Inc postoffice department, is susceptible
VI Improvement The examinations for
-'fS~O|A iOECS Sliu LOr Lhe ThlNdy
aiai aail service ought to be made more
uncut, so that the candidates for
plac5s will better stand the test Of
ac'uaI work. The practice of the depart
ttent shows that the inspector force. for ex-
~ lp'e' is more efficient as whole if eligi-
.ai ull' who have seen public service are
ieecVed Instead Of those who have simply
usen examined. wish that some scheme
mgat be devised by which the depart
nshVaI force, and all parts aud branches of
cue postal service, classified or to be CLASH
neu, might be- encouraged into new
oAertlons by some just, general
=. aau certain plan Of promotions l think
on ~ you'd be impossible to find an appointing
Taa %ncer who has not been glad to take adj