The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-04
wANAMAKRa,s REPORT.

master Generals Recommendation
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3-Tbe Postmaster
Generals annual report. made public to-day,
SHOWS hat, in spite of the fact that over
s1OOO. OOO worth of lottery revenue has been
lost during the past year, the postal deficit
of 5000, 600 is surely disappearing, provided
the same rate of revenue and expenses OBJ
tains on July /, 1898.
PROMOTIONS EVERYWHERE FOR MERIT.
The Postmaster General pronounces that
the extension OF the merit system OF pro-
motions, so successfully put in operation In
the department lately, to the larger post
offices aud the railway mail, has already be-
Gun. OF this system be says:
at reaches down 30 the lowest grade
clerk, and there is no Limitation Of the time
when the next promotion may take place.
II creates no list Of eligibles TO be worn out
with waiting, but gives the place promptly
20 the person winning It; and the same peo-
pie can compete again for the next vacancy
il they like. The examinations do not go
over the same tests that secured the APP
pointment, but take most largely into ac-
count the Office record OF the applicant. and
part of the record is open every day In
each division that all may see the fairness
and accuracy OF it.
PNEUMATIC TUBES RECOMMENDED.
Mr.. Wanamaker describes the pneumatic
tube system of Berlin and London, and
strongly recommends their adoption in this
country. He insists that they would pay.
and records several attempts at beginning
such a service. A wonderful canceling ma
chine, which prevents the delay of letters
in the postotfices in stamping, have been
employed, and a still more wonderful
automatic electric stamper Is In process of
examination.
POSTAL DISTRICTS
The Postmaster General renews his
recommendation for the division Of the
country into postal districts, and adduces
many reasons why the reform would be
beneficial. He shows that the county seat
visitations have resulted in the submission
of 2, 100 reports out of a possible 800, and
that the condition of As, 600 offices is COW
cred.
A LETTER BOX AT EVERY DOOR.
OF the door letter-box question the Post
master General says:
My plan for the introduction Of the house let
ter-boxes would be somewhat as follows:
would have the department accept an offer, or
offers which, i have reason to believe will be
made by one or two, if not by the whole six, of
the inventors, whose devices are to be com
mended, to furnish sufficient number of boxes
10 supply six given carrier routes-preferably
In Washington, as the experiments could then
come under the direct observation of the de-
partment. Each of the six inventors would sup
ply single route, so that it could be determined
which box worked best from the department
standpoint. The box evidently most acceptable
to the householders also could be selected after
this experiment of three months, say was over.
The owners may be depended upon to introduce
the box energetically by a house-to-house can
vass, and by having them on sale at suitable
places.
should like to see free delivery furnished,
carefully but surely TO all parts of the couh
try where the population is thick enough to
warrant the employment of carriers; in the
cities should like to see the immediate general
employment of the door letter-boxes, for col
Iecticn as we'll as delivery, Is a compromising
advantage.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY PAYING.
OF the wonderful success Of rural free de-
livery. the report says:
The rural free delivery experiment Is on trial
In forty-six communities. In two places Hills
boro n D., and Hanover, N. H., this service
was begun, but was discontinued because the
postmasters failed to procure responsible car
riers for the maximum compensation of S2i2
per annum for one or two hours service per day
In Appendix A appears a tabulated statement
showing total increase of gross receipts in
thirty nine of the forty-six experimental free
delivery offices amounting to S6213 40, and a
total decrease Of gross receipts in seven OF the
offices, amounting to S707 80. This leaves bal
aDce Of $500 10 OF increase of gross receipts.
This total of excess of gross receipts over ex-
penditures is divided in the appended tables into
WHAT Is que 10 natural CROWN ana Wlab is atCrl-
butable to the free delivery service The excess
of receipts due to natural growth and what is
obtained by comparing the gross receipts OF
1889 with those of 1890 for the same period; and
the balance, $3.50 so, over and above the addi-
tional cost, which is entirely an abnormal in
crease, is TO be attributed to the free delivery.
Numberless arguments why this service
ought to be continued aud enlarged are ad.
duced, and it is shown how much similar
efforts to extend the free delivery into the
country are to be made along star routes
and by means Of suburban electric roads.
Mr.. Wanamaker recommends the passage
OF bill to entitle towns OF population be-
tween 5000 and 1899 to the free delivery,
and shows that the special delivery service
in cities has increased oae-third this year
over the average of the last four years,
POSTAL TELEPHONE AS WELL AS POSTAL
TELEGRAPH.
The Postmaster General recommends
this year the adaptation of the telephone,
as we'll as the telegraph, to the postal sys-
tenn showing that it is not only the consti-
tutional privilege, but the duty Of congress
to utilize all the means of modern science
for qulckening the transmission OF intelli-
gence He says upon these two points:
year from next March the telephone patent
expires, and unless congress acts promptly in
auth 1rzlng its adoption for communication
among tbs people it requires no stretch of the
imagination to believe that In the next two
years one immense BynQlcAte Will unlU6 anu
control all the hundreds of telephone plants of
the country as the telegraph is now controlled,
or the two will be united. and then for the next
twenty years the most astute attorneys will be
legitimately earning large salaries in indig
PANTY opposing the so-called attacks of future
Postmasters General upon defenseless vested
rights
Onecent letter postage, 2-cent telephone
messages, and l0-cent telegraph messages are
all near possibilities under an enlightened and
compact postal system, using the newest tee-
graphic inventions. The advantage of tying
the rural postoffice by a telephone wire requir
i9R no operator to the railroad station must be
OBVIOUS. The benefits arising from telephone
connections with the postofiices will easily sug
eest themselves in q hundred ways TO those who
want the entire people to share In common
privileges. The rural population would be the
postof1ce to the railroad station miles away to
ascertain il expected freight had come, would
saVe the farmer many a needless wagon trip
over pad roads; news of approaching frosts
couio De promptly spread over country districts
ono ruit-growing regions, and many valuable
crop saved
POSTAL DBPOsITARIEs FOR SMALL SUNS.
~ he argues strenuously for postal savings
ne relterates his plan of last year, and adds:
Ahother plan, quite simple and thoroughly
practical, would be to issue at the postotfice
nonnegotlable certificates of postal deposit in
oeins OF $40 $50, $50 and S1G0, bearing interest
a. Vne rate OF y cent day on 81 Isl S216 per
SeaI) etLer the trst of the month following the
uave OF deposit, and the principal and interest
ksJaole on demand at any money-order ONCE
oy proper Endorsement and Identification under
nf hn De-