Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-17
NOT DEAD.
Wanamaker's Postal Teleg raph
Scheme Only Sleeping.
Win Spring 1t on the Fifty
Second Congress.

The Postal Savings Bank Project in a
Similar Statc-Not So Enthusiastic for
Penny Postage as He Was-A Reduction
Would Increase Business and Necessi-
tate Larger Force.
NEW YORK, Oct. 17.-The Herald's
Washington special says:
Postmaster General Wanamaker is
collecting the data for his annual report
to congress. So far as / can ascertain
the special features Of the report will be
similar TO those of last year.
During the past year he has been
making experiments in one or two
branches of the service, and he is likely
to make a special point for their de-
velopment.
Postal TeleGraphy.
His postal telegraph scheme is not
dead all reports to the contrary not
withstanding. A Republican congress
the Fifty -frst-sad down on it. Mr..
Wanamaker now proposes asking a
Democratic house to look into it and in
Vestigate the arguments and figures he
is now preparing in its support. Much
the same arguments will be used with
the present congress as those which
proved Intellectual with the last.
Postal Savings Banks.
The same may be said of the postal
savings bank. Mr.. Wauamaker is
thoroughly convinced that one of
the most beneficial additions to the pre-
sent postal service would be the estab-
lishment of savings banks at postoflices.
His experience and the reports from the
country generally during the last year
convince him more thoroughly than ever
of its practicability.
The demand for such institutions in
farming districts and small villages
where there are no regular banks, HIS
been growing steadily. His recon-
mendations in this line will be similar
to those of last year, when he urged the
establishment of postal savings banks in
states having no laws regulating savings
banks, and in any other states upon petit
ton of a considerable number of resi-
dents in any one locality.
He will recommend that there be no
more than one bank for every ten miles
of area, and that the interest paid on
deposits be one-half Of per cent. lower
than that paid by private bankers.
Penny Postage.
With regard to penny postage the
postmaster general is not so enthusi-
astic as he was. While in his RECON-
mendations ne will not recede from the
position taken in his former reports he
will not lay special stress on this radical
change. He is not very sanguine of per-
suading congress to appropriate $l5,000,-
900 or $20, 100000 for the deficit that
would occur III the department in case
the reduction was made.
The argument that reduction of the
postage one half would increase the let
ter business is met at the department by
the estimate that u largely increased
force would be necessary to do the bust
ness, and consequent tha expenses of
the Office would be coreSpondingly in
creased. The postmaster general is
anxious to sce the penny postage adopt
ed, but congress will have to make the
change possible by increased appropria-
tions.
VIII Recommend.
The two principal points that will be
dwelt on in MIR. Wanamaker's recon-
mendations TO the next congress are the
extension of he free delivery system and
the Improvement of the inspection serv-
ice. The last congress appropriated
$4,000 with which to try the free de-
livery experiment.
Free Delivery.
The postmaster general is now en-
gagged in figuring out results from these
localities. AS far as they go they indi-
cate the success of the plan. He antici-
pates that the increase of business and
revenue in country towns will about
balance the expenditures made in the
experiment.
With the results in hand he purposes
going before the next congress and ask
ing for assistance in extending the free
delivery throughout the country. The
amount of money needed to put the sys-
tenn into operation has not been esti
mated, but Mr. Wanamaker feels justi-
fed in guaranteeing that the increa e of
revenues will recompense the govern
ment for the necessary outlay.
Inspection Service.
The other point, the improvement of
the inspection service, Mr.. Wanamaker
considers one of the most important
features of postoffice work. He petit
toned the last congress to authorize the
division of the country into supervisors
districts. This was denied him He
will probably ask the Democratic house
for the same authority, but as this
would create another army of employees,
his chances of success are not encour-
aging. The idea he has is the better in
struction of postmasters in their duties
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