Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-12-12
ANNUAL REPORT
OF the Postmaster General Is
Very Interesting.
He Claims That the Lottery Business is
Driven From the Mails.
Recommendations Are Mnde That Will
be OF Popular Value-Special Deliv-
cry Has Increased One-Third
During the Last Year.

WASHINGTON, Dec 4-Postmaster.
Gen. Wanamaker's report was given
to the press Thursday, attracting
more popular interest than that of anv
other cabinet officer. The postmaster
general claims in his report that the
lottery business has been practically
driven from the mails Figures are ad.
duced to show how thoroughly the law
has been enforced From the time the
law went into effect up to October 2S
last there were, Mr.. Wanamaker claims,
202 arrests, 653 indictments, l15 cases
out on bail, 80 convictions There
have been 10 arrests and SIS indict-
ments since July /. 1.-The dispropor-
ton of trial and convictions to the num-
Der of arrests and indictments" says
Mr.. Wanamaker, "are due to the usual
delays of the law and not to any lack
of judgment in making arrests" The
postmaster general recommends this
year the adoption of the telephone as
well as the telegraph to the postal sys-
TEN, showing that it is not only the
constitutional privilege, but the duty
of congress to utilize all the means of
modern science for quickening the
transmission of intelligence, "A
year from next March the tele.
| phone patent expires, and unless
congress acts promptly to authorize its
adoption for communication among the
people it requires no stretch of the i'm.
agination to believe that the next two
years one immense syndicate will unite
and control all the hundreds Of tele-
phone plants of the country as the telc
graph is now controlled, or the two will
b. united, and then for the next twent J
years the most astnte attorneys will b'
legitimately earning their salaries in
dignantly opposing the so'called at
tacks of future postmaster generals up
on defenseless vested rights
The postmaster general recommend,
a letter box at every door; the passage
of a law extending free delivery t.
towns over 5000 He says special de
livery has increased one third in tn
last year. A new plan for postal say
ings is suggested this year. 1t favor
the issuance of non-negotiable certifi
Gates of postal deposit ranging from 81
to 500, bearing interest at one
half cent a month on tn,
dollar after one months deposit
The money deposited in school or mu
nicipal bonds at the will of the secretar.
of the treasury. The abolition of boz
rents in small delivery offices is recon
mended. Mr.. Wanamaker says tina
the country is not ready for one-cen
postage yet At present the postmas
ter general believes that it would meal
loss of revonua of $4,000 0)0, which
allowing for credit, would be redu e'
to deficiency of 100000. The re
ducton of special delivery tolls fror
twelve to six cents is recommended
Mr.. Wanamakcr will ask postma'
ters everywhere to fly the stars an
, stripes.
During the last year there were 81
cars wrecked in the railway mail ser'
Ice l3 clerks killed and 6S seriously II
iured. The increase in the number
casualties suggests to the postmaste
gen raj the necessity OF providing
fund for the benefit of the families
5 clerks killed in the service and st
$ pend for disable clerks.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4-Postmaste
D Gen. Wanamalter, in his annual repo
issued Thursday, describes the pne
matic-tube system Of Berlin ana 10
8 don. and strongly recommends the
. adoption in this country. lie insis
= that they would pay, and records Sc
e cral attempts at beginning such a Sc
vice A wonderful canceling maehin
d which prevents the delay of letters
@ the post offices in stamping, has be'
o employed and still more wonderi
: automatic electric stamper is IN pr
y cess of examination.