The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-12-10
POSTAL AeeAlR4

POSTAL AFfAlRs
Report Of Postmsstsr Gsnsral Waaana ker
Lottery Bsslnsss PrSAaloally Driven
from the aSalls-suEgsstlons Regardlng
81 Reduced Postaae, Rueal Free Dellysry
and the Postsl rslsssaph, rslepIons
Il snd sav,oss systsms.s
WASHINGTON, Dec The postrnas-
ter generals annual report, made pub
lie Thursday. shows that in spite OF
the fact that over $1,000, 900 worth of
lottery revenue has been lost during
theev~laste~ year the 7,7.- postal ~ de-
,6cit of s0,OUO.Oo0 is surely dis
appearing, provided the same rate
Of revenue and expenses" obtains on
July l. 1893. It appears that all OF the
lottery mail has practically been driven
from the mails, and the fidelity Of the
department in trying to enforce this al.
most unanimous wish of scongress is
88s The carele.as rnt,Ie.
y 1t is shown by figures that nine
tenths of the causes why letters 20
wrong are due TO the .c.lrclcssness Of
the public, and Mr.. Wanamakcr not
only shows how the work off the dead
letter Office may liz reduced bit recon-.
mentls the establishment of q branch
in. San Francisco 81
rs'stal Tsleph"ne ~ Welt ~ Telegraph.
The postmaster general recommends
the adaptation of the telephone as we'll
as the telegraph TO the postal system,
showing that; 1t liz not only the consti.
tutiOnal privilege Tut the duty of con.
gress to- utilize all the means of modern
science forqni.keI'ing tile transmission
of intelligence. lie says:
One cent letter POSTAGE three. cent tele.
phone messages ind ten.cent telegraph mes.
sages ARE all near possibilities under an en-.
lightened and compact postal system using the
newest Geographic Inventions. The ID.
vantage OF tying the rural post office by
telephone wire requiring no operator
to the railroad station must be obvious The
benefits arising from telephone conuec lions
with the post offices viii! easily suggest the M
selves in u hundred ways 70 those who want
tho entire people TO share in common
privileges. The rural population would
be the greatest gamer. telephone
message from the post Office to the rail.
| road station miles away to ascertain II OK.
pcctcd freight had come wonid save the farm.
| err many a needless. trip over bad roads; new
OF approaching frOsts could be promptly spread
over country districts and ruttgrownp re
gions aud many y valuable crop saved The
days market prices for cattle aud grain and
wool and product may he O6tancl by the
farmers direct by inquiry from others than the
buyer who drives up to the farm In his buggy.
All these may seem hOmcly purposes to dwell.
n In trv fa
OF its drawbacks by the extension OF such faci,.
tiles to those who bear their full share of the
burdens Ut the government and receive in
postal respects at least less than their share
OF its benefits"
Railway Post Omcea.
Mr. Wanamaker believes in the full
parcels post. but does not recommend
it ut present. lie urges the abolition
of personal suretyships of postmasters,
as they are too frequently under obi
cations which damage the service lie
proposes tn extend the money-order
system everywhere. 1t appears
that nearly 5000 miles of ad
ditional railway post Office service have
been established, 800 miles in the Pa
cific, coast states. $500 in the other
western states, 2, 400 in the southern
states and about /, 200 in the north
eastern states
Pneumatic Tube Syatem.
Mr.. Wanamaker describes the pneu.
matte tube system of Berlin and Lon
don and strongly recommends their
adoption in this country. lie insists
that they would pay and records ev-
cral attempts, at beginning such a ser.
vice. A wonderful canccling machin.
which prevents tho delay of letters in
the post Offices in stamping has been
employed.
Rural free Delivery.
Arguments why this service ought to
be continued and enlarged are adduced,
and it is shown how much similar cf.
forts to extend the free delivery into
the country are t" bc made along star
routes and by means Ut suburban cleo
trio roads MIR. Wanalnaker re.
commcnds the passage of bill to en-
title towns OF population between
5000 and 1919 10 the free delivery,
and shows that the special delivery
service in cities has increased ne-thir:
this year over the average of the last
four years.
For Postal Savings.
lie argues strrnuOusly for postal
savings. lie rciteratcs his plan of last
year and adds:
Another plan, quite simple and thoroughly
prac,icat. would iH 10 issue at the post Offices
non negotiable certificates Of postal deposit in
sums OF $40, ~, $50 and 500 bearing inlcres: at
the rate uf half . cent day on the dol! ar
(sl.SsH per year, after the first OF the
month following the date OF deposit and the
principal anu interest payable OH demand at
any money order office ny proper Endorsement
and identification under regulations Of the post
master general.
One-Cent Postage.
On the question of one-ccnt postage
the report says:
"Accor,ling to i careful estimate based on
the count OF mail matter made in $780, there
passed through the mails during The year ended
June 81. 1891. the following pieces OF letter
mail, TO wit:
l,7e3, iH9. 4o8 letters to other post.
2se, 553, ~ letters for local delivery So, UBs a.
U,627,240 drop Iettcrs.... ........ 376 re 40
ITO reduce letter postage TO a uniform
rate Of cent means that the department
will lose one half u this amount Of receipts
One-half would be e,0,7'6,(14.75. We have
therefore to face this problem, assuming
that 1t is ripe for solution by 1893, u clear
loss to the revenue OF not less than & ,NN OOO
under present conditions. which, II the depart
ment were to receive its dues iu regard 10 the
credits belonging I" II. would he reduced to the
deficit OF from $40 tnO to sll.OO,WO
Il have heretofore stated la, one cent post
age will bc successfully demanded in time. l
believe that time is not far on II certainly
ought not To be asked for as lo:,e ~ any deficit
appears In the revenues Of tho postal service;
and here / wish to reiteratc the further state.
ment that IN my judgment II ought not To tie
asked for then until many improvements and
extensions Of the service are provided for
THREE MEN KILLED.