The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-16
THE POSTMASTERS
OF tho Principal Cities Of tho
United States in Conference
WITH THE HElDS OF DIVISIONS
And with tho Postmaster General,
with a View to Improving tho Postal
scrYicc..Somo Interesting Discus.
sion and Some Good Recommends.
lions SIadc..A Wheeling Boy on
Deck. \

sion and Some Good Recommends.
lions SIadc..A Wheeling Boy on
Deck. \
An IXTELiiGEScEn reporter had q
long and interesting talk with Postmas-
terW.J. W. Cowden, who last week at
tended tho three days conference OF
the postmaster general, tho heads OF
divisions in tho department and large
number OF the postmasters OF tho coun-
,ry. Invitations were issued to forty
four OF the postmastcrs in leading cities
in all sections OF the country, and OF
these forty responded in person. 1t
was representative gathering not only
in its personnel, but tho gentlemen
there preside over postoilices which do
hall Of the entire mail business OF tho
country.
Daily sessions worc held, opening at
nine o'clock in tho forenoon and run
ming until in the evening, with inter-
missions only for meals. 1t was strictly
Gbusincss gathering, and there can BIZ
no doubt that it will result in great
good for the mail seryiCe'ot tho land.
The conference was the first OF the kind
ever held, and it Is ono OF tho now ideas
introduced by Mr. Wanamaker. for the
good oil The service, which arc making
arGcord Tor him as the most efficient
and valuable postmaster general the
government ever had. He presided
over the sessions himself, and his as
fistants were present most OF the time.
aud the heads OF divisions wore called
in whenever the matters under consid-
Grafton concerned their divisions.
TO PRESENT ELLIS.
Each postmaster was given n chance
10 ask any question or make any sug-
gestiOn growing out OF his own expert
enco. The committee OF Congress on
postotlices and postroads was in session,
and the visiting postmastefs were in
y.ed to meet with the committee and
offer any suggestion or make any re-
quest in regard to legislation for the
good OF the service The meeting was
TOO busy to devote much time to this
matter as body, but committee OF
five was appointed and met with tho
congressional committee, and they had
avery satisfactory interchange OF views,
the committee on behalf of The post
masters making somcsuGgestions which
they were requested to have embodied
in the form OF bills ready to be sub
mitted 10 Congress.
In accordance with this request a
committee OF seven was appointed, the
members OF which remained over in
Washington to prepare these measures
III shape to DO submitted for action.
The meeting had adopted resolutions
favoring certain new laws and changes
in existing ones, and 1t is to get these in
tho right form that the committee is
now laboring in Washington. The
great trouble with postal legislation has
always been that the measures wero
prepared by people who had no prac-
tIca! knowledge OF the subject, and i
great deal oil confusion and lack OF sys-
TEN prevails in tho postal laws for this
reason.
FRACTIONAL MONEY ORDERS.
There were a number of recommends
atoms made by the forty postmasters.
Among these one important one was the
abolition OF fourth class mail matter.
twas proposed that everything not OF
the first or second class should be made
third class matter. As it now is the
distinction between third and fourth
class matter is arbitrary, and in some
instances not desirable. The idea is to
make the two classes one. with postage
liked at one cent for each two ounces
or fraction thereof.
as important and interesting pro-
!cct as was put forward was the reform
OF the money order system. TWAS pro-
posed to issue fractional money orders
orparts Of a dollar, at their face value,
10 make convenient means OF remit.
ing by mail'sums less than 81. all
sums over 81 would be issued in regular
money orders. The postal notes accord
Ing to TINS plan are to be redcemable mt
my office by anybody within sixty days.
inns would do away with the remitting
oil money by postage stamps, which is
thing the department is very DESTROYS
10 bring about. AS this system would
not involve any extra expense at any
Office, 1t might as well DO made free
from extra cost to the user OF tho notes.
EXTENDING FREE DELIVERY.
TWAS recommended that the free de-