Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-06
IL MORE THAN PAYS
The Postmaster General in
His Annual Report
ADVOCATES PENNY POSTAGE
The Disszicnng Of the oclces. and Pnsu-
matte Tubss- Other Changes Which
Might BE Bsnsneiai.


General WanamAker summarizes the
results achieved by HE department ~
follows Five million dollars added TO
the gzoss revenue. the dshcit reduced
nearly million, money order office
increased two thirds. or from i0.o70 70
$3.50, 81 cities supplied with free de-
livery, ~ new offices established, 263
offices advanced TO-. the presidential
grade, le} millions of miles OF addj-
tional service. 1880 new mail routes
established, embracing $500 miles. of
new service, ocean mail service OK.
tended and pneumatic tubes service In
trOd uced. -
OF his proposition to divide the coun-
try into postal ldistricts. Mr.. .Wana-
maker says its adoption can only be .
question Of time. Each district would
be put IN charge of poatAl supervisor
or director and the regular inspectors
of the department should assist these
supervisors, Is they might be needed.
Then detail Of matters relating to
the establishment of stations. appoint
ments and removals; tho best utiIiza-
ton of and changes in rules; the put
ting on and taking of Of service; the
right Interpretation of designations; ir-
business conducted by the service
would be superintended personally by
the district supervisors, with the assist.
ance of the regular inspectors, all of
the postmasteIs in the district who
would feel, as never before, that their
efforts on behalf of adequate facilities
and economical and enterprislng en-
gagements would find appreciation.
Advocates Pneumasic Tubsa
New buildings and q pneumatic
electrical service of some kind is siren
uously I'D dvocated for New y ork, Chica-
go and other large scifies. and it is
pointed that there can be no adequate
relief without the applications of these
methods. The, postal ,tale61ph and
postal telephone are of Sd8aroe siren.
uously advocated as formerly.
On the one-cent postage Astion he
says: .'Tte present lettst&&Ste pays
actually double the cost - bEthia
overpay serves % p1otcctiVSs1 Ate 20
the department to cover the under pay
from dong "a express businel0zeoE
periodicals. and books and carrying al
vertising sheets 1T one cent per pound.
All such mail is not only carried ct q
loss of six cents . pound, but it inter
feres materially with the business OF
express and railroad companies, which
are properly carriers of heavy pack.
ages and freight. Something to take
the place of fractional currency for the
remittance OF small sums is very desir
able. He urges the issue of q money
| postal card of denominations of ten
cents, twenty I'VE cents, fifty cents AMI
| 81 and of the form of the present small
cards, and exactly similar to the ordi
nary postal card ON the address side
| and on the reverse side an order on
the postmaster of the city addressed
for fixed sum payable on the sigma
ture of the payee named IN the ad
dress.
Districts and One Cent Postage.
The report closes ~ follows: "MJ
idea for the American postal service |,
q system modelled upon . district plan
with fewer offices. and those grouped
around central offices and under thor
ough supervision. BY this means al
least twenty thousand Offices could bs
aDauOOueO tu8t pIOOuc 0OtnlQR u
the department. In the place of every
abolished non-money order and non
registry Office might be put an auto
matte stamp selling machine aud let
ter box TO receive mail. With tn,
money saved should be instituted &
system of collection and delivery b,
mounted carriers. bicycle and sta
route snd messenger contractors Il
gradually spread tho free delivery al
over the country.
1.-THE classes Of postage should be re
duced to three and the rate OF postage
the world over to one cent for eacl
half ounce. would indemnify to tn,
extent Of $40 for every registered let
ter. The organization of the depart
ment should DO permanent except II
the case of the postmaster general ant
the fourth assistant, and would add
three new officers, . deputy postmaste
general to be stationed in New York, {
deputy postmaster general to be sta
toned In San Francisco, and q comp
sroIler to be stationed In the depart
| naeni in WaahinCton