The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-03

The postal appropriations for New York
and Chicago at least and preferably FOR
eight other large cities, should be made
direct and be expended by the postmaster
of each city, under such regulations for
responsibility. etc, as the department
may find necessary. The argument Tor
this change Is unansWeraDle. Iaklhs
New York as an example, as II is, or
AN the cities-thOugh OF course BY far
the most impOrtant-the postal business
here is national and International rather
than local. For instance, the mail mat
ter sent out from here, either collected
in New York or received from outside,
il separated in the New York pOst-Ofce
for / 1IG different points in the United
States besides the mails Tor steamers
10 Europe the West Indies, Mexico, and
Central and South America. Now this
enormous national and international
business has 10 be handled in New York
under regulations and by methods de-
termined by the department at Washing
ton applying 10 other pOst-Oilices New
York is treated as one OF large class
OF similar offices, whereas IL is an Of
flee wholly distinct In its requirements
from any other Very properly the de-
partment keeps detailed control of the
Offices as body. and regulates their
transactions, which IL can do because
those Of each are like those Of the others.
But those OF New York are absolutely
unlike those Of others, and cannot pos
ton. over ninety thousand letters were
written to and by the Salary and Allow
ance Division of the POst-Oillce Depart
ment last year, the larger number as
TO matters OF trivial detail. such as
brOoms. twinc mucilage. etc. These
could and should be attended to in the
larger Offices, and the saving Of time.
labor. and friction would be very great,
and so, ultimately. would be the saving
Of money. 1t is safe to say that specific
a. 4 /. Ia
time give net Surplus instead OF a de-
hciency i'm postal revenues.
The principle urged by Mr.. Dayton
that power should go with responsibility,
in private business, and essential TO eff
ffciency. Take a single instance. Last
Christmas day. when the men were on
titled 10 a certain leave Of absence two
steamers brought In 10000 pieces Of
mail matter, 20 be distributed 10 ail
parts OF the Continent. Had the post
master controlled his own expenditures,
as in any private business, he would
have put on sufficient extra force from
that always available. and done the Work
promptly and easily. As II was the
work had TO be done by the regular en-
Moves I'm overtime without a cent Of
extra pay-a most unjust and bungling
way OF doing it, The other and better
way would be for the benefit of the
whole country. "a letter from an in
coming steamer al New York, says
Mr. Bissell in his direct and business
like way. delayed an hour at that point,
may fail OF reaching the through train
that would bring IL 10 the Minnesota
grain-buyer or Texas cotton merchant
a day in advance OF the usual course.
4 like delay might result I'm failure 10
catch with the collected mail the quickest
ship sailing for foreign ports IL Will
be seen. therefore. that the whole coun-
try il interested In securing the best
possible service at this point" No rea-
sonable person can deny this. and 1. -