New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-28
THE POSTMASTERS POWER.
BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FROM IN
CREASING 1T.

MR. DAYTON TALKS ABOUT \ RECOMMENDATION
OF THE PosTMAsTER-GENERAl~
NEEDLESS RED TAPE
II has been one Of the most trying du'ies Va '
Postmaster of this city for years 70 S'r"ss' "
better service here The success has been varying.
Al present however. the prospects ior 'ip'o'
regulations and enlarged facilities seem o'Nsnul
than they year or two ago peo"u P
interest seems TO have been aroused !" wv f"'
ton passage in the annual report OF fos,naS-
ter-General Bissell had direct reference 10 o''"s
in which Postmaster Dayton is deeply 'ohce'"eu
This paragraph is
.'It is as collectors and distributors OF what may
be called the Worlds through mails that 'heSe
(New-Yorll and Chicago offices render services not
at all measured by the local population sei'e'' "
by the extent Of revenue received ana every -,
cility should be provided for the greates ponsio ~,
depatch AT those points. Nearly all the mails a., 10
and the other nations OF me %o or o afC
There should be no hesancy therefore to make
such direct and needful appropriation az WIZ ar
of bringing these offices up TO the highes' o'""''
OF efficiency.
In regard to this. Mr. Dayton said yesterday;
During the past thirty years there mas k EroTl
ED n system in the Postoilce Department NJ W ASH
ington. which POstmaser-General BisseI cTlur,''S
desires to break down and change-nis eil4r. -
vice and If carried out will result In an enormous
increase of postal profits to the Government raaonsi
bility exists local power should also exist
TIE OLD ORDER.
about twenty-five years ago TO the Postmaster M
New-Yor< was allowed an Appropriation based upon
fair percentage Of the revenues of the Once whc"
appropriation he had the power to dsbursc III SAN
rics and other expenditures without Interference
from the department at Washington unless ne was
found guilty OF maivcrsatlon in Office IL" Josie
mails from this country TO other countries and. In
short. was not only executive In name put III
ness of the Office very much less than AT pres
and also that the cost Of living now - Ete W.
than IL WAS then. the average salary palI 10 thc
employees of this Office far In excess OF cXSi,lns
cnrnucnsatinn. meanwhile. the amount Of work don"
is four OF five times more than /; was at tat UNI.
Postmaster have Increased with this large accession
! Of business while the anomaly ~ presenter u HIS
powers having decreased , a.. -,,,os and
Under the civil Service law ana inc rulcs anu
regulations Of the department, the Postmaster Is
practically prohibited from making any alIoI,n .h
out direct approval from Washington ne .hnIl"t
expend on dollar Of money i@r inc nr inySI dnS
| or two ago / forwarded to the department a com,
mG'p s'ef th h. city c o1e Of The clerks had
changed his name. and the reply receN'4 VIZ,
| that the communication would be duly conSidtrrn
| This was from the salary and Allowance pN's'on'
| sent I'm the usual routine. , - -, 81,
Jurisdiction over the boundaries OF The branch 81,
lions The length Of carrief ei tne the
rules and regulations the number o, 'trf,.r u
changed or reduced without direct authority from
| he 1nnartm.nt: Therefore IT is that Postmaster
| General RisscIl on my application for relstrict'
| inc Of the cltv has appointed a commission 10 IN
vestgate the subject and report 10 Mn 'Dun 'o
change these rules ana regulations as to avoid this
cumbersome method Of reaching results
TIE SECURITY AMPLE.
Under the law surrounding the appointment Of
the Postmaster. the power OF the department J.
and should remain absolute as TO the conduct oil III
Office lie Is under a bond Of N10.on surcii"s jusil
fylng in Neac0. Should his accounts X wrong.
postoffce inspector or his bondsmen can imm"di
at,y TAX" possession Of the Once, sh'h.t 10 t,yn
10 be- ncompc'nt "r uh,aus,noiE rornoveI az wl
With ali those safeguards. assuming that ne aI
former powers should ho restored 10 hin tw!th M
, exception Of Tho restrictions .mio9l"i ~ N'' W.
Precipitation for tho use % his otice commrn,rf1i
| with It's volume Of business also think tlht thl
| approprlati,n should be sufficient 80 20 incrra4
the compensation ~ the emrioyes h''g. ,h't 'n'
would FEEL hat nor mo-, nn!i , s,,, mall
quatc and unworthy the eNact!nE dHuc7 th'y AT
70 show N, Injustice done the large cities undo
! the existing system % arifoprau2ns y u on,
ages hcln, thc amount allowed each onc" f'r -
nscal year ending Junc 20. iHG. based upon ~
gross revenue Of each ollie l'f kyn 49, pr ,.l
baltimore. - per cent; Phhai'.phia. ~ per cen,
san Francisco. q per cent iht-bnIf - per ,.i'
Roston. u per cent: 'incnnltl 3, yer ,,n'i I''i'l
81 per cent. Nr~-l"rk. % per cent 81 Louis
per cent. chicase 3 per cent ,.-, o,ro. e.. ~
1T is conceded that The Nc" YORK Once ~ W
clearing house FOR M" money order bushes. 81 ti
country. involving millions OF dollars hniuhI} WA
its registry department is the aff'st ana 1"f III
portant Of any oiic. In the country, requiring ""r
OF "A most laborious ana exact character mat
transmits AN the stamps. aeer,SatuH millions
dollars annually in value. 10 all oih.r I"Si"l''
In the country. that tho number II pieces on ma
matter handled This Office annually "Nc.cis vF
. $4,000. and fhe anomaly Is Iirstn,ea OF a"o WI,
this Office 20 per cent on It's annual receipts. VIM
recurring il g. DO the largest u"~t0ihce business
the country. .,.., -. D..
81 hop. that when th' rccpnm'nldu'hS Oh ,h' 70
,cn~ra fhis subject shall rea'h '"ntr res
these facts VIII b" taken m" ,'i.i'l",io' m
a favor To- the city Of Ncw-lork, hut with . n'ti'
OF the highest public spirit looking towafH IN" u
crease and lurroVtmeu. and prohi OF the pos'
| srr,lc. all over The land. New-Nork should nay
| an appropriation based upon tn" character oi u
| Luein,ss done (Which bears no parallel 10 any "lh
office in the country and the plan OF "A p'Ic'i',,
, | is a sort Of Chinese method. wholly unworthy u
! d,v and generation In which We live. with me r
: storation Of the power Of the Postnnster az N'|
T. | York and the money necessary TOT MS ihl'i''H''
= and effective MANAGEMENT. Of his Office. the post
| service here can be made superior 10 fhht oil Al
c,Lcr citv nj the world