Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-11-28
VITAL AFFAIRS,
Annual Report of Postmaster General
80 81 Wilson.

Annual Report of Postmaster General
49, Wilson.
Washington, Nov. 25.-Postmaster-Gen-
eral[ Wilson, in his annual report Of the OPP
GRAFTON Of the post office department, rs-
marks that the financial and industrial de-
preston which has seriously affected the
revenues Of the postal service for the past
two years and disappointed the estimates
OF his predecessors extended far enough
into the fiscal year 1895 to make an unusual
ly wide gap between revenues and expendi-
lures. 1t is gratifying, however, to report
that large part of this deficiency occurred
In the first quarter of the year, and that
since then the revenues of the department
have reflected the general returning pros
perlty of the country. He aScribes the
gross abuse of second-cla rates of post
age as the chief cause Of the yearly deficit
In postal revenues. He repeats and in
dorses the recommends ton of his prede-
cessors. Bissell and Wanamaker, for An
amendment Of the law in regard to the
transportation of second-class matter and
says:
1T Is the estimate of the department that
tWo-thirds in weight Of all the matter car
lied In the mails Is, under existing laws
nhd classlncations, carried as second-class
matter, at the rate Of one cent a pound,
where 1t is not actually carried postage
free. The aggregate weight Of second-class
matter IN the year 1894 was 299.OUO.OoO
pounds. During the last year it increased
to over 312,OOo.0C0, a growth of over l3,oOO,-
CO0 pounds. Deducting the weight Of that
which Is known as county free being
the matter which is circulated among SUBJ
scrlbers free OF postage i'll the respective
counties OF publication, estimated to be
1882, 1875 pounds, there remained 265, 3ll,-
3o2 pounds, which returned, at the rate of
one cent per pound. a revenue of $685.
1882. The average cost to the department
a a =
Is estimated at eight cents per pound.
OF the extension Of civil ser.ice
rules to letter carriers, he says: An IN
dlspenSable basis OF good service has been
laid by placing the carrier force under ;h,
civil service system, and no effort Should TIE
spared Ivy the department to insure Il high
morale III this force and to iamii!ariZc lie
idea among individual carriers that as they
enter the service by merit system alone
SO, likewise, they remain in it by no tenure,
but by faithful and efficient discharge Of
duty, which demands self-respect and hon
orable living. 1t is inevitable that few in
diViduals here and there should interpret
ms stability OF employment as pc: SOnal
privilege, encouraging SlOVenly service ami
INSTRUMENTATION to superior officers, ratilcr
than reform based ON considerati tons Ut a
better public service; and such instances
have occurred and will doubtless continue
to occur, even after the full meaning OF THE
SAFA oC1FACe SS StcIIl Is uiOGlSlOOO anu
cepted. But it is gratifying TO report that
as whole, and by such overwhelming pre-
dominance as to make the exceptions more
prominent, the army of letter carriers is al
ways faithful. efficient and honorable"
The postmaster general desires civil
service methods to be carried still further
and higher in the post office department.
He says: 1.-TWO OF my assistants are
charged, each. with the expenditure of
over s4O.O0O,OOO annually. together with the
management and discipline of tens of
thousands Of employees. The duties of the
other two are not less OnerouS and multi
pick. If such officials are to be the real
heads of this bureau, Intimately acuuaint-
ed with all the machinery and working of
them, competent to direct and able to M
fuse their own Intelligence and zeal among
their subOrdinateS, they Should have a ten
ure at least as assured from the mutations
and chances Of political contest as those
subOrdinateS. The continuity of the de-
partment should be preserved in changes
OF administration, not only along the line
OF its subordinate and separate service but
In that lalser grasp Of its history, its daily
work and lis heaIthful progress, which is
found alone with those who direct and con-
troll its chief bureaus concur, therefore,
in the Judgment Of one OF my recent pre-
decessors, that at least three Of the as
Slstant postmaster generals should held
their offices by civil service or mei it ten
ure, ana not by political tenure. | re-
Train from Offering q like opinion as to the
IOurtn assistant postmaster general, be-
cause foul th-ciaSs pOStmasterS, whose au-
pointment is primarily allotted to hlnl, al
Yet outside Oh that tenure
THE question Of eXtendIngs civil service
methods To the selection OF fourth-cIass
poStnaSters has naturally received my
attention since / have ueeu at. the head
OF this department. 1t is DeStt with dIf-
hcultleS, which my experience as a reure-
sentative In congress OF a large country
district. during three changes Of admifis-
tIatlOn, brought home to NE more clearly
than Ihey might appear TO theoretical
reforlller, Or ~ The representative of II city
constituency. l have studied various bills
introduced III DOtn branches OF cOlisreSs
In recent years, and welcomed SUGGESTIONS
from other quarters. Eul | 90 lot lind
myself able TO make, as yet, any specific
Recommendations on this IMPORTANT SUBJ
ject in the Lille OF the leg IsI4t.ou winch has
been proposed.
THE oluer which you have recently ap-
proved, providing that when the postmus-
ter general shall consolidate with d free
delivery Office any other post office such
consolidation shall carry into the class
ified Service at the free delivery office the
post ONCE department roster Of employ es
OF the office consolidated, including the
postmaster, may be accepted as the be-
ginning and foundation not only OF Il bet
ter postal service of the public a better
and more business-like accounting TO this
department, but also wise extension Of
the civil service system to postmasters
1t is my purpose to proceed under the au-
thority OF this order as discreelly as can,
and i'll the long run as far as experience
will justify, SO as to secure these COM
menuable results