The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-11

that since then the revenues OF the depart.
ment have reflected the general returning Of
prosperity to the country. he ascribes the
gross abuse Of second-class rates OF POSTAGE
as the chief cause OF the yearly delcit In
postal revenues. He repeats and endorses
the recommendations of his predecessors
Blssell and Wanamaker, for an amendment
Of the law In regard TO the trans orfation os
second-class matter, and says.
sit Is the estimate OF the department that
two-thirds In weight Of all the mattsrcarriedl
in the mails Is, under existing laws and
classiacations, carried as second GLASS
matter at the rate Of one cent pound,
where 1t Is not actually carried postaee1
free. The aggregate weight Of sscond-I
class matter In the year 1894 was z99, ,000. .0003
pounds. During the last year 1t increased
to over 812, 900 900, growth Of fover IS 900 81
900 pounds. Deducting the weight of: that
matter which is circulated among auhscrlh-
ers free of postage IN the respective c6untt6A,
of publication, estimated to be 46, ,820, 1881
pounds, there remained 285, ,9i4 ,S0i pounds
which returned. at the rate OF one cont al
| pound, revenue OF $2.65S, ,14S. 80. The
average cost to the department Of transport
ing and handling this matter Is estimated At
eight cents per pound. i.
Speaking Of the extension OF civil sarvicej
rulesto letter carriers, he Says: ~
"An Indispensable basis OF good service
was laid by placing the carrier force under
the civil service system, and no efforts
should be spared by the department to tnSurel
high morale In this force and to FAINT miliarizel
the idea among individual carriers that
as they enter the service by the merit
system alone,t SO likewise they remain In
it by no tenure but that OF the faithfull
and eflcient discharge. of duty which DER
mands self-respect and honorable living. "a
Is inevitable that few individuals here and
there should interpret this stability Of em-l
pIoyment as personal privilege, enoourag.,
ing sloyenly service and insubordinatton TO-,
SUPERIOR officers, rather than reform
based on considerations OF better
public service; and such instances
have occurred and will doubtless
continue to OCCUR, even after the full mean.
ing of the civil service system Is understood
and accepted. But It Is gratifying oreport!
that as whole. and by such overwhelming
predominanceas to make the exception moro
prominent, the army OF letter carriers -
alert. faithful. efficient and honorable
tsThe Postmaster General desires eiytl SER.
vice methods to be carried still further and I
higher In the Postof1ce Department. He
recommends that at least three OF the AS-i
sistsnt Postmasters-G General should secrret
their office by q ciyil service or merit ten
ure, and not by political tennre. ha re-
frains from Offering q like opinion as 20 the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster eenerai, per-
cause the fourth-class Postmasters, whose.
appointments are primarily; allotted to htms
are vet outside Of that tenure.
s4Ths question Of extending civil service |
methods to the selection Of ffourth-class POST
masters" he says, 'has naturally rsceiyed /
INV attention since have been at the head
Of this department. It Is teset with DIM
culties, which my experience as arspresenfa-t
tive In Congress Of large country distice !
during three changes or ADMINISTRATOR
brought home to me more cieariyf
than they might appear to theoretcats
reformer or to the representative OF CITY
constituency. have studied various bills
introduced In both branches OF Congress In
recent wears, and welcomed suggestions from
other quarters, but do not find myself able
to make as vet any specific Recommendations
on this important subject in the line OF ieGis-s
lation which has4een proposed.
"The order recently approved by the
President providing that when the Postmas- !
ter-General shall consolidate with free del
livery Office any other postof1ioe such con-3
solidation shall carry into the classified SER
vice at the free delivery office the Postoficer
Department roster Of employees OF the omcet
consolidated, including the Postmaster, may
be eaccepted as the beginning and foundattont !
not only of better postal service OF the puo-I
lie and a better and more buslness-.tke ac-
counting 10 this department, but also q wise !.
extension OF the civil service system
to Postmasters. 1t is my purpose to pro-
ceed under the authority OF this order as
discreetly as can, and in the long run as |
far as experience will justify, SO as to secure
these commendable results. Is: Ia
The other points discussed In the Post :
MASTER Generals report have been substan.t /
TALLY covered by reports OF the Assistant
Postmasters-G General and bureau chiefs
heretofore made public.