Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-12-09
To gBar SeriaIaLibrariess


Our mail service should Of course be
such as to meet the wants and even the
conveniences Of our people at direct
charge upon them so light as perhaps 10
exclude the idea of our postot1ce depart
ment being a money-mak1ng concern, OuC
in the face Of a constantly recurring ue-
ficiency in it's revenues, and In view OF tue
fact that we supply the best mail service
in the world, it seems to me 1t is quite
time to correct the abuses that swell
enormously our annual deficit. IT we con-
cede the public policy Of carrying weekly
newspapers free in the county or puDllcd-
ton, and even the policy OF carrying at
less than one-tenth Of their cost other
bona fide newspapers and periodicals, there
can be no excuses subjecting the service
to the further immense and increasing loss
involved in carrying at the nominal rate
of 1 cent a pound the serial llDrarles'
sometimes including trashy and even
harmful literature and other matters
which, under the loose interpretation of a
loose statute, has been gradually given
second-class rates, thus absorbing all prof.
liable returns derived from first-class mat
ter which pays three or four times more
than it's cost, and producing large an
nual loss to be paid by general taxation.
If such second-class matter paid mercy
the cost Of it's handling, our dehc1t would
disappear and a surplus result which
might be used to give the people still bet
ter mail facilities or cheaper rates or let
ter postage. / recommend that legislation
be at once enacted to correct these abuses
and introduce better business ideas in the
regulation of our postal rates. Experience
and observation have demonstrated that
certain improvements in the organization
of the Postoffice department must be Sc
cured before we can gain the full Denent
of the immense sums expended IN us al
ministration. This involves the following
reforms which 1 earnestly recommend:
To Watch the Carriers.
There should be a small addition to the
existing inspector service, to be employed
in the supervision of the carrier force,
which now numbers 900 men and per-
forms its service practically without the
surveillance exercised over all other
branches of the postal or public service.
OF course such a lack of supervision and
freedom from wholesome disciplinary re-
straints must inevitably lead to imperfect
service. There should also be appointed
few inspectors who could assist the
central Office in necessary investigation
concerning matters of poStoffice leases,
postoffice Sites allowances for rent, fuel
and lights, and in organizing and securing
the best results from the work of the Ii, 900
clerks now employed in first and second
class offices.
l am convinced that all the expense at
tending the inauguration Of these reforms
would actually be a profitable investment.
1 especially recommend such a recasting
Of the appropriations by Congress for the
postof1ce department as will permit the
postmaster general to proceed with the
work of consolidating postoffices. This work
has already been entered upon sufficiently
to fully demonstrate, by experiment and
experience, that such consolidation is pro-
ductive of better service, larger revenues
and less expenditures, to say nothing OF
the further advantage of gradually with
drawing postoffices from the spoils system.
The Universal Postal Union.
The universal postal union, which now
embraces all the civilized world and whose
delegates will represent 1000, 900 900 peo-
pie, will hold it's fifth congress in the city
O. washington in May, 1897. The United
States may be said to have taken the in
itiatiye which led to the first meeting of
this congress at Berne in 1874, and the
formation OF the universal postal union,
which brings the postal service OF all coun-
tries to every mans neighborhood and has
wrought marvels in cheapening postal rates
and securing absolutely safe mail commune
cation throughout the world. Previous con-
crosses have met in Berne, Paris, Lisbon
and Vienna and the respective countries in
which they have assembled have made gen
erous provision for their accommodation
and for the reception and entertainment Of
the delegates. In view Of the Importance
Of this assemblage and of its deliberations,
and OF the honors and Inequalities &C
corded to our representatives by other
countries Oh similar occasions, / earnestly
hope that such an appropriation will be
made for the expenses necessarily attend
ant upon the coming meeting in ouT CAPT
tai city as will be worthy Of our national
hospitality and indicative of our apprecia-
ton of the event.
In affairs of the navy and interior de-
partments, there is nothing in the mes
sage not contained in the reports of the
secretaries.