The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-11-19
GARY FAY0RS THEM.
Savings Banks Strongly Advocated BY
the Postmaster General.
says They WO6Id Encourage Thrift Among
the People and Afford Absolute safety
to Timfd DepositOrs-PIan Is
q Success Abroad.

WASHINGTON, Nov. I5.-The first an
nual report Of Postmaster General
James A Gary to the president was
made public last night It's feature is
the strong advocacy of postal savings
repositories He says the time is ripe
for the establishment, and that the
addition Of a wen organized system
would confer & great boon upon large
number Of people, and ultimately be Of
inestimable benefit to the whole coun-
try. The portion on the subject Of
postal savings, in brief, follows:
Would Tend to Cultivate Thrift
Many millions Of dollars are undoubtedly Sc
creted By people who have little or no conf
dence in ordinary securities and monetary in
stitUtiOns organized BY private citizens It is
dead capital But il its owners could be in
spired with absolute confidence in the security
OF an investment. il is altogether probable that
the bulk Of this fund would find its way into the
channels Of trade and commerce. II the gov
eminent undertook this task the service would
undoubtedly be gladly accepted by the people
Their faith in the government is unbOunded-
Their little savings. which separately could
hardly be put out at interest, would amount in
the aggregate to a sum that could be invested
To their advantage It would tend TO cultivate
thrift in a large class, realizing the advantage
OF depOSiting with the government instead Of
tend to better relatiOnship-bring into closer
relationship the government and its citizens
and develop practical and enduring patriotism
This growth Of patriotic sentiment and good
citizenship constitute a powerful appeal to
craftsmanship to make a way for these beneh-
cent consequences
where Opposition Comes from
The proposition is an accomplished fact in
nearly every country In Europe, in the British
dependencies Of both hemispheres and even in
Hawaii In Great Britain 1000. 900 depositOrs
have upward Of $3.50 OOO,COJ in savings aecumu-
lated during s. years and in ten years no fewer
than 1000 Hawaiian depositors saved nearly
81. 10000 Deposits in Canada in 20 years ex-
have been made with the least possible loss TO
the governments, which guarantee their repay
ment, and with a minimum Of cost to the mil
lions Of depOSitOrs- More than / COO postal
savings accounts in European ofices are held
by minors and over twO-thirds by the most
humble callings- It is essentially the bank OF
this class Postal savings would not conflict
with those OF savings banks but would encOur-
age savings rather than accommodations. The
conversion Of money order Offices into savings
repositories would soon afford indefinitely
more facility for receiving interest-bearing de-
posts than the interest paying banks do now
The most aggressive opponents are among the
private institutions engaged in somewhat sim
liar enterprises, though associations Of the
larger cities recognize in it valuable feeder to
the financial currents Of the country. Security,
e.
essential condition. Of szoh a system5 and bonds
Of states, counties and municipalities and real
estate furnishes an illimitable field
Estimates for the Year.
The revenues and expenditures for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1899,
are: Total postal revenue for 1897,
So, Cos, 1852. 70; add five per cent. 81, 1884,
2T3.13. Estimated revenue for 1898,
SS6, 79S, 7S5. Sc; add seven per cent So
OT5, 91151 Total estimated revenue for
1899. S92, s74647, 81; estimated expend-
itures for 1S9S, S9s, 922, 700; deficiency
for 1899 (estimated), Sc, O4S, 112.63. Fol-
lowing is an abstract Of the report:
To Remedy the Postal Deficit
The increase Of the postal deficit for
1897 is largely a reflection Of the de-
pressed business conditions which pre-.
vailed all over the United States the
first three-quarters OF that period.
There has been no extravaganza of ex-
penditures, save that obligated By law.
Reiterating the injustice inflicted both
upon the postal revenues and the people
by second-class mail matter carriage
regulations, the enactment by con-
gress Of some measure to remedy the
wrong, similarly pointed out by past
postmaster generals, IS urged. As to
NlAS ELC pDSLALAd5LcE BcuGEdA says II
this were done there would be an end
to postal deficits, and the service would
be enlarged and pOpularizsd by a
broad extension OF the free delivery
without infringement upon the gen
eral resources Of the government, and
eventually result in the much desired
reduction of letter postage to one cent
per ounce
Consolidation and Rural Delivery
No method Of perfect organization
Of the postal service has proved more
effective than the consolidation OF
post Offices Legislative restrictions
on its development are to be regretted
and report Of the fve-mile limit con-
solidatiOn measure in the 1896 postal
appropriation bill is recommended.
The experimental rural free delivery
has been generously appreciated; few
expenditures have conferred greater
benefits in proportion, and it has I'M
questionably proved a potent factor In
attaining what shOuld be chief aim
OF government, the granting of the
best possible postal facilities to the
farming class.