Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-15
POSTMASTER GENERAL GARY
Announces Condition Of Postal Service and
Business Of Past Year.

washington, Nov. 1.-THE first an
nual report of Postmaster General
James A. Gray to the President was
mac. publac. tonight. Its feature is
the strong advocacy of postal savings
depos.. ories, scheme over which
Postmaster General Gray has wormed
for many months in the formulation of
plans to present to the President and
Congress. He says the time Is ripe
for their establishment and that the
adoption of a well organized system
would confer great boon upon large
number OF people and ultimately be of
inestimable benefit to the whole coun-
and expenditures fer the fiscal yeai
ending June 20. 1899, are Total posta.
revenue for 1897, $S2, 565. 4G273: add S
per cent, $4133.213t -. Estimated rev.
enue for 1853. $50, 1913, 1856: add I PEI.
cent, s6075,9ll5l. Total estimated
revenue for 1899, $92.s74.647.37; estimat-
ed expenditures for 1892 $9S. 1922. 760 90;
deficiency for 1899 estimated $6,04S 1928
Following is an abstract of the re-
port. The increase for the postal deficit
for 1897. is largely reflex of the de-
pressed business conditions which pre-
vailed all over the United States dur
ing the first three-quarters of that
period. There has been no extrava-
gance OF expenditure. save that obi
gated by law. Reiterating the injus-
tice inflicted both upon the postal rev.
enues and the people by second class
mail matter carriage regulations, the
enactment by Congress of some meas
ure to remedy the wrong, similarly
pointed out by past postmaster gen
eral, is urged. AS to this the postmas-
ter general says IF this were done
there would he an end to postal deficits
and the service could be enlarged and
populariZed by broad extension of
free delivery without infringement up
on the general resources Of the govern
ment. and eventually result in the
much desired reduction of letter post
age toll cent per ounce"
No method of perfecting the organ
iZation Of the postal service has proved
more effective than the consolidation
Of pos.ofiices. Legislative restrictions
On its development are to be regretted
and a repeal of the 5-mile limit consol-
idation measure in the 1896 postal ap-
preparation bill is recommended.
The experimental rural free delivery
has been generously appreciated: few
expenditures have conferred greater
benefits in proportion, and it has un
questionably proved a potent factor in
attaining what should be a chief aim
CT government, the granting of the best
possible postal facilities to the farming
class. The report reviews in detail the
operations of the various branches of
the department. The portion on the
subject Of postal savings, in brief, fol-
lows:
Many millions of dollars is undoubt-
eddy secretei by people who have little
or no confidence in ordinary securities
and monetary institutions organized by
private citizens. 1t is dead capital.
but if its owners could be inspired with
absolute confidence in the security of
an investment it is altogether proba-
BILE that the bulk of this would find its
way into the channels of trade and
commerce. If tine government under
took this task the service would un-
doubtedly 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 adj
vantage. 1t would tend to cultivate
thrift in a large class: realizing the adj
vantage of depositing with the govern
ment instead of wastefully and use
lessly eXpending it would tend to bet
ter citizenship. bringing into closer re-
a ion hin tho ,,6 re niti-
Zens and developing practical and en-
during patriotism. This growth of pat
riotic sentiment and good citizenship
constitute powerful appeal to states
to make a way for these bene-
ficent consequences. The proposition
is an accomplished fact in nearly every
country in Europe, in the British de-
Tendencies of both hemispheres. and
even in Hawaii. In Great Britain T.
100000 depositors have upward of $780,
100000 in savings accumulated during
80 years: and in 10 years fewer than
10000 Hawaiian depositors saved near
ly $1,000.000 These vast accumula-
tons have been made with the least
possible loss to the governments, which
their payment, and with a
cost to the millions of de-
positors. More than third of the pos
tai savings accounts in European Off
ceS are held by minors and over two
thirds by the most humble callings 1t
is essentially the bank of this class
Postal savings would not conflict with
these savings banks but would encour-
age savings rather than accumulationS
The conversion of money order Offices
into savings repositories would soon
afford infinitely more facility for re-
ceiving interest-bearing deposits than
the interest-paying banks do now. The
most aggressive opponents are among
the private institutions engaged in
somewhat similar enterprises, though
of the larger cities recog-
nize in it valuable feeder 10 the
financial currents of the country Sc |
curity and not the rate of interest is
the primary and essential condition of
such system; and bonds of states,
counties and municipalities and real
estate furnish an illimitable field. Com
pairing other countries, the postmaster
general says nearly every country per-
lnits its most popular coin as the mini
mum amount of deposit, varying from
five cents in India to 81 in Canada |