The record-union., 1897-11-15
First Annual Report Of Postmaster.
General Gary.
Its Main Feature Is a Strong Advocacy
Of Them.


People and Ultimately be Of In
estimable Benefit to the Whole
Country.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE first
annual report of Postmaster General
James A. Gary to the President was
made public tonight. It's feature is
the strong advocacy Of postal savings
| repositories as a. scheme over which
| Postmaster General Gary has worked
for several months in the formulation
of plans to present to the President and
| Congress. He says the time is ripe for
the establishment, and that the addi-
tion OF a well-organized system would
| confer a great boon upon a large num-
Der of people, and ultimately be of in
estimable benefit to the whole country.
| The estimates of revenues and expend-
itures for the fiscal year ending June
30 1899, are: Total postal revenue for
| 1897, $50, ,665, ,462 73; add per cent,
81 133. 213 13. Estimated revenue for
| 1898, $50, 79S, 735 sc; add Z per cent,
| S6075,511 80
Total estimated revenue for 1899,
So, ,SIl CAT 81: estimated expenditures
for 1898. S9S,922 760; deficiency for
1899 estimated at $604S,112 e3 Fol-
| lowing is an abstract of the report:
The increase of the postal deficit for
1897 is largely a reflection of the de-
pressed conditions which prevailed all
over the United States the first three
quarters of that period There have
| been no extravaganza of expenditures
save that obligated by law Reiterat-
ing the injustice inflicted both upon
| the postal revenues and the people by
second class mail matter carriage reg
uations, the enactment by Congress Of
some measure to remedy the wrong,
pointed out by past Postmasters- Cen
eral, is urged. AS to this, the Postmas-
ter-Gereral says:
If this were done there would be
an end to postal deficits, and the serv-
ice could be enlarged and popularized
by broad extension of free delivery
without infringement upon the general
| resources 9Th Government, and
eventually result in the much-desired
reduction of letter postage of l cent
per ounce.
No method of perfect organization of
the postal service has proved more ef-
1ectlVe than the consolidation of post
offlce5- Legislative restrictions ON it's
development are to be regretted, and a
report of the five-mie limit consolida-
ton measure in the 1896 postal appro-
priaticn 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
of Government, the granting of the best
possible postal facilities to the farm
ing class.
The report reviews in detail the on
erations of the various branches of the
department. The portion on the sub-
ject Of postal savings, in brief. follows.
Many millions of dollars are undoubt-
edly secreted by people who have little
or no confidence in ordinary securities
and monetary institutions organized bv
private citizens. 1t is dead capital. but
if its owners could be inspired with ab-
solute confidence in the security of a,
| investment it is altogether prohable
that the bulk of this fund would find
its way into the channels of trade and
commerce. If the Government under
took this task. the service would nm
doubtedly be gladly accepted by the
people. Their faith in the Government
is unnounded. Their little savings
which separately could hardly be put
out at interest, would amount in the
aggregate, TO sum that could he in
fully ard uselessly expending IT. would
tend to cultivate thrift in large class
reallzing the advantage of depositing
with the Government instead of waste
fully ana uselessly expending it would
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 constitutes a pow
erful appeal to statesmanship to make
a way for those benefcent consa-
quences. The proposition is an accom-
plfshed fact in nearly every country in
Europe, in British dependencies Of both
hemispheres, and even in Hawaii. In
Great Britain seven million depositors
have upward of $3.50 600. 900 in savines
accumulated during thirty-five wears
and IN ten years fewer than 10000 Ha-
waiian depositors saved nearly 81. 600.
600. Deposits in Canada in twenty
years exceeded SD 100000
Those vast accumulations have hean
made with the least possible loss to
the Governments which guarantee their
repayment, and with a minimum of
cost to the millions of depositors. Moro
than thousand postal savings ar
counts in European offices arr, hold hy
minors, and over two-thirds bv tbosa
of the most humble callings. II ;s &c
sentially the bank of this class. Postal
savings would not conflict with those
savings banks, but would encoura 90
savings rather than accumulations The
conversion of money order Offices into
savings repositories would soon afford
indefinitely more facilities for receiving
interest-bearing deposits than the inter-
est-paying banks do now. The most
aggressive opponents are among tha
private institutions engaged in some
what similar enterprises. though asso-
Citations of larger cities recognize in II
valuable feeder to the financial cur-
rents of the country.
Security. 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 ilIimitable field.
Comparing other countries, the Post
master General says every country per-