The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-15
POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS.
F0sTMxsTER-G ENERAL GARY URGES
THEIR ESTA BLISBArENE
No Areues THAT they SNouid neveiop Thrift
Among the People and Tshd q Prsna'ts
Good { ittsenship aud the Growth or Fntriot-
,.m--Loss In Carrying seeeud-C1ass Matter.

ism--Loss In Carrying Seooud-Ciass Matter.
WASHINGTON. Nov. l4.-Postmaster-G General
Gary dcvotes q third Of his first annual report
10 n presentation Of his viows upon tho cstab'
lishmcnt OF postal savings banks, which no
strongly favors.
''Thc establishment Of n postal savings sys'
tom" he says, would tend inevitably to tho
cultivation Ut thrift in a large class Of people.
Through Its fundamentally those who have
been improvidont in little things and who have
not learned from experience that money makes
money will DO educated slowly but surely to
save a surplus over and above their living OK
penBcs, TO the end that q fund may DO created
which will provide for thom when sickness or
old ago overtakes them. When they realize
that their savings may DO 30 utilized under the
direction and care Of their Government that
even small amounts win earn money for them,
II Is but reasonable to suppose that they will
be melted TO greater exercise OF thrift and In
dustry. They would soon come to understand
the advantage Of depositing with the Govern
mont their surplus earnings, instead Of or.
pending them wastefully. and, therefore. use.
lessly. II but o small percentage Of the money.
q young person 'exponds unnecessarily, In tho
many ways known to all, could be saved and
wisely invested, there would be O competency
at band when old age comes.
Sin my judgment,;ho establishment Of post.
al savings repositories would tend to better
citizenship. II the masses Of people woro
thrifty and saving in their habits. they would
moro likely be contented and happy; and II
their hard.earned savings could be placed in the
hands Of tho Government, in the welfare Of
which they are all SO deeply concerned. it 10
reasonable to believe that they would conn
to. a better realization of the duties they owe TO
their country and consequently to each other.
The union of common interest would surely re-
suit In q broader, wiser, and moro useful citi-
Eenship. Tho successful operation Of o postal
savings deposit system would bring into closer
relationship the Government and its citizens
and result in the development of practical and
enduring patriotism. The citizen who feels
that he has q personal interest in the affairs of
government, beyond the payment Of his share
Of taxes and the discharge Of those other
duties common to all, is Of more value to the
Z community and the nation than one whose
conception Of citizenship means merely the per-
Torrance of those duties.
THE advantages to result from the adop-
tion OF o system SO promising in the growth Of
patriotic sentiment and good citizenship, in
my opinion, constitute a powerful appeal to
statesmanship to provide by law for the appli-
guences. With tho multiplication Of depos.
1tors would come the elevation OF the standard
SSfinS fi the peopls To ene the s'GR oVsrnSe nj .h the s stssn saS!
ssning Of tho . public credit and the ultimate
'The knowledge OF how TO save money has
boon brought home to millions in Europe by
the, postal savings repositories. The lesson
the practice Of their mature years, and saving
is easy. It has made capitalists Of the working
than. a a third Of the postal IS iu savings accounts MVii in
than two.thirds are held BY those who teil with
callings. 1t is essentially the bank of this class.
There is no other channel which could SO com.
Private enterprise In this country has left
the people OF many old communities, and ia q
any, facilities whereby they may protect and
invest their hard-earned savings. The sole
convenience which these people have enjoyed
this department. II additional argument is
easily 30 doducedp from the oper Ssdelns, Of I tSis
remarkable systoem; During the current year
more RE than Ia oo ~ 0 O9S: 600 81 fra ans aIsIs were %r5 made
&20o,o0O.o 600 were received. transmitted, and
paid out. Millions Of money orders were
eertfhed e Checks Ss aSe are y sn spS SsIef Tor 81 safe ssa and c Sas
y~enient carriage. Money orders were bought to
Of trustworthy banks. In one instance twenty.
five orders for 800 each were bought with
money Sasa a order system stt% has oS become 70 p a large exc ex.
tent the poor mans exchange. and the man of
means is often constrained to resort to it for
"Two.sevenths Of all the Post Offices in the
country. are money order centres, and not only
e eeo sas SSHiSniiFs sv s9 n 5 IL , Hearty w svary al dfTii.
!. .Eed country of the world also can be reached
S Ss 'b BEEN more nns n thsn do Sf b%SSn Syr 9paef the ehl lsst
tended, especially in the Mississippi Valley and
beyohd, during the next few years. In several
OF the newer states the number of offices will
be doubled. Already there are more, than
and soon there will be three times as many.
1T must be apparent therefore, that as a
medium Of e1sshaHnge the banks. Numerically.
distributively, their failure is, even more pro-
nopnced. Il. by appropriate Legislation, these
1nitely more facility for receiving interest bear
now. The system furnishes the machinery
which, In its equipment, methods, economy
the smallest possible friction or Increase Of
agents to the duties OF q postal savings deposi.
The Postmaster G General points out that
handling 100000 accounts, aggregating
Great sOO Britain at Earned sddSi a surplus q PET seo q s aR; s.ooo.
S Soo. P psSS,n ap II y Pc 500 eS o6o interest on $40 TSo goo.
age oomnission paid to Pos.master t is / cent cent
u deposit. Another and q greater benefit to
t nss G tS", c@1S T. he has. sSsy 3; Hes In The d prSSa,aDle
in the erection of public buildings for It's use.
Perhaps at no time in the history Of the Gov.
r vAiuioht, ho rays, was Ino u0Co65lty IOf bucl
buildings SO great as at present. This depart
ment alone Is paying approximately, Y, 3o0, 900
900. is expended for S32 buildings, leased out
right, for the use of first, second and a few third
class Post Offices in towns where the Federal
Government own no buildings or where the
buildings owned are inadequate for the service.
The total expendi ,uro for rents by the Govern.
ment during the last fiscal year closely approxi-
mated 5000, 900: All the departments and
Congress are paying annually for tho rent of
buildings in this city more than 5000 600. The
Government Is paying rent for buildings at q
rate equal TO and ranging from 8 to 10 per cent.
OF their value, when 1t could erect and occupy
better buildings at a cost not exceeding one
half Of the lower rates"
Tho loss on the transmission of sccond-class
matter engages the seriOus attention of the
Postinaste r- General. Ho says:
"A privileged class has been created, entitled
TO the use OF the United States mail service
either free of charge or at a cost far below the
prico the Government Is compelled to pay the
railroad companies for the transportation Of
the mails thus carried. The right thus con
ierred Is bestowed upon, persons engaged In pri
vate enterprises, and innres simply to theil
emolument, without any appreciable benefit Il
the public at large. while the cost of this scr
vice, now amounting To more than $26, 200. 00(
II year, is betrayed out OF tho proceeds OF tax
Afinn II Rn Nvp frnpt a III AL aaau ~ fha ,anrIa Nh