The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-22
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Receives the Endorsement OF First
Assistant Postmaster General
Heath


Washington, Oct. 22.-The report of
First Assistant Postmaster General
Perry S. Heath for the fiscal year end
ed June 80, has been made public The
following is an abstract:
Special attention is called to the ne
cessity of additional facilities for the
division of salaries and allowances but
above all other recommendations is
placed one making provision for
small corps of special agents-abOut
fen-whO are expert accountants famil-
dar with real estate values, to inquire
in the field into pOStmasteTs' requisi-
T1OnS and demands and to reach a just
ascertainment of merit in such purely
business matters as cannot be obtained
by correspondence. There should also
be fixed a more severe penalty for the
punishment of pOStmaSters who peddIe
postage stamps with a view to increas-
ing their salaries, resulting in the dl-
munitlOn OF the net receipts OF the gov
ernment. Authority should be given
10 secure leases of postoffice stations
for a period of ten instead of five
years
on July 1, there were 3,733 presiden-
tial pOstOhfces; embracing 169 first
class, $50 SecOnd-claSS and 2,S14 third
class The net increase for the year IN
the salaries of the pOStmasterS at these
offices is S97, 800 With the cOnsOlida-
tion of the present independent post
offices within the limits of the new city
OF New York, a saving OF at least S62,-
T23 in salaries and commissions of post
masters will be effected. Another con-
Sidera BILE reduction in expenses may be
made by the merging, or the abolish
ment IN many cases OF the SeVeraI
heads of divisions and other officials
receiving the higher salaries. Congress
should not only repeal the law prOvid-
ing that no postOffice eSta blished at
any county seat shall be abolished or
discontinued by reason of any cOnsOh-
datiOn of pOstOfflces under the existing
law but should also authorize the post
master general to extend consolidation
wherever, in his belief, the service may
be thereby benefited.
The estimates for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1899, embrace $16, 25OO0O for
compensation of pOstmasters; for clerk
hire $11.300, 900; rental and purchase of
cancelling machines $125. 900; rent, fuel
and light, 81, $50, 900; miscellaneous items
and furniture, 100000 and advertising
$50, OOO
A plea is made for the purchase of
the postal stations in the larger cities
and that for the reclassificatiOn of
pOstOffice clerks renewed.
The estimate for the free delivery
service fOr the fiscal year June, 1899, is
$13,S1O,4OO- Since the close of the fiscal
year, 1897, the service has been estab-
1ished in more than 40 offices and before
the close of the current year, all offices
entitled to the service will receive the
same
Domestic and international money or
ders issued aggregated 26,113, 240,
amounting to $1SS, OIL ,056, aggregate
number of payments and repayments
25,5S0, $50, amounting to $1SO,141, 500
There were 5,961, $50 pieces of original
unclaimed matter received at the dead
letter Office. a decrease of 276, ,403
The special letter and collection boxes
operated in Baltimore in connection
with the public street car service is
held to be successful and when apprO-
priatiOns permit will be extended to
other cities. The affixing of letter
boxes to the ordinary street cars to IA
cilitate mail collection is also to be ta-
ken up. The total appropriations made
of carriers up to date aggregate 81, ,820,-
600. Total claims allowed on this ratio
will reach 50, 500, 600.
Rural free delivery has been put to
the test of practical experiment in 20
states and over "A different routes. The
has in every instance been effectively
given. The general satisfactory re
suits suggest the feasibility of making
rural delivery a permanent feature of
postal administration in the United
States; not Immediately or in all dis
trictS at once but in some gradual and
graduated form regulated by the pres
quires some advancement to be made
and that the postal service should be
brought more into line with advancing
prosperity and increasing population.
Sooner or later the United States will
have to follow the lead of the more
densely populated countries and estab-
ISh a delivery service over all the set
tied portions of the vast territory I'm
der wise restrictions, it can be extended
with great advantage to a class of our
citizens who rightly or wrongly deem
themselves neglected in legislatiO
the agricultural class-and without
serious detriment to the revenues.