The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-26
Postmaster General Smiths Report on
the Work of the Governments
Most Popular Department..
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MAIL
HANDLED WITH DISPATCH AND AC-
CURACY BY TRAINED CLERKS.
POstOffices Established i'm Cuba, Porto
Rico and the PhiIippines-In-
crease in Business.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-The most inter-
esting review of the postal service for some
years, owing to it's operation in military
and naval fields, is the report of Postmaster
General Charles Emory Smith. Aside from
the discussion of the regular branches OF
the department, it tells of the work accom-
plished and policies adopted in our terri
torial acquisitions. The postmaster general
says: 1.-THE war entailed the necessity of a
military postal service, and prompt measures
were required for handling the mails of an
army of a quarter of a million men. Large
postoffices were suddenly created at the
camps of concentration, the exigences of
constant changes and movements were met
and the military and naval forces in active
service in the West Indies and Philippines
had prompt and constant postal communica-
ton with home. These military postoffices
were clothed with all postal powers Some
of the larger camps increased the volume of
postal business to that of cities of high rank.
Quick and intelligent management was de-
manded and trained clerks detailed from
available points. Railway mail cars were
stationed at convenient points on sidetracks
as postoffices. To provide bonded officials
and postal supplies these offices were con-
stituted branches of some city office. AT
some camps a temporary rural free delivery
service was operated. A special appropria-
ton of $50, 600 by Congress for military postal
service was inadequate, and, with our cam
paigns On remote soil, already has been ex-
hausted."
Continuing the report says: when our
troops advanced into Cuba the postal service
advanced with them When Santiago sur
rendered United States Postal Agent Eben
Brewer took possession of the postoffice of
that city, which was made the military post
office. He removed the Spanish director
and ten of it's large force of clerks, retain
ing some as interpreters, and gave the office
a far better footing with a much smaller
force. Now there are four deliveries in
the business portion of Santiago city, anG
regular mail communication has been es
tablished with Havana and intermediate sea
ports and with Jamaica and other West In
dies islands. Service also has been extended
into Santiago province.
1.-The postal service accompanied our arms
and our flag to Porto Rico. From Ponce 1t
was extended as rapidly as different places
passed into our possession, until now there
are twelve military postal stations there,
having postal connections with many smaller
places They are under the direction of
superintendent detailed from the railway
mail service, who acts in conjunction with
the military commander, with a force of six
railway mail clerks, three postal agents and
thirty-two clerks, including four Spanish
translators
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
I'm the Philippines two military postal
stations have been established at Manila and
Cavite, supervised by veteran division
superintendent detailed from San Francisco,
and conducted by force of railway mail and
postoffice clerks and agents, assisted by de-
tails from the army of occupation"
Postmaster General Emory Smith says:
when Porto Rico and portions of Cuba and
the Philippines passed into the military pos
session of the United States measures for
the continuance or restoration of general
mail facilities seemed to be an essential ele-
ment of the beneficent presence of American
authority. By order of the President the
establishment of the postal service followed
the extension of military occupation. In
harmony with the general policy adopted for
the administration of the civil institutions
in the regions which thus came under our
control, the local system provisions were re-
tanned as far as practicable and adapted to
our methods. The general postal service
was associated with the military postal
service and operated by the same machn-
cry No new appointments, save in one or
two instances, were made Trained men
from our home service were detailed as
superintendent and agents and placed in
charge of the larger offices, retaining such
of the old employees as were needed or
places the old postmasters are continued or
other local officers found. There has al
ready been a great Improvement over the
old Spanish service and the work has only
just begun.
''The acquisition of Hawaii has not thus
far been followed by any change in our pos
tai relations with that country The alb
sorption of its postal system into our own
and the exercise of our control, like the in
corporation of other features of its local
administration, has awaited the report of
the congressional committee and the legis-
lation which will follow. There was the
more reason for observing this obligation
as Hawaii already has a good mail service
which is more than self-sustaining.
AUXILIARY CRUISERS.
Regarding the effective work of auxiliary
cruisers and merchant marine in the war,
the postmaster general says: 1.-THE great
value of the aid contributed during the war
by steamships employed in our mail service
and converted under the act of March g.
1891, into auxiliary cruisers, is universally
recognized. The st. Louis and the st. Paul
and the New York and Paris. the last two
rechristened the Harvard and Yale, added
materially to the naval strength and gave
unequaled special and distinct service Their
superior speed peculiarly fitted them to act
as scouts, and in actual encounter they
proved their fighting efficiency Independ-
the part they played in our naval opera
tons vindicated the broad policy of the
law under which they floated our flag
Our recent experience has illustrated and
emphasized the importance of this resource,
and has demonstrated that one of the most
effective and economical bulwarks of naval
power is the possession of swift mail steam
erS, capable of immediate conversion into
armed cruisers. In the further DEVELOPMENT
of our naval force this factor cannot fail
to receive consideration, and it supplements
and strengthens the reasons for govern
mental action which are found in the wis
dom of promoting the upbuiding of a
merchant marine The advancement of our
commerce requires that we shall have car
only vital to commercial expansion but ii
provides the best source for the expansion
of the naval force which becomes necessary
in time of war. From every point of view
it is thus q legitimate object Of govern
mental concern. and the adoption of prac-
teal and reasonable measures within our
power for the promotion of this object
seems to be dictated by every consideration
of public interest.
THE act of 1891 invested the postmaster
general with authority to enter into such
contracts for the carrying of mails on
American steamships as. in his Judgment
will best subserve and promote the postal
and commercial interests of the United
States. The first fruits of this act were the
powerful steamers which, converted into
armed cruisers rendered such useful service
in the war with Spain. They were EMPLOYED
in carrying the mails across the Atlantic
and compare favorably with the Atlantic
steamers under any flag But the act
further provided that the mail service on
lines thus created should be equtably dis
tributed among the Atlantic Mexican gulf
and Pacific ports In accordance with this
provision lines have been established to