Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-25
Annual Report of the Postmaster
General.
VALUE OF SUBSIDIZED STEAMSHIPS
Needed Change in the Eight-Hour
Law.
LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED

The annual report of Postmaster General
Smith has been made public. In opening
he touches upon the great growth in the
postal business, and presents figures show
ing how the service has increased. During
nomicaliy administered The deficit for
1890, 1t is estimated, will be ST. 265, sSS .O5,
and but for the gross abuse of the privilege
given by law TO second-class matter the
deficit would long ago have disappeared.
The operations of the military postal
service in the war with Spain are described
at length and details are given of the es-
Enlistment of the camp post offices.
Auxiliary Cruisers and Merchant
Marine.
The great value of the aid contributed
during the war with Spain by the steam
ships employed in the mail service of the
United States under the act of March 8,
1881, and converted under the terms of
that act into auxiliary cruisers, is recog-
E-zed. The St. Louis and the st. Paul,
which became a part of our effective fight
il < force under their own names, and The
New York ana Paris, which were rechris-
tened the Harvard and Yale, added very
materially to the strength OF the navy
and rendered a special and distinct service
fer which they We're uneqGaled Their SUI
periOr speed peculiarly fitted them to act
as scouts. and in actual encounter they
proved their fighting efficiency Independ-
ent of their value as fast mail steamers,
the part they played in our naval opera
tons INDICATED the broad policy of the
law under which they f1oated that flag. The
Postmaster General says:
THAT law was expressly intended to IA
mote commerce. Associated with that OBJ
ject was the design of reinforcing the navy
and furnishing quick and available means
of oftense and defense in time of war. Our
recent experience has illustrated and en-
phasiZed 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
steamers. capable of immediate conversion
into armed cruisers. In the further de-
velopment of our naval force this factor
cannot fail to receive consideration. and it
supplements and strengthens the reasons
for governmental action which are found
in the wisdom of promoting the upbuilding
of merchant marine. The advancement
of our commerce requires that we shall
have carrying facilities a commercial
marine is not only vital to commercial eX-
pansion 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 a legitimate
object of governmental concern, and the
adoption of practical and reasonable meas
ures within our power tor the promotion of
this object seems to be dictated by every
consideration Of public interest"
Rural Free Delivery.
The initial appropriation of $4,000 made
availble for 81 test of the rural free deliv-
cry service Was Incl eased for the present
fiscal year to the amount of s1j0,0o. Rural
free delivery has been enlarged in accord
ance with the greater appropriation pro-
vidCd, but not yet to the full extent author
lied. There has been a desire to put the
service into operation in as many states
as possible and to elicit the fullest express
sion of public opinion on the subject In
SEINE of the states where this experimental
service has not yet been fully tested, nota-
hly in the south, the prevalence of quaran-
tine restrictions and other impediments has
debarred action.
Letters have been addressed by the first
assistant postmaster general to every post
master within whose jurisdiction rural free
delivery has been put in force, and also to
representative citizens within the range of
the delivery, asking ali expression of their
views. Their replies indicate such a general
desire for the continuance and extension of
the service rs cannot fail to receive the
earnest consideration of Congress. The
wish that finds most general expression in
these communications is that some aSSur-
ance should be given of the permanence
of the service. 1t is asserted that if this
were done existing crudities and isolated
cases of lack of appreciation would dis
az pear and that rural free delivery would
demonstrate its capacity for becoming a
se.f-suppcrting branch of postal admins
tration.
1t is claimed that the local opposition that
occasionally manfeStS itself to the abolition
of fOurth-ciass post offices, which could be
supo rseded by rural free delivery with
great advantage tC the public service
woLld then disappear, and thus one obsta-
Gle to the economical establishment of the
service would be removed. Examina ton of
the detailed replies received indicates that
the least encouraging results have been ar
rived at in rural free delivery routes start
I'd prior to 1897 A revision and rearrange-
ment of the earlier established service is
in contemplation.
Free Delivery.
The extension of free delivery in the cit
les of the United States during the year has
been limited only by the amount appropri-
ated for this purpose. Fifty-nine offices
which had not previously enjoyed the bene-
fits Of this service have been brought with
in the free delivery classiIcati ton. This has
required the appointment of 215 letter car
riers at a cost of SS1 .OOO Congress provid-
ed Shob for new free delivery service.
The proper maintenance and extension of
free delivery in offices previously estab-
lished has necessitated the appointment of
424 carriers. There yet remain 10 Offices
entitled under the law. by reason of $4,000
gross receipts per annum or l",o1 poDu "a
ton, to the free delivery service whose
claims could not be allowed without Great
ing deficiency