The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-12-03

for somes years. owing to its operations
in military and naval fields, is the re-
port of Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. Aside from the discus
sion OF the regular branches of the de-
partmIent, it tells of the work accom-
plished and the policies adopted in our
territorial acquisitions. The war en-
tailed the necessity of q military pos
tai service, and prompt measures were
required for handling the mails Of an
army of a quarter of q million men.
The report says:
When our troops advanced into
Cuba the postal service also advanced
withthem. When Santiagosurrendcred
United States Postal Agent Eben
Brewer took possession of the post
Office of that city, which was n mere
military postoffice. He removed the
Spanish director and ten of its large
force Of clerks, retaining some, and
gave the Office u far better footing
with u much smaller force.
&Ihe postal service accompanied u
arms and our flag to Puerto Rico.
There are now twelve military postal.
stations there, having postal cont
nections with many smaller places. In
the Philippines two military postal
stations have been established ut Ma
Mia and Cavite.
thus far been followed by any change
in our postal relations with that oun
try"
Secretary Smith praises the effective
work of the auxiliary cruisers and the
merchant marine in the war as fol-
lows:
Our recent experience has illus
trated and emphasized She importance
OF this and has demonstrated.
that one of the most effective and
economical bulxarks of naval power is
i'll the possession of swift mail steam
ers capable of immediate conversion
into armed cruisers"
Postmaster General Smith calls at
tention to the rapid and amazing
growth of the postal business in ull It's
branches. In the last fiscal year. the
gross revenue was $S9,O12 ,61S, against
S33,s15,4s7 i'll 1850, and the gross cx-
penditures sos, 033 1923 against $a6,542,-
s04; the number of postotices 10000
against $4,000. Within this period the
population has increased about so per
cent, while the postal business has
multiplied nearly three-fold. There
was an increase i'll postal receipts of
nearly six and one-lalf million dol.
lars over the aggregate OF 1897, which
Is clted as a proof that the country is
again prosperous. The estimate of
and expenditures for the tis-
cal year ending June 30, 1900, follows:
Total estimated revenue, S10O,95s,112;
estimated expenditures, sos ,224 900;
deficiency for 1900, estimated, S4,265,-
sss. But for the gross abuse OF second
class matter privileges the deficiency
would have disappeared long ago and
Its present and promised decrease is in
the face of this abuse.
Discussing rural free delivery. the
postmaster general says replies to cir
culars sent out suggest some assur-
ance of the permanence of the service.
A revision and Encouragement of the
service established prior to 1897 is CON
templated.
The most marked advance in
the volume Of money order
business in the history of
the system was this past year, the
increase being 1900, 900 in number
u Sl6,oOo 900 in money carried. There
were 2s,753.412 money orders issued:
face value, S2o4. 500. SOL. Legislation is
asked for at the nex1 session of con-
gress to correct the evils growing ont
of the practice OF bidding for star
II service. There We're 15,6OO,a220
pieces OF mail matter registered.
ANON recommendations for legis-
Iation are those to make depredations
OF railway postal clerks Il continuous
offense; to provide a severe penalty
for employees embezzling or destroying
newspaper mail, and several statutes
covering green goods and obscene mat