Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-11-26
WAR POSTAL SERVICE.
Postmaster General Smith Notes the En-
cheney Shown-Amazing Growth
of the Postal Bnsiness

report, said In part:
1.-The war entailed the necessity of ;
military postal service and promp
measures were required for handlins
the mails of an army of $50, 900 men
Large postoffices were suddenly created
at the camps of concentration. the ext
gencies Of constant changes and move
ments were met and the military anf
naval forces in active service in the West
Indies and Philippines had prompt and
constant postal communication with
home.
ga special appropriation of $50, OOO
by congress for military postal service
was inadequate and, with our cam.
paigns on remote soil, already has been
exhausted.
Continuing, the report says:
when our troops advanced into
Cuba the postal service advanced with
them. When Santiago surrendered
United States Postal Agent Eben
Brewer took possession of the postoffice
OF that city, which was made the mill.
tary postoffice. He removed the Span.
ish director and ten of its large force of
clerks, retaining some as interpreters.
and gave the office far better footing
with a much smaller force. Now there
are four deliveries in the business por-
ton OF Santiago city, and regular mail
communication has been established
with Havana and intermediate seaports
and with Jamaica and other West In
dies islands. Service also has been ex-
tended into Santiago province.
"The postal service accompanied our
arms and our flag to Porto Rico From
Ponce it was extended as rapidly as
different places passed into our posses
sion, until now there are IL military
postal stations there, having postal con-
nections with many smaller places.
They are under the direction of a SUI
perintendent detailed from the railway
mali service, who acts in conjunction
with the military commander, with
force OF six railway mail clerks, three
postal agents and 81 clerks, including
four Spanish translators. In the Philip
pines two military postal stations have
been established at Manila and Cav1te.
supervised by veteran division super.
intendent, detailed from San Francisco.
and conducted by force of railway
mail and postoffice clerks and agents,
assisted by details from the army of
occupation.
At another point he said:
1.-The acquisition of Hawaii has not
thus far been followed by any change
in our postal relations with that coun-
try. The absorption of it's postal sys-
tenn into our own and the exercise Of
our control, like the incorporation of
other features of its local administra-
ton, have awaited the report of the
committee aud the legislation which
will follow There was the more rea-
son for observing this obligation, as
Hawaii already has a good mail service
which is more than self sustaining.
Regarding the effective work of aux
Hilary cruisers and merchant marine,
the postmaster general said III part:
"lhe great value of the aid contrib
uted during she war by steamships en-
ployed in our mail service and con-
verified under the act OF March, 3, 1891,
into auxiliary cruisers is universally
recognized The ST. Louis and the St.
Paul and the New York and Paris, the
last two rechGistened the Harvard and
Yale, added materially to the naval
strength and gave unequaled, special
and distinct service.
Postmaster General Smith calls at
tention to the rapid and amazing
growth of the postal business in all its
branches. In che last fiscal year the
gross revenue was $89, 012, GlS, against
1913, 3l5, 479, In 1880, and the gross ex-
penditures, $685. 33, 1913, against $50, 3d.
S04 the number of postoffices, $4,000,
against $4,000.
Within this period the population
has increased about 90 per cent while
postal business has multiplied nearly
three-fold The general increase of ex-
penditures foE the past year has been
little more than the preceding one, de-
spite the fact that nearly 81 1000, 900
earned in mail transportation by the,
aided Pacific railroad companies was
paid this year directly out of the de-
partment appropriations The estimate
of revenue and expenditures for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1900, fol
lows:
Total estimated revenue, 800, 95S, liz;
estimated expenditures. $105, 224, 900;
deficiency for 1900, estimated, S., $780,
1888. But for the gross abuse Of second
class matter privileges the deficit would
have disappeared long ago and it's pres
enb and promised decreasesis in the face
of this abuse
Discussing rural free delivery the
postmaster general says replies to Cir
culars sent out suggest some assurance
OF bn6 DeIndnSuoe VI VIC oeLNlC6. "a
revision and Encouragement of the SER
bice established prior to 1897 is con-
templated.
The most marked advance in volume
of money order business in the history
of the system was this past year. the
increase being 100000 in number,
sic, 900, 900 in money carried. There
were 2S, 1884, money orders issued;
face value, 1904, 593.89l. Legislation is
asked for, at the next session of con-
gress, to correct the evils growing out
of the existing system of speculative