The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-12-03
OUR MAIL SERVICE.
Postmnntcr-GenernI smiths Report--
How the Service Followed Our
Arms and Our Flag.

I
! years. owing TO It's operations In military
! and naval fields, is the report OF Postmas-
! ter-General Charles Emory Smith. Aside
/ from the discussion OF the regular branches
OF the department.. Il tells of the work &C.
corr olished and policies adopted In our ter
ritorial acquisitions. The postmaster-sen-
eral sayS:
THE war entailed the necessity OF MILL
tary postal service. and prompt measures
were required for handling the mails of N
army OF a quarter OF n million men. Large
post offices were suddenly created II the
camps Of concentration. the. exigencies OF
constant changes and movements were
met and the military and naval forces on
active service In the West Indies and Phil
ippines had prompt and constant postal
communication with home. These military
post Offices were clothed with all postal
powers Some of the larger camps N
creased the volume of postal business 70
that of cities of high rank Quick and 'r-
telligent management was demanded and
trained clerks detailed from available
points Railway mail cars were stationed
az convenient points or side tracks as post
offices. To provide bonded officials and
postal supplies these Offices were consti-
tuted branches of some city office. AT some
camps temporary rural free delivery serV-
ice was operated. A special appropr!a ton
of $4,000 by congress FOR military postal
service was Inadequate. and with our cam
pa gns on remote soil already has been ex-
hausted"
Continuing, the report says; when our
troops advanced Into Cuba the postal serv-
ice also advanced with them when Santa
20 surrendered United States Postal Agent
Eber Brewer took possession Of the post
office Of that city. which was made the mill
tary post Office lie removed the Spanish
director and ten OF its large force of clerks,
retaining some as interpreters, and gave
the office far better footing with much
CT a nx har n 70 frIg To- To-
cries In the business portion Of Santiago
city and regular mail communication has
been established with Havana and inter-
mediate seapcrts and with Jamaica and
other West Indian Islands Service also
has been extended into Santiago province.
THE postal service accompanied our
arms and our flag to Porto Rico. From
Ponce II was extended as rapidly as differ
ent places passed into our possession, un'I
now there are IL military postal stations
there, haNiHg postal connections with many
smaller places They are under tho direc-
tion OF superintendent detailed from he
railway mail service. who acts In conjurc-
tion with the military commander, with
force OF six railway mail clerks, three pos al
agents end thirty-two clerks, including four
Spanish translators, In the Philippines
two military postal stations have been es-
tablshsd, at Manila and Cavite, supervised
by a veteran division superintendent de-
tailed from San Francisco and conducted
by force of railway mail and post Office
clerks and agents, assisted by details from
the army OF occupation.
1.-THE acquisition of Hawaii has not thus
far been followed by any charge in our
postal relations with that country The
absorption of Its postal system into our
own and the exercise of our control, ike
the Incorporation of other features OF It's
local administration. have awaited the
port of the congressional committee aad
q w Mi fn1f k.,-a
was the more reason for observing this ohii-
CATION, as Hawaii already has a good mail
service which Is more than self-sustain
ing"
Regarding the effective work of auxiliary
cruisers and merchant marine in the war
the postmaster-general says: The great
value of the aid contributed during the
war by steamships employed IN our rnall
service and converted under the act OF
March 3, 1891, into auxiliary cruisers is un.-
versally recognized. Our recent experie 2 90
has illustrated and emphasized the impcr-
lance OF this resource and has demon
strated that one OF the most effective ard
economical bulwarks of naval power l. The
possession OF swift mail steamers capable
OF immediate conversion into armed cruis-
ers In the further development OF our
naval force this factor cannot fail to re-
ceive consideration. and It supplema nj
and strengthens the reasons for govern
mental action which are found in the wis
dom of promoting the upbui!ding of a mer-
chant marine. The advancement Of our
commerce requires that we shall have car
rying facilities, commercial marine is
not only vital to commercial expansion but
II provides the best source for the exprn-
sion or the naval force which becomes nac-
essary in time OF war. From every poir: .
Of view Il Is thus legitimate object OF GOV
ernmental concern, and the adoption Of
practical and reasonable measures within
our power for the promotion of this object
seems 10 be dictated by every considera-
lion OF public interest"
Postmaster-General Smith calls atten tioa
TO the rapid and amaz-ng growth of he
postal business in all its branches In the
last fiscal year the gross revenue was Ss9,-
0l2.GlS. against $S3.3l5i19 in 1882 and the
gross expenditure 1858, against t3G =
Ji2, 500; the number OF post offices 1900
against 1900. Within this period the pop
ulation has incre assd about 30 per cent
while postal business has multiplied near-
~ threefold The general Increase of *
pend!tures for the past year has been little
more than the preceding one, despite he
fact that nearly sl,JOOOC0 earned in mail
transportation by the aided Pacific rail-
road companies was paid this year dir .ct-
ly out of the department appropriately s
There was an increase In postal receipts
CT nearly $6,JCO,UOO over the aggregate Of
1881. which is cited as a proof the country
~ again prosperous.
The estimate OF revenues and eNperd-
itures for the fiscal year ending June TO-
1900. follows: Total estimated reverue
SlU0,95S, ll2; estimated expenditures $685.
z2i, 900; deficiency for 1900 estimated A,-
265,SSS. But for the gross abuse OF second
class matter privileges the deficit would
have disappeared long ago, and Its pre- sent
and promised decrease is in he face Of thls
abuse,
The most marked advance In yolum. of
money order business In the history OF the
system was this past year. the Increase pc
ing T,OUO,UO0 In number and ylGOU0,OVO In
money carried. There were 2S,753,4l2 money
orders issued; face value. s2Oi ,653, Syl Leg
isla lion Is asked Tor at the next session OF
congress TO correct the evils growing out
of the practice OF bidding for star route
service. There were l5.GVV.s 20 pieces Of mail
matter registered at the post Offices during
the year. and the aggregate OF sy9S, lyJ IN
fees collected, was an increase OF over
seven per cent over the previous years
business.
Discussing rural free delivery. the post
master-general says replies to circulars
manence Of the service. a revision and Sc
arrangement of the service establis ned
prior TO 1897 Is contemplated.
Mny Gable Her Husband.
Paris, Nov. 25.-Mme. Dreyfus, the
wife of the prisoner Of Devils island,
has been authorized to cable to her hus-
band.
n.rnhu Al sc.nras m