The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-10-13

by foreseeing the likelihood, and TAX
ing steps to avert such a catastrophe,
has the post office department been
able to prevent the unfortunate condi-
ton. The island of Puerto Rico is an
American territory, and the people
there are American citizens; and yet
they came near being deprived of a
postal system.
Postmaster-General Charles Emory
Smith has been forehanded enough to
anticipate the requirements which will
be made on the post office de pa rtment
by the acquisition of the island of
Puerto Rico as result of the war
with Spain. That island has right
to expect and must receive mail serv-
ice which will be in every sense equal
to the service rendered by the post
office department in any other portion
OF the United States.
Maj. James E. Stewart, of the Sec
ond Illinois infantry, has been de-
tailed from military duty by the Sec
rotary of war upon the personal re-
quest of Postmaster-General Smith,
and he has been appointed chairman
of the Puerto Rican postal commits
sion. Maj. Stewart has superintended
the establishment of not less than
10000 post offices. Postmaster-Gen-
eral Wanamaker appointed him chief
post office Inspector, but he declined
the position because he preferred his
work in the northwest. He is proba-
bly, the best-equipped post office man
in the country for the important duties
assigned to him. Before leaving for
Puerto Rico, Maj, Stewart said:
"This is the third time have been
summoned from my regiment to look
after postal affairs. l have protested
against leaving my boys on each occa-
sion, but since the war is over. and I
can render service in this line which
will be valuable to the country, I am
content. I went into the postal serv-
ice in 1866, and have been in that serv-
ice ever since. I was in the clerical
force, in post Offices, chief clerk of
the railway mail service, established
the railway mail service to and for
the Pacific coast, was sent into the in
spection department, and in 1877 was
made chief inspector for the western
division, a position which have held
continuously ever since, excepting a
couple of years during the first Cleve-
land administration, when the post
office department managed to get
along without my services.
"Having been made chairman of this
commission to Puerto Rico, I under
take the work with full appreciation of
the responsibility, and I am looking
forward with some degree of anxiety
concerning the result. If the work
proves to be satisfactory to the de-
partment, and every way successful,
H. will add to my reputat ton as a post
Office man. If make any serious mis-
take, it will detract from my lifetime
reputation in the departmental! serv-
Ice. There will be no middle ground
On which can stand. Therefore, you
may be assured that the work will be
undertaken with due deliberation and
none of it will be too hastily done. This
postal commission must establish an
entirely new postal system for the
island of Puerto Rico, and make that
system conform with the system al
ready established throughout the
United States as far as possible.
THE existing postal system in
Puerto Rico will summarily cease on
the date of the evacuation of the is
land by Spanish troops and civilian Of
fcials. When that occurs, few weeks
hence, the postal service of the United
States must Immediately begin.
Therefore it will be the duty of the
commission of which lam chairman TO
not only study the maps, but travel all
over Puerto Rico. We must establish
post offices for every town, estab lish
railway mail service on their short line
of railroad, establish star routes all
over the island, and make the service
economically equal to the public de-
mands.' Some Of the star routes must
carry mail seven days in each week,
while others must carry mail fewer
days of the week, according to the pop
ulation. Probably some OF the star
routes will carry mail only once OF
twice month.
''All of the post Offices must be es-
tablished there as first as fourth-class
post offices are established in new
communities in the United States, and
must be subject to our laws and cds-
toms. Therefore, after approximat-
ing the facts in the different sections
Of the island, we will establish star
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