Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-04-12
MR. HEATH'S MISSION
Goes to ESf6bIiSh POSidl Ser
vice in Porto Rico.
1t viii Be Modelled Effsr Our Own
and Will Yield Handsome Rev
eRue-SOme Strange Customs TO
Be Abolished.

New York, April 11.-First Assistant
stmaster-General Perry s. Heath
sailed for Porto Rico this afternoon Gil
the government transport Beauford,
accompanied by his wife, who at the
last moment decided 10 make the trip.
M Heath is the general executive
officer of the pcstof1ca department. He
has gone to Porto Rico to thoroughly
ez1ab,i5h and regulate the United
States postal service in the new pos
sessions there. He has full power to
act in any and all improvements CT
reforms which he may deem necessary
1.-The object of my tip to Porto
RicO,' he said, sis to regulate and es-
t2blish the United States postal ser
vice there upon an Independent basis.
to cut loose from Washington and let
it shift f1G' itself This has already
/ been successfully done in Cuba, and its
mQlishment in Porto Rico will be
easier than in Cuba, Because the terri
tory is much smaller. In Cuba there
are now about seventy-five American
/
will be installed about fifty or maybe
few mere if I find it necessary. At
present the International postal system
is in use, although some important
steps have already been taken to make
cur postal service independent.
'William H Elliott, an ex-paymaster
in tbs navy, is in charge, with the title
Z Of, OF 10, II
will be made director general. The
title General is added, as it was in
Cuba to Mr.. RathboEne's title, because
it seems that the natives insist upon
its use before they will realize and
recognize its bfarer as the chief man
in his department. They are accus-
tOmcd to it, SO this concession is made
to them to facilitate the service.
''AIr Elliott has made his headquar-
ters in San Juan, and that office Will
be maintained as Il general admins
trative and executive one fo- the island
l will make a coastwise trip and visit
the principal seapc-i5 towns and an
other to the most important inland
towns to study existing postal, com
mercial and social conditions and de
| termine what changes and improve
meGts are most needed to place the
postal servics on firm ard inde2en-
dent basis.
Free delivery viii be established in
the large cities and Gowns. The diff
| ference which this will make in the
postal service in Porto Rico needs a
little explanation. Under the Spanish
system tha Iette1 carriers were paid
merely nominal salaries; just enough
to legalizs their connection with the
government. The delivery was by 10
means tree. The Spanish letter carrier
called with piece Of mail at the house
cf the add-sssee. Before delivering it
he demanded fee. The carrier might
demand a few cents, or if ne knew that
the letter OF parcel was important he
would raise his fee as high as he
pleased and refuse to deliver until tho
fee was paid. II the addressee refused
to pay the fee, thsl mail was promptly
returned to the pos5ofice, where it lay
until the charges were paid or for all
time This, of course, led to an ex-
tracrdinGry abuse and amounted prac-
tically to b,ackmail. The same system
was in operation in Cuba when we
took hold of the postal service there, !
and mail matter was delivered by our
free delivery methods which had been
lying for six years in the Havana post
office because the addresses had re-
fused to pay the blackmailng fees de- /
manded by the Spanish letter car iers. !
When it was delivered free of all |
charge, by the armful in scme cases, !
the amazement and joy of the Cubans |
were great. The same surprise awaits |
the people of Porto Rico
Mr.. Heath, while in Porto Rico, will |
try to get possession of one CT the
Spanish postoffices and ship it as 1t !
stands to the Omaha exposition, |
together With interesting postal curios-
tiles for the government exhibit. The |
postofficcs are, many of them. two |
or three hundred years old, and about |
ten feet by twelve in size. If he sue
ceeds in finishing his woTl1 in time, Mr.. |
Heath will return on ths Red D line |
about May TO- ard go straight to Wash
ing5on. The question of an indepen-
dent postal system in the Philippines !
will then be consideged.
-1
SHAFTER ON THE STAND.
Declares the Beef Both Canned and