The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-06
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
System Has Been Introduced In the
New Possessions.

In restoring peaceful conditions, or
derby rule, and civic progress in Cuba.
Porto Rico and. so far as practicable,
in the Philippines. the rehabilitation of
postal service has been an important
part of the work. 1t became necessary
TO provide mail facilities both for our
forces of occupation and for the native
population. To meet this requirement
has involved substantial recorStruc-
| ton.
The existing systems. were so frag-
nlentary defective and Inadequate that
a new and comprehensive organization
had to be created. American trained
officials have been assigned to the di-
recting and executive positions. while
the natives have been chiefly employed
in making up the body of the force. In
working out this plan. the merit rule
has been vigorously and faithfully APP
piled.
The appointment of director general
of posts of Cuba was given to an expert
who had been chief postoffice inspector.
and assistant postmaster general. and
who united large experience with ca
pacity- For the postmastership at Ha-
vana. the range of skilled and availa-
BILE men was scanned. and the choice
fell on one who had been twenty years
in the service as deputy postmaster
ard postmaster of a large city.
This principle governed and datern-
} ined the selections OF the American Of
fcials sent not only TO Cuba but TO
Porto Pico and the Philippines and
! they We're instructed to apply it so far
as practicable in the employment Of the
rrtives as minor postmasters and
clerks.
Expense of the System.
The postal system in Cuba. though
remaining under the general guidance
of the postmaster general. was made
essentially independent 1t was felt
that it should not be a burden on the
postal service of the United States AMI
provision was made that any Geficit in
/ the poSsal revenue should be a charge
upon the general revenues of the Island.
Though Porto Rico and the Philip
pines held a different relation to the
United States. yet for convenience of
administration. the same principle of
an autonomous system has been ex-
tended to them. The DEVELOPMENT of
the service in all of the islands has
been rapid and successful. 1t has NOV
ed forward on American lines. with
free delivery, money order and registry
/ systems. and has given the people mail
facilities far greater and more relia-
BILE than any they have ever before en-
joyed It is thus not only vital agsn-
cy of industrial. social and business
progress but an important influence in
diffusing a just understanding of the
true spirit and character of the Amer
/ lean administration
Growing With Rapidity.
The domestic postal service contin-
ues TO grow with extraordinary rapid
ty. The expenditures and revenues viii
each exceed 500. COO. 0G0 during the cur
rent year. Fortunately. since the re-
vival of prosperity. the revenues have
grown much faster than the expendi-
lures. and there is every indication that
a short period viii witness obliteratson
CT the annual deficit.
, In this connection the report of the
postmaster general eTnbodies a state
men1 of evils which have grown up out
| side of the contemplation of law in the
treatment of some classes of mail mat
ter which wrongly exercise the privi-
lege of pound rate. and shows that
if This matter he'd been properly class
fled and had paid the rate which it
should have paid, instead of a postal
deficit last fiscal yonr Of Se.sl0.000. there
would have been on one basis a sur
plus of 1851. $40. and on another So
| 733.S35.
The reform thus suggested, in the
opinion of the postmaster general
would not only put the postal service
at once On a self-sustaining basis. but
would permit great and valuable i'm
provements. and ! commend the sabjec;
to the consideration of congress.