The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-15

fall upon this bureau, Il is certainly not
inopportune to suggest that In making
provisions therefor II In vitality important
the accounting feature be very seriously
considered.
THE risk OF undertaking reaponsihil-
tiles for which the machinery OF govern
ment II not fitted Is ever prerent In the
mind OF the statesman This risk will
be much moro serious In accounting than
In administrative branches.
The splendid executive faculty Of the
American people seems 10 have no limit
to It's capacity for extending the scope
Of commercial and financial enterprises
Whether under purely governmental aus
piccs win develop the necessary wisdom
to devise. and the ceaseless. unswerving.
untireless persistency 10 carry on the
unsentimentai. una,tract!vs, unpopular
work OF auditing and bookkeeping. 30
that complete eognizance may be kept
and perfect accuracy assured. Is a sep
arate and serious question At all
events II new paths OF outside service
under governmental control are to be
entered upon. prudence would dictate. as
an essential preliminary. carefully d.
gested legislative provision for an ade-
quate accounting system. The one we
have for the postal service seems to have
grown up haphaaard, moro by natural
until the legislation OF 1894 sought 10 re-
duce II 10 shape. but that legislation
was so hasty and so faulty at some
points that several OF Its boasted I'm
provements have already been ahan-
doned.
Defects of Proposed Measores.
"Bills were penoing In the last COM
gress which appropriated $50. 900. 900, II
necessary, 20 buy or build n postal teic-
graph, but did not even mention. much
less provide for. any plan for keeping and
auditing its accounts,
"Other bills provided for an elaborate
postal savings bank system. some of which
paid no heed whatever 10 this primal neces-
OF them magnanimousIy allowed six aidi-
sionAi clerks In the auditors ONCE to take
care OF such a work which would speedily
equal In magnitude and multiplicity OF
transactions the money order system, which
now keeps 800 clerks incessantly busy IN
this bureau.
VIII Proposed Measures PayS
Naturally one OF the frst questions the
statesman. economist or phiianthropist
would ask before advocating the engraft-
ment OF new and extrancous features on
our postal service would be: VIII II pay
expenses7 Unless the government pro-
EDSfW 10. UHueF tNe GfESIHt WeffAEt Cf2IRS
OF the constitution. embark extensively into
eieemosynary nelds. all Its business enter
prises AZ least should be seif-sustaining.
The mall service proper shows annual de-
ficits But IL due credit cou.d be given for
free transportation Of ohsciaI correspond
enee and public documents. that dencit
would disappear.
Whether the money order branch OF tho
postal system is se,f-sustaining or not il
an important question. II is radical i'm
parchment Of the accounting methods ex-
ssting In this bureau. even since the pains
taking improvements of 1884 that no ac-
curate statement can be made on tha, Inn
portnnt point.
''Is would seem to have been the orig
inai intention os congress that this bureau
should he ready a. sI times 10 furnish
this information ssssion 20. Revissd STAT
ates. provided that The auditor should keep
the accounts In such a manner ~ To show.
among other things. all the expenses OF
the money order business I can hni no
record that this requirement was ever com
piled with Meantime later legislation, has
practically repealed this provision. although
under the general scoos of The auditors
duty and authority the accurate conapssA-
sion OF fhis information would certainly
be permissible Gid IN. system OF kae,.,lo =
accounts disclose it, and were n. cl~s..
cal fore. allowed 20 warrant II. The act
OF June 2. isS. requires that ~. rsosstr,sss-
ter genera shall s.shnit 10 congress .an-
nual estimates IN iesafi for all expenses Of
the money order branch Of the postal ser
vice As sucs estimates would involve r~.-
ereEee to ;ter-s IL many different appro-
srsation bills. tse difficulty Of framing rfera
II otsTiosas Until tncss difficulties are over
come ire departments estimates when
made will be only approxiEnsts bat would
a, isaSf give data for an opinion as ~
wassaer or net tho money order service II
ssl,-sustsinfnE