Evening star., 1900-12-10

Deduct estimated saw
ingS from diScontin-
tinuance Of star
Deduct increased re-
CelDlS .................. l,oloStO
Net annual cost Of rural
free delivery. $l3, ,IS2.224
1t thus appears that rural free delivery
can be extended practically over the whole
country at an annual cost of less than
S14 100000. AS the appropriation for the
current fiscal year for this purpose Is
81, l,750.O00. an additional outlay of $12,OOO,0O0,
unless unforeseen demands should come,
would substantially take the mail every
day to every door In the land.
The appropriation Of 81. 1.75O,O00 for the f1s-
cal year beginning July 1. 1900. will be so
applied that the service already existing
and established during the year will con-
sumo its amount. 1t is estimated that to
maintain during the ensuing year the ser
vice in operation at the end Of the current
year will require $2..D0,00O. For new SER
vice not less than 81 100000 should be al
lowed. 1t is therefore recommended that
the appropriation for rural free delivery for
the fiscal year beginning July l, 1901, be
not less than $',50O,OOO.
Abuses In Second-CInss Matter.
Postmaster General Smith again points
out the fragrant abuses which prevail in
connection with second-class matter, and
urges the Importance of remedial legisla-
ment of the postal system in Porto Rico,
Hawaii, the Philippines and Cuba
Frauds in Cuba.
He reviews the history of, the postal
frauds in Cuba, which he says We're not
due to lack of precaution and safeguard.
Mr. Smith shows concusive!y where the
blame attaches in the concluding para
graphs of his report in which he says:
Resides the precautions already indicat-
ed there was another AS the postal serv-
ice In Cuba was for the benefit of Cuba, it
was deemed just that so far it was any
charge at all it should be charge on the
island, and that if the expenditures exceed
ed receipts the excess should be paid from
the general island revenues Carrying out
this principle, the President issued the fol-
lowing order to the governor general:
July %, 1899.
''To Brooke. Havana:
THE postal service in Cuba must be sus-
tained from the revenues Of the island In
event postal receipts inadequate you
are directed, upon the requisition of the
director general of posts, approved by the
Postmaster General. to make up the deficit
from the general revenue. 1t is desired so
far as possible to make the postal service
seif-sustaining, which it Is hoped by econ
omles to be enforced can soon be done"
Inls order was also communicated to the
director general of posts with explicit in
structions as to it's observance 1t directed
that all acquisitions upon the island rev.
elueS postal expenses IN excess of the
postal receipts should be made by the d.
rector general Of posts and paid by the
governor general only the approval Of
the Postmaster General AS a matter of
tact. no such acquisitions for deficiencies
were afterward sent to Washington and
they were made and paid without the an
proval OF The Postmaster General 1t is
only just to add that after the failure to
observe the order was developed, inquiry
into the cause brought out the explanation
that the order was supposed to apply Only
to the particular requisition made at the
time 1t was issued. This was a c6mplete
Misrepresentation, and it was unfortunate
for the observance of the order, If it could
not altogether have prevented the frauds
would have led to their earlier detection
and stoppage.
When the facts were brought to light i'm
mediate action was taken to right the
wrongs and arraign the wrongdoers T,be
onense of those implicated was more than
lnndelity to the confidence reposed in them
ana more than ordinary malfeasance in Of
ice. It's turpitude was enhanced nv the
fact that 1t was the betrayal Of a trust held
Tor a people who We're our wards. which
carried peculiarly sacred obligations and il
merits the severest condemnation The cases
have passed to the custody of the courts
and early trial is expected.
The Money Order System.
The statistics of the business transa cted
by the people of the United States through
the medium of the money order system are
always Of interest because they fluctuate
in harmony with the prevailing business
conditions. The Improvement of the last
few years has been continued. and even
enhanced, as is shown by the fact that
while the increase in the money order busi-
ness ness for the fiscal year 1859 over that OF
1898 amounted to $40, 1864, 472, the increase
for the year 1900 over 1899 was $50, I'll 6f4
The total transactions for the fiscal wear
1900 amounted to s2o5,67O. .227.as. orders
drawn in Cuba and Porto Rico called for
the payment, respectively, Of 81, ,OS1 $50 and
| 81 ,S42. .542. -.
The total number Of post offices at which
| money order business Is transacted is now
ao,2a1. out OF 1858 post offices in opera
tior in the United States at the close of
the last fiscal year. such facilities having
been extended to 2,S65 offices during the
year.
The extension Of this system in the island q
Of Porto Rico, the Philippines and Hawaii
has been carefully supervised and furthered
| by this department.
Free Delivery
| During the fiscal year sixty offices were
| added to the list of free delivery offices.
making the total number 795, at which
1892 carriers were employed an increase
| of 1,066 over the previous fiscal year. The
| total cost of this service amounted to S14-
512, 1870.
| Need for Hall of Records,
| l most heartily indorse the proposition
| to erect, in q locality which shall be con.
! venient to all the executive departments
suitable building for the storage of the
| enormous mass of files which necessarily
accumulate from the operations Of the gov
| ernment The volume Of such documents
| most of them uncurrent and never con.
| suited, stored in the Post Office Depart.
| ment building is even now 30 large tina,
| 1t has been found necessary to devote the
| entire upper floor to such use, including
all the corridors on that floor, to a some
| what less extent on the two floors next be.
4 low. This department must afford storage
| room not only for the accumulations Of its
| own service. but also for that Of the au-
ditor for the department. an officer Of the
| Treasury Department, whose files are OF
necessity very yoluminous and rapid In
| growth. The results of this congested
| condition are already shown in the dan
\ Gerous oyertaxing OF the capacity of the
/ only space that can now be given to f1lea
| nd he fnarring of fha architectural no ,,fy