Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-19
Acting First Assistant p, M. Cen
eral Allen Speaks of Them.
ADDRESSES THE IOWA POSTMASTERS
Many Economics and Reforms Re-
Gently Made in the PostofIlce De-
partment-Snccess of Rural
Free Delivery.

Titled Some Recent Reforms in the
Postoffice Department." was read by
Acting First Assistant Postmaster
General Allen, at the Iowa Postmas-
ters' convention at Marshalltown this
week:
MIR. President and Postmasters of
Iowa: The postoffice department has
been well termed the largest business
institution in the government. Its in
crease in business has far outstripped
the marvellous advance in population.
The gross receipts of the postal SER
vice in the first year of Washington's
administration We're less by 25 per
cent than that of the smallest free
delivery Office in the United States
The gross receipts of the postal SER
vice in the second year Of our exist
cree as a republic were. less than the
cost of the free delivery service this
year in your beautiful capital of Des
Aloines. The cost of horse hire this
year in free delivery Offices is as great
as was the entire cost OF free delivery
service at the close of the war of the
rebellion.
Along with the great growth of the
postal service under the present adj
ministration. many economies and re-
forms have been instituted. Of the
entire appropriation of one hundred
and fifteen, millions OF dollars for that
service for the ensuing fiscal year
fifty per cent thereof is under control
OF the first assistant postmaster gen
eral. Every dollar of this relates to
the postoffice service, being expended
for salaries of postmasters, clerks,
carriers, rent, light, fuel, supplies and
money orders. This department is
conducted like banking institution
The business of each day is closed with
the day.
1t has been possible without addi-
tional legislation for First Assistant
Postmaster General Heath to raise the
minimum salaries of clerks in second
class postofhces from $500 to $500 per
annum and of clerks at, first class Of
fees from $500 to 5000 per annum.
The Present law discriminates most
unjustly against clerks in the postof-
fees as compared with letter carriers
and railway postoffice clerks. First
Assistant Postmaster General Heath
has repeatedly urged upon congress
THE 1necessity Of legislation, but In
spite of that body's failure to act fav-
orably much has been done in the
last three years ito improve the stand
ing OF clerks in the first and second
class postoffices. The average salary
has been increased; the hours of la
Dor decreased, and their rights and
privileges more clearly defined.
The recent growth of free delivery
service has been beyond all expecta-
ton. The previous administration
marked a reduction in the number of
fIee delivery offices. The require
ments for free delivery is that the
city shall have a population of 10000
or the office show, gross receipts of
$4,000. The number of these has
grown from 629 in 1897 to over 500
this year, an increase of about 80 per
cent.
Improvements in the money order
system under the present administra-
ton have been marked. Conventions rat
flying the exchange of orders with
many foreign nations have been made,
that between Mexico and the United
States is Of especial Importance to the
people of the northwest, between
whom and The people OF the republic
on our south d large and steadily
growing business is done. Domestic
money orders issued in 1897 amounted
in round numbers to one hundred and
seyenty-iye million dollars; for 1898,
{ one hundred and ninety mill
lions, and for 1899 two hun
dred and eleven millions, max
ingaa total of five hundred and seveu-
ty-seven million dollars. This is all
increase of nearly thirty-seyen million
dollars for the year 1899 over that of
1897, and the business for the current
year will exceed that of 1897 by near
" fifty million dollars.
A popular step was taken about n
year ago, by which money order Of
fees were authorized to cash pension
checks. This is of special advantage
to pensioners residing in remote To-
calities who heretofore had their pen
sion checks cashed at extortionate dis
count.
Great delay has been avoided by
giving postmasters supplies sutfi-
cient to last six months, and these are
now forwarded months in advance of
requirement. The postmarlling of
letters has been brought. up to high
standard.
And now a word about rural free
delivery. The previous administration
!. CID not regard 1T With favor. Inc APP
preparations made by congress We're
not absorbed; and in most cases ex-
pcriments were made in ili-favored To-
calities, tending only to bring the
service ir disrepute. Too much praise
cannot be given First Assistant Post
master General Heath for his deter
mination to make rural free delivery a
success. He had tasted of the isola-
tion of farm lite, and knew that for a
generation farmers had borne the bur-
den Of taxation for free delivery in
cities that brought no benefit to rural
communities.
An experiment recently undertaken
in Carroll county, Maryland, shows
marvellous results, far beyond the ex-
pectations of the department. The en-
tire country is covered by rural free
delivery: Thirty-three star routes
We're abolished and of the ninety-four
fourth class postotfices there were left
but thirty-two, and these on rail-
roads. Conditions were neither better
nor worse than in many other coun-
ties in well-settled parts of the United
, States. Some 0f fha roads yyara eropd.