The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-12-01
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
Makes some Important
Recomme n ia lions.

Washington. Nov. Alan enthusiastic
plea for wide expansion of rural free
delivery is made in the annual report Of
w. M. Johnson, first assistant postmaster
general. He says that the extraordinary
development of this system during the past
IL months under the stimulus of appropria-
tons Of $4,000 for the fiscal year ls99-l9oO.
and 81. $780, 900 for the fiscal year 1900-l90l ID
conclusive as showing that hereafter II
must be a permanent and expanding fea-
ture OF the postal administration. The
service can now be extended as swiftly as
congress may direct or as the means per-
NIT, until It covers all those portions OF
the United States now reached In whole
or part by the more primitive methods
of the postal service. which have come
down to us almost without change from
colonial times. This change Mr.. Johnson
believes can be effected without excessive
cost to the government. Under ordinary
conditions full route Is considered to be
rs miles. so devised that the carrier does
not pass over the same ground twice In the
same day. The congressional representa-
tive controls the appointments. The pay
OF the rural carrier Is now from $4Oo 10
$500 per annum. There are no civ
II service restrictions nor restrictions
as to sex. but 1t is inexorably re
quired that appointees shall be OF good
character. The present policy Is to ex-
tend rural delivery In accordance with the
demands made from all parts of the coun-
try, so that each individual route may be
dovetailed upon another route hereafter 10
be started, and with this idea constantly
kept in view, rural free delivery Is eventu.
ally to extend over all well-settled rural
communities in the United States.
Bearing on the question of cost. state
ment compiled from the books or the OF
flee show that from December, 1899, to
November /, 1900, 439 star routes and mail
messenger services have been discontinued
or curtailed. Between July and Novem-
Der /. 1900, the first four months OF the pres
ent fiscal year, there have been ] ,3SS add
tional rural free delivery routes installed,
supplying 922397 people.
Commencing July /. next, 1t Is proposed
to include the cost of the postal service OF
Porto Rico and Hawaii in the regular APP
preparation instead OF paying the same
out of the military appropriation as al pres
ent. The total cost of the Porto Rican
postal service for the last fiscal year was
a little over $l05,000, and the probable cost
of the postal service for Hawaii for the
next fiscal year Is S2.S0.
An appropriation of 900 is asked
for compensation for postmasters for the
next fiscal year. The regular free deliv-
cry service was established In 62 cities, ne
cessitating the appointment of 40 carriers,
making the total number of free delivery Of
fees in operation June 30. last, 1856. Four
free delivery offices have been established
in Porto Rico and Hawaii Regular free
delivery, II Is estimated, will cost sl7, OoO
, for the next fiscal year. an increase OF al
most nine per cent
During the last fiscal year postal money
orders issued amounted to $255, go 22S, an
increase of almost $3l, 900. 900. 1t is apparent
that II for the next two years the busi-
ness OF the money order system increases
In volume correspondlngly with that of the
past year its receipts will reach $1,000. 0O0
per day They are now about $S64,o The
net earnings of the money order system
were 81 ,3a0,642. The department purposes
to provide money order facilities for
all localities where they may prove
convenient. The number OF offices has
now finally exceeded 300o9. Interna-
tional money order business Is now being
transacted with 10 foreign countries. Rec
ommendation is made that the fees fol-
domestic money orders be reduced to the
, maximum OF 20 cents for an order of $l0o
the minimum of three cents to remain a
at present.