The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-05
THE POSTAL SERVICE.


 Bristow Makes Recommendations
 Fraudulent Contracts Have been Ab-
 rogated.
 The annual report of Fourth Assist aat Postmaster-General Bristow for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903. makes , the following recommendations:
 An appropriation to construct inspec- tors lookouts in postofices wherever necessary in the opinion of the post master-general; that the interstate l commerce law be amended so as to i prohibit common carriers from aiding and abetting in the green goods, lottery or any other scheme carried on partly by mail and partly by common carrier in violation of the postal laws; that special agents and route inspectors be hereafter designated rural agents: that the provision that rural carriers shall not be prohibited from doing an express package business be repealed; that the maximum of a rural carrier be increas- ed to $750 year for route of twenty ', five miles or more in length and the en- actment of a law requiring assistant 1 postmasters, cashiers and other en- ployes to give bonds to postmasters di- rect, and holding postmasters responsi- ble under their own bonds.
 The estimated expenditure for both city and rural free delivery service dur ing the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1904, will aggregate about $47,OO0,0OO There were 15.069 appointments of post masters during the year, and the re- movals of postmasters for cause show ed decrease. s zs
 There were 4,462 postoffices discontin- ued, of which 2.16S resulted from the extension of rural free delivery, the salaries of the postmasters of the lat ter offices aggregating $121, ,S92. During the year postmasters were dropped from the rolls as follows: ..s i Resignations-Pr 67, fourth class 8,277. -.-. Reconsideration S6 fourth 1868. .s -.e. a.
 Deaths-Presidentia S6,. fourth-class 713. On July last there were 74169 post, offices, of which 242 were first-class, r.. 107 second-class, 3,69O t11ird-elass and 69,130 fourth-class. r City free delivery service was estab- lished during the year at ninety-nine postofiices, making total of 1,032 free delivery offices. There are now in ope-,, ration 19,39S rural free delivery routes. It is estimated that S,260 additional routes can be established out of the ap- propriation now available, making 22,- ;aI, f;.zy, Al ready established by March 1, 1904. To maintain the service of these routes during the fiscal year from July 1, 1904, to June 30, 1906, will require s1s,560,0O0. If congress provides for an increased number of agents, as recommended, it will require about fourteen million dol lars to maintain and install the service during the next fiscal year. If the max imum salary of the. carriers is increased from $500 to S750 per annurn, as reeom- mended, it will neeessitate an increase in the above estimates of about twenty five per cent.
 MT. BristoW's report further says:
 An investigation. which is still in progress, has shown that for number of years supplies for the free delivery service have not been purchased with an eye single to the public interests. Both in the matter of quality and the cost of equipment, the ruling considera- ton has been private gain. This ap- plies to articles furnished under regular contract, such as street collection box es and carriers satchels as well as to those bought in the open market under exigency privilege, which has been much abused. Favored contractors, abetted by a trusted but unfaithful of ficial, have corrupted the public service. An early and thorough reformation will be undertaken along the line or service equipment with the prospective result of improved service at reduced cost. Fraduulent contracts have been abro- gated. In the reletting of contracts honest competition will have fair and free alay." s.f =5.. .t.r