Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-21
PADDING STAMP SALES
EFFORT OF THE DEPARTMENT TO
PREVENT THE IRREGULARITY.
Annual Report Of John J. Howley,
Acting First Assistant Post
master General.

Acting First Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral John ]. Howley, in his annual report
to the Postmaster General, issued today
reviews the efforts made by the department
to suppress tendency at certain ofdces 10
resort to alleged irregular and fraudulent
methods to increase receipts, in order to
secure increased salary Of the postmasters.
The padding has occurred at small Offices
located near large cities, and consisted IN
the sale of large quantities Of stamped pa
per to persons engaged in business and
handling their mail in offices other than
where they buy their stamps.
Reduction in Salaries.
The campaign against these irregularities
Mr. Howley says, has resulted IN the reouc-
ton of salaries in about forty omces' anu
in a few instances, in RELOCATING the oihces
to lower grades. Commenting upon 'his
abuse by postmasters, the report says
LAS long as the salary and grade or an
office are based solely on the gross re-
ceipts the temptation to increase the re-
CENTS above the legitimate business OF the
ONCE will exist. but 1t is believed that If
regularities of this character VIII ;, oe i'oie
regularly discovered in the future.
Regarding the practice Of detalilng pU pos
office clerks to serve on civil service ois-
trict boards, Mr.. Howley says:
II am strongly of the OPINION sIat ~ ~.
sion should be made in the law for the ap
nointment and payment by the civil serVrce
commission of such employees, ana that .le
postal service be relieved of TINS expense.
Postmasters object to paying clerks .o y,
service not connected with the post oHlces
Twentv most office employees are employed
on this work. a,os
on July 1. 1904, was 5.406, an increase Oh
34O over the previous year and 81 IN eN-
cess of the estimated increase 1t IS PROD
able that there will be on July - A''''
800 presidential post ohces.
Growth of Business.
The steady growth of the postal service
10 shown by the increase in the NUMBER
of presidential post offices and the neces-
sarv increase in the appropriation Tor
postmasters' salaries. The appropriation
for the fiscal year 1904 was $21,75000o;
tho axnenditures were $50 273, Ii. So, max
ing a deficit of $j23,415.63 The approprlaG-
ton for the year 1904-3 is S23,2oo'ooo'
which, it is believed, will be ample Ior
the purpose and that there will be no det-
icit in this appropriation. The estimate
for the fiscal year ending June 81. l9ob,
is S2375O,0O0, increase or $ooo,ooo
above the appropriation Tor the current
year.
In the dead letter Office there was a
total of 1O,923,239 pieces of undelivered
matter received, this being an increase
over the preceding year OF 169.1lI pieces
or about ~ per cent. The increase, how-
ever, is directly in line with the general
increase in the post office business. and In
no wise reflects upon the character OF the
addresses on the matter mentioned
Building to Hold Supplies.
A fireproof building for the storing Of
supplies is again earnestly recommended.
The supplies are averaged in value at
$500, 600 and should fire occur 1t would
badly cripple the service and require at
least six months for a replenishment of
the stock.