Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-11

showing a reduction of expenses wherever
possible without impairment of the serv
3 that it is poor economy not to make ade-
| quate provision for a proper development
] of postal facilities to meet the growing
| needs of all sections of the country.
Organizations of Employees.
The question of organization Of en-
| ployes within the service has had care
full consideration and good results have
come from The the action taken by the de-
ment Of what the department believes
should be the employees relation to it,
countability in this regard. AT recent
meetings of organizations there has been
a spirit of entire loyalty and marked eff
| fort to cooperate with the department in
securing improved service.
| The work Of purifying the malls Is not
confined to the suppression OF frauds and
therefrom of obscene, indecent and sour
rilous matter, and the punishment of those
found to have deposited such matter for
transmission A more strict enforcement of
these statutes recently has brought about
highly gratifying results
The meeting OF postofT1ce inspectors N
charge, which was held in this city May Is.
1906. has already resulted in improved serv-
! ice.
| While the present condition of the gov
! eminent finances precludes me from MAX
! ing an immediate recommendation for in
| creases in the rates of compensation paid TO
! the various classes of postal employees,
| consider 1t only just TO say that fIom such
! investigation oe this question as II has boCn
possible for me to make l am convln Geo
| clerks and of letter carriers, city and rural,
| are inadequate. While in recent years the
| cost of living has increased particularly in
| large cities there has been no corresponding
| advance In the remuneration OF postal emf
ployes there has been In the case OF per
| Fons employed outside the service. This is n
subject that should receive the earnest at
| tention of the congress, and IL is hoped that
a scale OF salaries and system tor their
] adjustment can be devised that Will place
the question of compensation on more
satisfactory basis.
Number In Railway Service.
At the close of the year the railway mail
service comprised 12,474 officers and en-
ployes an increase in the year of S5S,
In the amount OF ordinary mail handled
there was an increase OF about OH per
cent as compared With the preceding year,
| amount of registered matter.
The record OF the service shows a normal
growth, with gratifying maintenance of
During the year IL clerks, including sub
| stitute clerk, were killed while on duty. The
3 substitute clerks and mail weigher killed.
| The number of clerks seriously injured was
| l25, as against 90 for last year. The number
S4 for last year. with the growth of the
service every EFFORT has been made TO sur
| round the clerks with every possible safe
| guard. Car construction has been given
special attention, and the plans and specih-
cations upon which postal cars are now
| punt viii insure our securing cars stronger
| II possible, than any of the other cars In
| the trains.
The arduous and hazardous duties incl
dent to the service emphasize the desira-
bility of some legislative action that will
| make provision for clerks worn out In the
! service and maintain the vigor and eff
~ he nvwrtaA tNarN taA 1NNa ali
nation of superannuated clerks. Several
plans have been submitted and the main
| tenance of the present high standard Of the
service seems to call for some action In that
direction.
on June 30 1896, there were sOs4 railroad
routes. the total length of which was zoo,
w. % miles, with an annual travel of &c.,
646, 73l.S5 miles.
In thirty-six foreign countries which
report to the International bureau of the
Universal Postal union there were SOs, Al
miles travelled was SIS. 4Oi, $50.
| The annual rate of expenditure i'm the
United States was $50, SSS.o7O75 The in
crease for the year was 4o67 SO miles In
length OF routes. 800, 84.15 miles in annual
travel and 1855, 694. % in annual rate of eX-
penditure
Pay for Mail Transportation.
The law relative to rates of payment for
railroad mall transportation has not been
changed since 1873. except as 1t has been
modified by the laws Of 1876 and 1878, by
which a reduction in the rates of 10 and
The present method OF determining the
rates OF pay for this service is not alto
gether satisfactory; and while ] am not YET
prepared TO suggest specific changes, II Il
believed that certain inquiries that are be,
ing instituted through departmental chan.
nels will afford data on which to base tu,
ture recommendations. The plan now fol
lowed appears to furnish a somewhat un
certain basis upon which to make annua
. J expenditures exceeding SiO,0O0OoO.
The suggestion has been made, and il Il
worthy OF serious consideration, that sub
stantial saving In the cost OF railway mai
, transportation could be accomplished By
forwarding bulky periodicals and mailablt
merchandise by fast freight instead of By
what is known as FAST mail" and by pro
, vidtng that such matter as would ordnarily
go by fast freight under this plan SHOULD
pay extra postage whenever transmitted By
The Merchant Marine commission ap
pointed by congress on the recommendation
OF the president has made its report anC
, sions
Fast mail steamers of other countrle,
leaving ports OF the United States will
more and more absorb our foreign mai
, transportation Uatii such time as the Unite,
states provides an adequate compensa tior
for the outward voyage OF steamers CT equa
speed and regularity OF schedule
, Congress has authorized the postmaste
generai, by the act Of 1891, to CONTRACT
with owners OF American steamships foi
ocean mail service and has realized the i'm
practieability OF commanding suitable
steamships IN the interest of the posta
ers shall be OF size. class and equipmen
| which will promote commerce and become
available as auxiliary cruisers OF the nav,
l in case of need.
The compensation allowed to such steam
1 ers Is found to be wholly inadequate L
secure the proposals contemplated: henc,
advertisements from time TO time hav,
tailed to develop any bids for much needed
4 service. This Is especially true In regar,
10 several Of the countries of South Amer
lea with which we have cordial relations
D and which, for manifest reasons shoul,
1 have direct mail connections with US
refer To Rrazil and countries south OF II.
Parcels Post Discussed.
, To establish domestic parcel post II
Z this country where distances are 81
> great and a uniform rate Of postage A
2 SO firmly established as a sound principle
OF postal administration, would probabll
p involve either A high rate of postage %
5 a temporary deficit in tho effort 70 com
. pete with the several express cOmpa ME
thoroughly organized for handling parcel
under the zone system. charging IN pro
= portion TO distance carried. The parce
post would get all long-distanCe parcels
i which would be carried az loss, and TN,