The National tribune., 1906-06-07

certain marks on Ahs outsidc which she
alone could decipAeK sBut." said Hill,
don't you know yo1 are cheating the
Government? The girl admitted that
she did. but there was no other way to
do. HUI meditateds over the incident,
and his idea OF "penny postage" was the
| result. At first he was laughed at by
everyone. but he finally was rewarded
| by seeing his idea IN practice all over
| the Kingdom. But the penny Of Eng
| land Is two cents lin American money;
hence, with our much longer average
distances, letter postage is much lower
here than there.
The Savings System In Holland.
The Postal Savings Banks OF Holland
are managed by al Director residing inI
Amsterdam, who conducts the businessI
under the superintendent Of q CouncilI
OF Administration and is subordinate tol
the Minister Of Commerce and Indus
try. Interest is paid at the rate of 2.64
| per cent per annum. The minimum
amount of deposit is fixed at Is cents.
In order to encourage the saving of still
smaller amounts, the post offices are
provided with forms divided into 90
compartments, each intended for five
cent postage stamp. AS soon as the
postage stamps on these forms, which
are furnished free of charge, reach one
| form in value they are received by the
Post Office as deposit of this amount.
save small amounts form divided into
100 compartments has been issued, each
Of which is intended for two-cent
stamp. Deposits may be made either at
the office which issued the pass book or
at any other office transacting savings
bank business.
Experienced Practical Reformers.
Several thousand prominent men re-
siding in the cities and larger towns nf
the United States are qualified to give
unimpeachable testimony to the bene
fits Of Civil Service reform. They are
ex-Postmasters who have served under
Administrations of both political parties
during the past Is years. They are now
leading citizens in their several COM
munities, and their daily conversation
bristles with tributes to the increased
efficiency which has come to the public
service through the merit system. They
are practical Civil Service refDrmefs,
and their disinterested evidence from d
standpoint Of actual experience is worth
more in building up healthy sentiment
than the arguments of four times as
many able theorists. The annually in-
creasing demand for purer politics and
higher standards of public service un-
questionably owes much to these quiet,
intelligent, experienced ex-administra-
tors of an important trust. ~. - -,
Victims OF The Spells System.
The recent action Of the Department
putting Postmasters on a more secure
tenure, is a general benefit Hundreds
OF Congressman have met their Water
loo by reason Of the animosities engen-
dered by the distribution Of post Office
patronage. While Representatives.
home machine is often largely built up
on this patronage, and most of his rec
concentrations are made with view of
strengthening his hold upon renomi-
nation, 1T Is the same machine which
sometimes hattens out his political pros
poets like runaway automobile in the
roadway. There are a number Of Rep
resentatives who have mo Postmasters,"
meaning that they come from large
cities with districts that have no voice
in the selection OF the Postmaster. City
delegations often unite upon a man. but
1T is the Senator OF the two Senators
whose wishes largely govern in the . D.
pointment Of the Postmasters of the
very large cities. Instances are familiar
where appointments not agreeable ~
Senators have been "held up" In the
Senate until the tangle has been
Strengthened out, members of the Upper
House being very jealous of their con-
stitutiOnal right of confirmation, and
Senatorial courtesy going a great Wy
to sustain the objecting Senator. II the
fights are bitter in Washington, the IN
tensity of feeling at home may be i'm
agined.a A Senator usually dictates the
appointment OF the Postmaster IN his
home city under practice which has
prevailed for many years. We speak
herein of Senators and Representatives
OF the dominant party. the other side
not being taken into consideratf m by
either party.
Stamps for Remittnnces.
A Chicago postal official has tlis,ov-
cred that the city does not get proper
credit for It's postal business, alleging
that there are stamps enough sold there
privately in the course of trade to bring
the Western metropolis far ahead OF its
present rank in the scale. He asserts