The National tribune., 1906-06-07

i certain marks on ahs outside which she
4 alone could decipheE But" said Hill
don't you know you are cheating the
1 Government? me girl admitted that
i she did. but thereEwas no other way 10
j do. Hill 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 in 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 a Director residing in
Amsterdam, who conducts the business
under the superintendent of Council
of Administration and is subordinate to
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 25 cents.
In order to encourage the saving of still
smaller amounts, the post Offices arc
provided with forms divided into 90
compartments, each intended for FIVE
cent postage stamp. AS socn as the
postage stamps on these FORMS which
are furnished free of charge. reach one
form in value they are received by the
oSl oiiiCt DIS d uepDSil VI tEiS amount.
In order to enable school children to
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 3teformers.
Several thousand prominent men re-
siding in the cities and larger towns of
the United States are qualified to give
uTiimpeachable 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 ref0rmefs,
and their .disinterested evidence from a
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-
toio VI dh tdHt tTuSl- -ra.-
Victims Of the spoiIs 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, it is the same machine which
sometimes fiattens 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 man. but
it is the Senator or the two Senators
whose wishes largely govern in the ap-
pointment of the Postmasters of the
very large cities. Instances are familiar
where appointments not agreeable 10
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
W SUSTAIN tne oDJecIfnS senator. III Inc
fights are bitter in Washington, the IN
tensity of feeling at home may be inn |
agined. A Senator usually dictates the |
appointment of the, Postmaster in his |
home city under a practice which has |
prevailed for many years. We spesK X |
herein of Senators and Representatives
of the dominant party. the other side |
not being taken into considerati IN by |
either party.
Stamps for Remittances.
A Chicago postal official has disaov-
cred that the city does not get proper /
credit for its postal business, alleging
that there are stamps enough sold there /
in the course of trade to bring