The Washington herald., 1906-12-11
The post.office Depnrtmont

Postmaster General CorteIyou discusses
in his annual report the time-worn topic
Of the postal deficit, which. for the fiscal
year just past, amounts to something
over 100000 Mr. Cortelyou is not con-
eerned about this deficit; neither, We are
sure, are the people of these United
States. He points out that the public de-
mand for postal facilities is constantly
growing and that such an important
branch Of the service as the rural free
delivery service could never have been
established if it's installation had been de-
pendent on the existence Of a surplus in
the postal revenues. If the entire postal
deficit could be laid at the door Of the
rural service. that deficit would be
abundantly justified, for 100000 is a
small sum to pay for the immense public
advantages of that service-advantage ges
not to be measured In dollars and cents,
but in their moral and social influence on
the lives Of the plain people.
I've must make the service meet the
needs Of the people" is Mr. Cortelyou's
leading principle of postal administration,
as it has been that Of most Of his prede-
received cordial popular Endorsement
Somebody or other has lately startled the
public by offering to run the postal serv-
zee for S50,O00, 900 a year at profit We
have no doubt some sort of postal service
could be operated for that sum at a very
tidy profit; but would it meet the needs
OF the people? Would the mails be de-
iivsred at remote places and at the door
way Of every farmer who now receives
his mail from the rural carriers? Would
there be the same eager desire to afford
the utmost facilities in the dispatch and
distribution of mails as Is constantly dis
played in the government service? The
way in which public service corporations
now comply with public demands affords
a ready answer.
In no branch of the public service do
the American people take greater pride
than in the Post-office Department That
the postal administration is capable Of
great Improvement, Mr.. Cortelyou can
didly admits. It has suffered greatly in
the past from changes in administrative
personnel-from politics. in short. Mr.
Cortelyou is convinced that the post
masters of the country should be ap-
pointed by no party primarily as rewards
for political activity. but primarily on the
basis Of fitness for the work and regard
for the wishes Of the communities they
serve. To secure continuity Of admins
tratIve efficiency in the department it.
self. and to obviate the disadvantages Of
frequent changes in the Office of Post
master General, Mr.. Cortelyou makes
novel recommendation, namely. that pro-
vision be made for deputy postmaster
general, whose tenure shall be peTma-
nent and whose duties shall be in the
nature Of those of a general manager Of
the postal service.
Upon such an officer could be concen-
trated responsibility for the routine oper-
ations Of the department, leaving to the
head Of the department the development
Of general administrative policies. The
business Of the department could then be
conducted more nearly according TO meth
DDS successfully employed by great cor
poratiOns. It would be in lire with AIr.
Cortelyou's policy Of substituting busi-
ness for politics" in the administration
of postal affairs. The suggestion deserves
serious consideration at the hands Of
Congress.