Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-10

manifested itself for books Of stamps Of
other than the common denomination OF 2
cents. the practicability Of providing them
the signs on postofices include the name
OF the office and the abbreViauon OF the
name Of the state in which Il Is located.
Provision has already been made for adj
ditional facilities for obtaining postage
stamps at railroad and ferry depots and az
other public places. This may be accom-
phshed I'm part by the establishment Of ad-
diuonal numbered postal stations, and, also
by the use Of automatic stamp vendins
machines with regard 70 which certain
preliminary experiments have already been
Great care is also being exercised to
lions Of the departments equipment pre-
sent a creditablc appearance.
In concluding his report Postmaster
General Cortelyou says:
The highest efficiency in any service can
be obtained only by furnishing the natural
and proper Incentives Of recognition Of
merit and adequacy Of compensation.
These are the essentials from which de
velop unity Of purpose and unity Of accom-
plishment in any large body Of employees
One Of the most important steps there
fore that can be taken for the immediate
| retirement Of the postal service lies IN
the suggested increases Of compensation
among certain classes Of employees. This Is,
however, but one Of the many improve
ments that can be made.
Opportunities for Economy.
There can be IuTtneT economies IN EuIdA
delivery without impairment OF that serv-
I Ice. BY a more precise method Of determtn-
| ing the basis Of pay for the transportation
/ Of the mails the department can be re
/ lieved Of an unbusinesslike feature Of ad-
ministration with a probable decrease in
| expenditures. BY tho enactment Of a SEN
sible law as to second class matter the de-
I partment and reputable publishers can be
/ saved embarassm ents they now suffer and
| the postal receipts materially increased.
/ BY a proper system OF accounting the de-
partment can be placed upon better busi-
ness footing and incidentally credited with
work for which It now receives no credit
/ And as a result OF these and other needed
/ changes the deficit, which is in fact only
/ a paper deficit can be altogether elmi-
/ mated. Progress toward these Improve
/ ments will open the way for investigations
| TO determine the feasibility OF the adoption
Of many important policies OF administra-
| tion-reduCuon OF postage, both domestic
| and International postal savings banks
] parcel post postal telegraph and tele-
phone and others, the merits and defects
OF all Of which should have in the not
distant future the fullest consideration.
In April, 1903, upon the recommendation
garding fourth class postmasters was an.
nounced, namely, that incumbents would
be retained during satisfactory service
This has now been extended until II prac.
! tically embraces the postmasters Of the
presidential class. Nearly two years OF
administration confirm me in the opinion
that the pOstmasters of the country should
be appointed by no party primarily as re
wards for political activity, but primarily
/ on the basis OF utneSS Tor the WORK anC
regard for the wishes Of the communities
| they serve.
! know Of no one thing that will do NOR,
for the postal service than continued in
sistence upon the policy of substituting
business for politics in the administration
Of its affairs.
Admitting all this" remarks some critic
what is the necessity Of bringing privat,
capital and private corporation or syn
dicate into the scheme? Why should no
the government, which has the education
and material welfare OF the Indians II
charge, undertake the same operation
which you propose to encourage in tn
hands Of small group OF citizens?" Well
for several reasons. First. because tn
government is not in the manufscturinl
business, and could not properly enter int
industrial competition with its own con
stituents; and yet II would be impossible
TO make beet culture pay in a wild frontie
country II conducted apart from a manu-
featuring plah prepared to reduce the raw
product to marketable form. Second. be
cause the vicissitudes of politics would b
fatal to the security and permanency o
any such enterprise as 1 have outlined
And, finally, because even II these oh
Jections could be overcome, the fact still
remains that no industry conducted unde
sign can possibly succeed like one con
Quoted on a business basis pure and simple
The farmer who is hired by the government
at such-and-such a salary to teach tn
Indian beet culture may be consideration
in his way and try hard TO earn hi
monthly stipend, but what he is paid fol
| after all, and what he struggles TO &C
complish, is simply teaching-not producin
concrete and profitable results.
; |
A. p. Hubermann, only direct importer o
5tar,opds IN the vast 12fh and nouglaa