New-York tribune., 1907-06-03
POSTAL FACILITIES.
Postmaster General Promoting Eff
cheney of Nail Service.
From The Tribune Rureaul

|
| Washington, June 2.-George l.. Meyer
| experienced business man and successful di-
! plomat, is devoting hts attention the improve
| ment of the postal facilities Of the United
! States. AS Postmaster General he finds himself
at the head Of that department OF the govern
| ment which sustains relations with a greater
| number of citizens than any other and the
| efficiency of which materially affects the bust
ness interests OF every individual and concern
| in the country.
George B. CorteIyou who succeeded the late
! Postmaster General Payne found himself con-
fronted with the difficult and than6less task of
reorganzing the personnel of the Postoffce De-
partment. and accomplished much I'm that re-
| spect. Postmaster General Meyer Is determined
| in far is possible within the statutory
| strictions with which he is hedged about. to in
| troduce business methods and eliminate red tape
and certain arbitrary spirit in his subordi-
mates in the great government corporation OF
which he is the head
Il have. since l assumed this Office. been de-
voting my attention to the broader admnistra-
tive policies" said Mr. Meyer to a representa-
tive of The Tribune The details l leave To
/ my subordinates. holding each assistant respon-
sible for the smooth running of his own bureau.
l have also given careful study to the statutes
which control our action. | have now come to
the conclusion that the business of the depart
ment can be much smplihed, and that some of
the methods employed by modern corporations
can be introduced to advantage. OF course, there
are many persons who say Why doesn't the
Postofice do things as the big business corpora
tlons do them? Why are they not more up to
date| But many persons forget overlook
the fact that the department is the creature of
Congress, and that no change be made,
improvement adopted. which will in any way
conflict with the statutes. We cannot even do
some things simply because Congress has not
given us the authority TO do them.
For instance L recently took up the question
of advces of money orders. l disposed to
regard them as cumbersome and possibly unnec-
essary, but 1 soon found that they could not be
done away with because Congress has stipulated
that they must be prepared and sent l have
however, determined to issue a new regulation
which viii go far to promote the convenience OF
those who handle these orders IT is nv in
tention to instruct postmasters TO nav money
ORDERS where they know the payee whether the
ADVICE mas arrived or not. This will, | am cer-
TAIN sIeduy IaclHtate the handling of money
orders by large business houses and viii ohviate
this form of remittance.
Il have found curious rivalry existins he
tween the money order and the registry di,ri-
sions of the department and have taken stans
TO end il. 1t is senseless. Money orders sboIIId
be used for the transmission of rnonav vbara
possible Registered letters should he used for
documents.
etc. and for sending money where there is No
money order office. ~
SHOULD ISSUE POSTAL NOTES.
The Postoiice Department should ssue nos
I tai notes. Not the old form. which was pavabla
10 bearer, but small notes payable to rivon
payee. | lack authority to institute this cba,oa
but shall ask Congress to make the necessary
provision next session. My idea is that v.o
should Issue postal notes payable To a given
payee. for sums less than 81. and notes pavabla
TO bearer for sums less than 10 cents To he used
Of course. for the remittance of small balances
etc.
Another subject which l am considering is