New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
MEYER TALKS ON PLANS
Postmaster General Will Recon-.
mend Some Remarkable Chances.

WeHG OOme remarkable Changes.
Boston. Oct. Eff the recommendations which
are to be made by Postmaster General Meyer are
adopted by Congress the Immediate future will
bTlns some remarkable changes in postal facilities
III the United states. An outline Of OF the
more important recommendations to be made before
the next session of Congress was given by Mr..
Meyer IN an address at banquet tonight in con-
necuon with the annual meeting OF the Postmas-
ters Association Of New England. These include
the further development OF the parcels post system
TO an extent far beyond It's present limitations
inc eStaousrment of postal savings banks. the is
suance OF postal notes in denominations ranging
from cent TO s2 so and the installation through
out the country OF automatic stamp vending ma
chimes. The recommendation as 70 the stamp
vending machines however will depend on the
| success OF experiments now being made with a
device OF this kind.
Probably the most important and drastic Of ALL
OF the recommendations which the Postmaster Gen
eraI proposes to make will be that regarding the
extension Of the parcels post Not only will ne ad-
wise mat the system as at present established be
greatly increased In efficiency, but that the maxi
mum rate for all parcels be reduced from Is 10
L cents a pound: that the limit of weight for
such parcels be increased from four TO eleven
pounds that local parcels posts equipped with
wagons or automobiles be established in cities
where the free delivery system prevails and that a
sPeclal parcels post system. with extremely low
eharse Tor service. be established in connection
with the rural free delivery Mr. Meyer goes on to
say:
Two interests arc opposing the extension of par
GELS post In this country-the express corn n.1jes
that the Sro Tetal merchants The latter fear
thelr own disadvantage II is in connection vim
especially. 1 propose TO recommend the estabIisb1
ment OF parcels post in rural routes which viii
retailers. This will bo a boon to our rural non'Ia
} Tn ana h, 10 tne storekeeper as the latter
the desired merchandise by the rural carrier The
IdIihsr VIII DC saved from hitchng up his horse
dilu lOSllB Ine time ne needs bar
vesns his crops. and il Will enable the storekeeper
20 20 increase ms sales and meet the requirements
OF modern trade II my recommendations are
ao9pte1 IL VIII cost IL cents pound for the mail
oauer mousse 10 SEND parcels 10 the rural delivery
@ patron rom any city postotce, while for delivery
,teu ~ u oy patron OF any rural route for delivery
10 a patron on the same route, the distribne,
for the first pound and cents each additional
pound up to eleven pounds, or % cents for pack
age weighing eleven pounds. l also conslderng.
post delivery at city free delivery postoca pare. h
order to install such system 1t will be necessary
10 obtain from Congress special appropriation to
acquire wagons and automobiles to do the required
gress Will be TO get an adjustment of rates and
charged for parcels sent by post other countries
This will mean reduction In the rate from is TO 10
cents pound and an increase In the weight limit
from four to eleven pounds
shall for the coPseqato5 e Which
is a postal savings bank system. We desire TO en-
and by the use OF postal savings banks to give
The policy will not be to compete in any way with
the savings banks. but rather to encourage the
habit Of depositng savings Our object is to bring
hidden money to light to instl life into it. and
] Iead Sd Ssa9 INTO M the channels Of trade for the
to the prosperity throughout the land.
public for notes a1d It R6 pdTPoae ro@ 6f o
Of 49, 20 & g. % 5's g. g. e. s. dnd an dc 90
cents 81 and up to $50 II is the Intention h%H 10 TO
small fee viii be charged but time viii viii be- saved
as as no % adyces vices are are to to be sent From cent to
this MONTH and If the are ~i Gs Ssq
they will be adopted. as they should prove con-
stamps.
OF rural delivery Mr.. Meyer said that while
there feeling prevalent in many parts OF the
country that this service was an extravagance
and an unnecessary drain on the department. he
believed the results accomplished in the last ten
proved this feeling to be baseess He pointed
out that when the first rural was estab-
lished in the fall of 1896. and $4,000 was expended
during that fiscal year. the postal deficit was s1l-
10000 while for the fiscal year ended June 30
1897. the expenditures for rural delivery were S27
100000 and the estimated postal deficit showed a
decrease compared with 1897 of about g. 500 OoO
He added;
This is an undoubted evidence to my mind that
rural delivery is enormous yet it has Increased the
receipts and the benefits to our people cannot be
existed in many parts of the country has been
With their friends in the rest OF the MoTid t5a
daily papers and magazines come to the door of
every farmhouse the rural routes and enii9ht-
eminent and information being spread broad
cast throughout the land. Medical men have said
that already the establishment of the rural ser
vice is having its effect upon the mentality OF our
country patrons. and that because of it insanity is
on the decrease. -
AT the end of the calendar year complete in
formation VIII be obtained relative to the cost OF
transporting the various classes of mail matter
and the quantity handled for each o of the ianked
departments. Congress having appropriated s9O0-
100 for the weighing of the mails for this purpose
Thus, for the first time in the history the Post
office Department 1t will be possible to figure intel
Ngently the actual cost to the government OF han
ding the mails and believe the data so Obtained
Will tend to show that very large portion OF ths
deficit would be wiped out If such free matter
were properly charged on the books
Retiring President f. w. Bisbee of Barre Vt
presided at the banquet at the American House to-
night, and besides the Postmaster General the
other speakers were Lieutenant Governor Eban g. |