The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-12-05
ASKS new METHODS
IN POSTAL SERVICE
Says Up-to.
Date System is Urgent Need.
RE RECOMMENDATIONS he MAKES
Establishment of Postal Savings
Banks Urged For the Beneft Of
the People-Wonld Pay Two Per
Cent.-Parcels Post.

Gents-Parceis Post.
Washington, D. c.=Postmaster-
GeneralsMeyer's annual report draws
attention to the enormous increase in
the country's postal business by Civ
ing the figures for the last fifty years.
These show postal service receipts of
s8,053,s52 in 1857, with a deficit Of
$3.454, log, against receipts of $780,
5S5 Dos in the fiscal year ended .Jine
50. 1907, when there was a deficit of
S6,663,2S2. Mr. Never believes re-
ceipts will pass the s350,OOO,0 goo.
mark in 1917.
In the opinion of the Postmaster
General the particular and striking
needs of the service to-day are unto
date business methods, a revised sys-
tenn of Bookkeeping, permitting the
taking of a trial balance, and a per-
manent official corresponding to the
superintendent of mill or the agent
OF a great consolidated manufacture
ms corporation, who would hold office
continually. through various admins
tratfons.p To such an Official Mr..
Meyer would pay a salary large
enough to attract and hold a capable,
experienced business man. New laws
are needed to permit the introduction
of up-to-date business methods.
Postmaster-General Meyers first
Recommendation is the establishment
of postal savings banks. He does
this, he says, first, in order to en-
courage among our people economy
and thrift; second, in order to afford
a place of deposit free from any pos
sibility of doubt or suspicion for vast
sums of money which might other
wise be boarded and kept out of cir
culation through ignorance or lack
of confidence.
Wherever it may be, this money
has lost its proper functions, and the
business of the nation not only re-
ceives no benefit from it, but even
the prosperity of the country suffers
and may be eventually destroyed.
Money deposited in postal savings
banks would be absolutely safe, as
the Government would be back of it..
Nh. Meyer points out that in the
fiscal year 1907, $72,111,7 4S was
sent to European countries in money
orders by immigrants, and he adds:
This money, while it was aceumu-
lating, would naturally have been
PA6SO0 " 0h4OSJ IA C4C pOSId1 say
ingS banks. In fact, it has been
brought to my attention that money
of the immigrants, on account of its
p~ossessors being ignorant of DURHAM
guage and suspicious of our private
institutions, is being sent home in
order that it may be placed in the.
postal savings banks of their native
countries.
The Postmaster General tells of
the success of the system in Canada,
and says:
1T is recommended that the Post
master-General be given authority to-
designate all money order postofices,
and such other poStoffices as may be
deemed necessary, to receive deposits
of money for savings; deposits to be
accepted in even dollars, with ST as
a minimum; postmasteTs to be re-
quired to receipt for such deposits in
the pass books of the deposits and
to make daily reports thereof to the
Postmaster-Genefal, who will ac-
knowledge receipt of the deposits di-9
rect to the patrons; money deposited
in the postal savings bank not to be
liable to demand, seizure or deten-
ton under legal processes, against the
.depositor. Withdrawals may be
made at any time subject to certain
regulations.
ION deposits made in postal saw
ings banks a rate of interest of two
per cent. per annum is suggested, the
deposits to be limited to $500 by any
one person; any individual in the
United States ten years old or more
to be permitted to open an account
in his own name and deposit to his
.15s
$500. A child under ten years of
age to have an account opened in his
name by a parent or guardian, but
withdrawals are not to be made un-
til the child attains the age of ten.
THAT the money deposited in the
postal savings banks may return to
the channels of trade authority is
asked to place it in the national
banks which are Government depos-
tories in the States where the money
is deposited in the ~postofices. In
consultation with a number of presi.
dents of national banks in various
parts of the country / have been as.
sufed that on special deposits of this
character from the P~ostofice Departs
ment theyWouId allow a rate of in
terest of two and a half per cent"
In discussing the parcel post,
which he desires to see extended,
Mr.. Meyer points out that under the
present system a person mailing in
any United States postefice two par
cells weighing four pounds each must
pay ~sixtyzfour cents for the one adj
G~ressedhto New York and only forty,
eight cents for the one sent to a for-
eign country, which will usually pass
through New York. 1.-THE New York
package weighs more than four
pounds it will be denied the mails,
but the package going abroad may
weigh up to eleven pounds, accord
ing to the country Of it's destination.
The Postmaster-Genera1 recon-
mends a rate of twelve cents a pound
on domestic parcels