Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-10-31
POSTAL FADs.
General business at Uvrcmu,,rs,,vc
Rates Objectionable pnt.rpr,,sm.
(From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
In1'tD

If We over have a postrnastor-gener,'
appointed from the postal service we
may get come recommendation for IFS
improvement and development based nm.
on practical knowledge of the business
in this country instead Of uron suner-
fetal observation of postal ARRANGEMENTS
elsewhere under wholly different condi-
| lions There is no reason TO suppose that
| Mr.. Meyer had over been inside a nost
office or a mail car before he was chosen
| 70 direct the "hole complicated system,
but he has come back from diplomatic
service in Europe highly charged with
expensive schemes, tho parccls most.
| postal savings banks and other paternal
Undertakings. AS these are in line with
the prevailing tendency to commit all
| business Of every kind to the government
| at Washington, they are quite likely to
find favor there-eXcppt among experience
ed persons in the postoffce department.
whose knowledge of the business has
been gained in the United States
Tho one port Of rs business which the
postoffice carries on with reasonable off
cheney and fair remuneration 10 tho fun-
damental and essential part tho convov-
ance of letters and sealed packages nv
bringing all this under n single sInnlteed
system, as suggested by the now ,n+er
national postage agreement, all the adj
vanta ges of a real parcels most" cou,a
he obtained with perfect security with
great advantage to the public and cor-
responding advantage to tho acr,.ico
whose present transportation of lov.rate
packages is n dclusion and q snare In
telligent Regulation" might improvo tbis
service very much. For tho rovnrn,,,o,t
To 20 into tho general express business
carrying unlimited packages of merchan
disc all over THIS vast continent at nm
remunerItive rates-hoCauee sometime
or this kind is done in England. in Bel
GUM or even in Germany-wouId he a
development Of paternalsm as obiection
able in theory rs 1t would be certain,v
disastrous IN practice
AS to the postal savings fund. that Is
sheer patern1liSm, suitable cnouph in "A
country whore there are no saving in
sttutions and where the ruling idea OF
me government IS to get as much as nos
slhle of the money of tho people into its
own custody Tho only thing tho rov
eminent can dc with such dcposits Is
to invest them in its own bonds. bu,
IN" government Of the United States has
not need to borrow money and alreodv
takes from tho people much moro thar
it can proftahly use. to their great dis
tr"ss and the serious disturbance NJ
trade. Nearly every state has well ror-
ulated savings banks-their orrreo,t, do
posts amounting last year TO above three
billions Of dollars. or much moro ,bar
enough TO pay he whole national debit
which GGnh mol IL.
ey upon mortgages in their own n.iqb |
p"rhood' as The postoffice obviously could
not do Localities that have not these |
la'IltI"s are ~" very ones that can |
least afford to have their savings sent
'aN TO washington to be locked up Idle
IN the tTeasury-or put into canals and |
oat'ieShlps instead of into the improve
ment of their farms.
The assembled postmastors to whom
Mr. Meyer exploited his imported ideas |
ana who knew something of the def
lenclcs of the present service and the
Of getting anything done ar
washington. werr doubtless too pol,te
!" tell him what they thought. As Iowa,
party men they must go along with the
administration wherever Il may lead
Perhaps they remembered how nearly
impossible 1t has been to persuade Com
'ress to authorize the most obvious nrac
ical reforms though persistontlv urged
~ mon familiar with the service and
concluded that Mr., Meyers fads would
oIlow the same fate. That is a precari-
Jus dependence. Tho great desdcratum
low is government control" The ex-
'r"ss business can take over as "intor-
tate commerce" and If we cannot get