Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-16
RETURNS To HIS DESK
POSTMASTER GENERAL MEYER
BACK FROM HIS VACATION.
Though He Was in Touch With the
Department Most of the Time.
Working on Report.

Postmaster General Meyer returned to
his desk this morning looking bronzed and
hale, although his vacation, with the ex-
ception of ten days, was almost as much
taken up with the business of the depart
rlent as if he had been IN Washington.
Mr.. Meyer went into Boston every day
from Hamilton. Mass, where he spent the
greater part of the summer. and kept in
close touch with postal affairs by tele-
phone. telegraph and mail. debating his
replies to personal letters in Boston and
forwarding them at once to Washington
For ten days Mr.. Meyer was in Canada
killing salmon in the Restigouche. Mrs.
Meyer and the Misses Meyer, all of whom
were seriously i'll during the summer, have
quite recovered and are now in the Adj
rondacks.
Preparation of his annual report will be
the first work to engage the attention of
Mr.. Meyer. To a reporter of The Star
he gave this morning a brief outline of the
proposed contents of that document and
the recommendations which he will make
Postal Savings System.
The postal savings system has been care
fully studied by the Postmaster General,
and he will recommend that it be estab-
lished in this country. 1t was originated
| in England in 1860, and has since spread to
other countries.
THE benefit of this system" said Mr..
Meyer. will be felt especially by the great
number of recent immigrants, who are un-
familiar with our savings banks and VINO
now hoard their earnings, leaving an I'M
mense amount of money tied up. Thus the
immigrants will be benefited. and this sum
of dead money, reaching to millions, Will
be released for the uses of commerce. This
postal savings system Will In no way In
terefere with the established savings banks
for the rate of interest which l have in
mind to recommend will be per cent
lower than the rate of the banks. 'Ihe
amount which will be taken on deposit Will
also be limited, so that the system Will
virtually be a feeder to the savings banks,
since depositors who have reached the
limit of deposit will naturally look else
where for a depositary and Will be at
tracted to the banks. 1t is hoped, also,
that this system will inculcate thrift and
create a habit Of saving among people who
have hitherto been either spendthrift or
careless.
Il shall also recommend the restoration
of the postal note, for the transmission by
mail OF sums less than So, and the simpli-
fication of the mOney-order system, so that
it will be more available and more at
tractive to the people.
THE matter of q parcels post will also
be considered at length in my report.
Other Subjects to Be Treated.
Manufacture and installation of stamp
vending machines as a convenience for the
public Is another subject to which / have
devoted considerable attention and which
I shall consider in detail in my annual re-
port, recommending that they be introduced
into this country.
Lower postage to certain foreign coun-
tries is a subject which l still have under
consideration and which depends upon the
consent of the countries affected If such
lower rate be recommended 1t will be only
n VI l.
rect lines of mail steamers from the United
States-that Is, Great Britain and certain Of
the larger continental nations.
Extension of the sea post Office system
for the distribution OF mails during ocean
transit, SO as TO expedite their delivery
when port is reached. is another recon-
mendation which l shall make.
Mr. Myer is the fourth ca binet officer
back from his vacation, Secretary Wilson
Secretary Straus and Secretary Metcalf hav-
ing returned in the order named.