The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-15
MEYER PLANS PARCELS POST
,ND HOPES To GET AZ THORITY
ron POST.lL SAVINGS RANKS.
stamp Vending Machines for This city
--nuraI Frcr Delivery to Ne Extended
Prospect Of n 2 Gent Foreign Rate
-ImprON rnlruts Are 10 BE Made Here.

~ W
Prospect Of n 2 zen, Foreign Rate
-lnpro, cnru,- Arc 10 he Made Here.
Postmaster General Meyer wa at the
ro.tnastcr's ofiic0 yesterday afternoon
with hI- secretary, }. A. Holmes. While
ha vas there Postmaster Morgan returned
rom Oyster Bay and the two had a talk.
Nlr. Meyer told the reporters about his
plans for the coming year., and especially
for rural delivery and the Improvement
Of the parcels post He thinks that the
criticism 81 the cost OF the rural delivery
service is unjust. In 1905 $25 900 600 was
expended on il. but the entire postal def
cif. which was Ss.OO0,OO u in 1899 when
only SIS, 900, 900 was spent on rural free
delivery, had increased to only SIC, 1000 600.
i is expected, says Mr.. Meyer, that the
rural free delivery expenditure for the
current year will he SIS, 900 900 and that
the deficit will not he increased, For the
quarter ended on March I there was no
deficit The rural mail delivery system
has proved a decided boon to farmers. says
the Postniaster General. and has raised
the general standard Of living among them.
Important innovations that Mr.. Meyer
hopes to establish within the year. with
INV IPuTNnt VI SobStNrs, W bv patcciS
post and postal savings banks. The banks
are planned to resemble the savings bank
department Of the Postal Service in Canada
and England. The need Of them has beer
demonstrated to Mr.. Meyer by the fact
that many foreign and native working
pepple make sure Of their savings by buy
ing postal orders. payable to themselves.
which they can cash as they need the money.
From This it is evident that many prefer
II do without interest rather than intrust
their savings to banks. IL il not intended.
SAYS MIR. Meyer, To run these institutions
N opposition TO savings banks. but merely
10 establish them where they are needed
to encourage thrift. The amount Of de-
posts will be limited. Mr.. Meyer said that
no would recommend a resumption Of the
ssIe Of postal orders limited to 81. so or
y. hut payable TO bearer only.
Mr.. Meyer said he had no yet worked
ont the details of the parcels post system,
but that il would possibly be that parcels
would be limited to eight or ten pounds. The
system. he was careful to state. was not to
be construed as opposition to the express
companies, but was intended only 10 meet
n pubic demand.
The Department. saws the Postmaster
General. also intends TO experiment with
stamp vending machines similar TO those
in Use in Germany. These are to be put
IN public places such as hotels, and IL Ia
thought that # the purchase Of stamps
IA facilitated the postal revenues"will be
increased. The machines will be tried
hrst in Washington and this city.
tie intends to advocate a reduction in
'orelgn postage, such a reduction as the
present rate of S cents TO 2 cents to such
countries az have direct steam communion
t'on, including England, Germany. Hol-
and, Italy and France. This reduction is
expected TO increase the revenues n
would not require enactment by Congress.
but could be accomplished by agreement
With the countries in The Postal Union.
The Department is going to be- operated
on moro businesslike basis than heretofore.
sccording 10 Mr.. Meyer. A proof Of this
IL the recent order weighing all mail and
notlng the amount paid for and the amount
handled for the Government departments.
and that franked by Congressman and
Senators.
We are going to ascertain where our
deficit lies and see how it can be remedied
IA Tar as possible said Mr.. Meyer.
As for improvements for this city he
hopes 10 increase the sea postal service
by adding more clerks TO the ships now
carrying them and TO have men placed
on The lines not already employing them.
u would he "A great advantage to mer-
chants TO have foreign mail arrive here
ready sorted. explained Mr.. Meyer.
An estimate has been made Of the cost
# an $ o'clock p. VI. delivery in parts of
New York city where il ia needed. MIR.
Meyer SAID that 62B additional carriers
are needed OF will he. in view of the i'm
nrovements, and New York is to have
'hom II possible. He Landed the service
in London and Berlin and said he hoped
70 see IA perfect a system here. so that a
city letter could he mailed in the morning
and a reply received in the evening. The
pneumatic tube service, he thought. would
a rGYlDlnfnI NN,Nkt n 80. A.
despatch II mail would be facilitated in
ManhnttAn.