The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-02
POSTAL SAVINGS
BANKS ARE'URGED
Postmaster General NleycrFavors
Their Immediate Is
tablisllnlent.

Their Immediate Is
tablisl1tlent.
1 WASHINGTON, ~. c., December -
| The annual report Of Postmaster Gen.
eral Meyer, made public to-day. shows
/ a remarkable growth OF the postal
flor the year. The report contains
Hinuny important Recommendations
Iamong which, is the immediate estab-
lshn,ent of postal savings banks, pay.
ling 2 per cent. interest, and receiving
deposits up to $500. Another is the
reduction Of the cost OF parcels hostage
to IL cents per pound. II Is also urged
that the Postn1aster-Ce be per-
United to name second and rd-clnss
postnasters and relieve the President
of this burden. The retention OF eff.
commended. Tho manufacture Jof
stamped envelopes By the government,
tile use OF stamp-vending machines,
the location of post-off1ces In cities
near central railway stations. the ex-
tension of the city delivery service.
and the creation of the post OF deputy
postrias ter general arc also urged.
The Postmaster General says In part:
In order to draw attention to the
enormous expansion and Increase IN
the business OF the Post-0fficc Depart
ment, / desire to refer TO the year
1857. when the receipts of the postal
service were ;s,053,s5o, the expendi-
lures s1i.50s,o5s, and the deficit So
454,1O6. Since then the receipts have
nearly doubled every ten years and the
expenditures have Increased corres-
pondinglS.
In the year 1897 the receipts had
risen to ss2665.462, the expenditures to
se4,o77,o42 and the deficit TO SILL
Ten years aser ynne year ar had
doubled. being slss.5s5.0o5. with ex-
penditures of Successes. The de-
iclt. however. had dropped to $685.
Csc. Consequently. II one may Judge
by the figures of the last fifty years,
every indication points to the prob
ability OF the postal receipts passing
tho $3.50, 100000 mark In 1917.
Needs Of Service.
The particular and striking needs in
this immense business institution OF
the government are up-to.date busi-
ness methods. u revised system of
bookkeeping. permitting the taking OF
a trial balance. and a permanent Off
cial. corresponding TO the suprrihten-
dent Of {. mill or the agent OF a great
ton. who would hold Office continu-
ously through various administrations.
1t Is OF little consequence whether
he he known as deputy postmaster
general or director OF posts, but a
salary OF not less than $4,000 should
be provided to command business
man OF wide experience. who would
become familiar with the various
bureaus OF the POST Office Department
mn ans ~, fax-, late ~l,<.
head OF the department.. This would
insure continuity OF the policy OF
the Department, which Is necessary in
bringing about the best results 70
the service. The methods at the pres
ent time are lacking IN economy and
drectn IS. The organization and sys-
TEN which worked satisfactorily many
years ago are now out of date ans:
Inadequate to the present increased
requirements.
n Fabor Postal savings banks.
earnestly recommend tho .estab-
ilshnlent of postal savings banks:
First. In order to encourage among.
our people economy and thrift.
Second. In order to afford a place of
deposit free from any. possibility Of
doubt or suspicion for vast sums of
money which might otherwise be
boarded and kept out OF circulation
through ignorance or lack OF confi-'
dencc.
Wherever 1t may be, this money has
lost its proper functions and the bust
ness of the nation not only receives no
benefit from II. but even the prosper
ity OF the country suffers and may be
eventually destroyed. Money deposited
in postal savings banks would be ABB
solntely safe. as the government would
be back of It.
More than 100000 of immigrants
landed in this country during the past
ten years. and It has been demonstrat-
ed that In the aggregate immense sums
of money have been boarded or sent
away by these people. In many in
stances it has been found that. for.
want of postal savings banks. money
the purchaser. good for one year.
During the fiscal year ended June
so. 1907. the Post-oflce Department
sent to European countries alone III.
the form of money orders S7alll,74S.e4.
OF this sum, slS.9s6. $780, went to
Italy Representing 459,7s5 money or
ders averaging s41.o9 eacll); $685.
s9l.66 to Austria Hungary; sl1,53a..
02s54 to Great Britain. and $3.50
$500 to Russia. This money. while
1t was accommodating. would naturally
y
tai savings banks.
Cannda Systcm as Model.
From q study Of the system which
is working SO satisfactorily IN Canada
1t is believed that practically no addi-
tlonal clerk hire Is required In the vari-
Gus post Offices, the entres being made
by the money-order clerk. That the
postal savings bank business can be
handled with safety IS hest attested by,
the results in Canada. where In thirty
nine years s465O00,000 have been re-
ceived and discussed, with loss to-
the government of not more than
$4,000. The total deposits In postal
savings banks there at present nggre-
gate s50.0O0,0O0.
1t is recommended that the POST
be given authority to
designate all .money-orde.r post-offices,
and such other post-oftlces as may be
deemed necessary, to receive depo sitsi
OF money for savings; deposits to be
accepted in even dollars, with $l{as al
minimum: postmasters to be required.
to receipt for such deposits In the
DaSShOokS oTa tha al