Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-12-03
TEST PARCELS POST
Postmaster General Makes a
Series of Recommendations
ALSO POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS
Postmaster General Meyer, In His
Annual Report, Recommends to
Congress tho Trial Of Both These
Features For Many Reasons.

nual report for the fiscal year ended
June 30th, 1908, Postmaster General
Meyer gives the total receipts for the
year as $191, ,47S,663 and expendi-
lures as S2OS,351 1856, thereby show
ing n deficit of $16,S73 800, the larg-
est i'll the history of the department,
with an additional loss frcm fire.
burglary, ETC., of $37,056. The de-
felt of 1909, it is estimated, again
will exceed $16,O0O,OO0.
Attention is particularly called to
number of improvements in busi.
ness methods of the department as
tending to its advantage and the saw
ing of considerable amounts. Recon-
mendation is again made for the crea-
ton of the position of director of
posts, at a high salary, and who shall
hold office during good behavior, the
object being to have continuity of
policies for the benefit fthe postal
service and the people of the United
States.
Necessity Of Good Roads.
The necessity for good roads is
pointed out in connection with the
development of the rural free del:v-
cry service. 1t is suggested that
should Congress grant the depart
ment authority TO utilize rural routes
still further by the establishment of
Limited parcel post confined entire
lv to rural delivery routes, il would
then be possible to earn additional
revenue amounting to millions of dol
lars and at the same time benefit the
farmer by enabling him to have mer-
chandise delivered when ordered by
telephone or postal card, which other
wise would not be purchased. eth.
special parcel post" says the Post
master general twill enable the far
mers TO have small parcels delivered
at their gates, to live better and Ia
obtain easily the necessaries of life"
Pcn''iss;on is requested to establish
experimentally limited parcel post
In not 10 exceed four counties in or
def to demonstrate the practicability
of tue plan.
The Postmaster General again
urges legislation permitting the es-
tablishment of postal savings banks
or depositarics in connection with
postofiices
StampVerding Machines.
Experiments with stamp-vendinc
machines, says the Postmaster Gen
eral, are still being conducted, with
every prospect that the defects which
developed in the preliminary tests
Will add immeasurably TO the public
convenience.
The campaign of education in the
school houses in matters pertaining
to the ordinary operation of the pos
tai service, so as to emphasize the
Importance Of careful addressing. the
placing Of the name and address of
the sender on envelopes, ETC.. is rec
commended to be continued. so as to
save hundreds of thousands of let
ters and packages from going to the
dead letter Office, each year, as is
now the case.
A marked improvement in the eff
ticiency Of the service is noted by
the Postmaster General which, he
soys, is due to- the policy Of retain
ing postmasters of all grades whose
records have been satisfactory. lie
believes, however, that the appoint
monts Of second and third class post
masters should lie with the Postmas-
ter General, as is now the practice
with fourth-class Offices. This. he saws.
would reserve to the President the
appointment Of postmasters at the
more important offices and relieve
him Of a vast amount Of routine work
that is q tax upon his time.
Remote Stations Advocated.
The Postmaster General puts him.
self on record as being decidedly op-
posed TO tho law which prohibits the
establishment Of postal stations more
than five miles beyond the corporate
limits of city, although he says, no
such restrictions exists with reference
to the extension Of the free delivery
service. The department, he declares,
should not be placed in the position
of being able to deliver mail from
door to door and at the same time of
being forbidden to supply the district
so served with the other usual postal
cOnveniences. The repeal of the law
complained of is urged.
Times-Democrst's Estimate of Crop