Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-02-14
URGE CHANGES IN
POSTAL SERVICE
Joint COMMISSION OF SENATORS
AND REPRESENTATIVES PRE-
SENTS REPORT.
THE SYSTEM Is CRITICISED,

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 10
Congress today received a preliminary re-
port Of the joint commission appointed
during the last Congress to investigate
The business methods of the postoffice
department and postal service and sub
nit recommendations for legislation to
effect changes in their administration.
The commission, consisting of Sena-
ors Penrose, Carter and Clay and Repre-
sentatives Overstreet, Gardner IN. j.,
and Moon, points many Objectionable
features to the business methods Of both
department and service. Chief among
the recommendations is plan to place
the actual direction of the business Of
the postOffice department and service III
the hand of an officer with necessary as
sistants to be appointed by the President,
by and with the consent of the Senate"
for long terms 50 as to insure the con-
tinulty Of efficient service. Under this
plan the postmaster general, as mem
Der Of the cabinet, is chargeable with
general supervisory control and the de-
termination of questions Of policy.
The commission says:
Department Almost Bankrupt.
1t appears too obvious to require argu-
fnent tEat the most efnclent service can
never be expected as long as the direction
Of the business is, at present, entrusted
! to postmaster general ana certain as
SiStantS selected without special reference
10 experience and qualifications and sub
Ject to frequent changes. Under such
system a large railway, commercial or in
dustrial business would inevitably go into
bankruptcy and the postotfice department
has averted that fate only because the
United States treasury has been available
to meet deficiencies.
The Changes Suggested.
The following is Il summary of the
more important suggestions made III the
report of the examiners:
That the offices Of the first, second, third
and fourth postmasters general be abolished
and that a director of posts be appointed at
a salary sufficient to attract the best ad-
mlnistrative talent in the country, and
that he be given sole charge of the opera
| iect only to the control in matters of policy
Of the postmaster general as a cabinet Of
| ficer; that assistant directors be appointed
! to take charge of the main operating divi-
! sions of the service, that the comptroller
! should be in charge of the whole account
| ing for the department and service, and
/ an audit of all the accounts in the proper
sense of the word; that all postohfces not
! doing a money order business be treated as
! mon accounting Offices and that fixed
! supply of stamps, etc. be supplied to them
! to be replenished from neighboring account
! ing offices In exchange Ter cash, or It's
! equivalent that district offices be created
! at convenient points throughout the coun-
! try. organized in miniature the same
| lines as the department in Washington,
! which would supervise the whole of the
work in their districts under the direction
| of responsible officials.
T. Retire Old Employees.
The report also recommends that pro-
! motions be based on merit and a scheme
! devised for retiring many of the older
employees; that the liability for exceeding
appropriations be strictly defined and
| limited; that the use of labor saving
! devices and machines be largely extend
ed, particularly adoption of a mechanical
| system of auditing money orders; the
adoption of the use of postal notes not
to exceed $40; and elimination of all
! money order offices not issuing 900
money orders per annum.
Says System Is Crude.
This report classes the cost account
ing and auditing system of the postoffice
department and service as extremely
crude and absolutely lacking in uniform
! ity.
The appointments of postmasters,
clerks in postoffices and many other
! grades of the service" says the report,
ARE still largely affected by political
influence"