The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-08

ing savings with the security of the
Government behind them. The OBJ.
ject is TO encourage thrift and eco
nomy in the wage-earner and person
of moderate means. In fourteen
States the deposits in savings banks
as reported to the Comptroller of the
Currency amount to $3.50, 245 400, or
9S.4 per cent of the entire deposits,
while in the remaining 80 States
there are only $70,30S,543, or 1.6 per
cent, showing concusively that there
are many localities in the United
States where sufficient opportunity is
not given to the people to deposit
their savings. The result is that
money is kept in hiding and unem-
ployed. 1t is believed that In the
aggregate vast sums of money would
he brought into circulation through
the instrumentality of the postal saw
ing's banks. While there are only
1,453 savings banks reporting to the
Comptroller there are more than 61,-
900 post-ofices. 10000 of which are
money order offices. Postal savings
banks are now in operation In prac.
tically all the great civilized coun-
tries with the exception of the Unit
ed States.
PARCEL POST.
In my last annual message | com.
mended the PostmasteTGenera
recommendation for an extension of
the parcel post on the rural routes.
The establishment of a local parcel
post on rural routes would be to the
mutual benefit of the farmer and the
country storekeeper, and it is desir-
able that the routes, serving more
than 100000 people, should be uti-
lized to the fullest practicable ex-
tent. An amendment was proposed
in the Senate at the last session, at
the suggestion of the Postmaster
General, providing that, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining the practicable
ity of establishing a special local par
eel post system on the rural routes
throughout the United States, the
Postmaster-General be authorized
and directed to experiment and 1e-
port to the Congress the result of
such experiment by establishing a
special local parcel post system on
rural delivery routes in not to ex-
coed four counties in the United
States for packages of fourth-class
matter originating on a rural route
or at the distributing post office for
delivery by rural carriers 1t would
seem only proper that such an ex-
pertinent should be tried in order to
demonstrate the practicability of the
proposition, especially Fas the Post
master-General estimates that the
revenue derived from the operation
OF such system on all the rural
routes would amount to many mil
lion dollars.
EDUCATION.
The share that the National CIV.
eminent should take In the oroad
work of education has not received
the attention and the care if rightly
deserves. The immediate resnopsi.
oility for the support and imnrove.
nleht Oh our educational systems and
institutions rests and should ALWAYS
rest with The people of the seyera
states acting through their state ant
local governments, but the Nation
mas an opportunity in educationa
work which must not be lost and ;
duty which should no longer he neg
lected
The National Bureau of Education
was established more than forty wear,
ago. Its purpose is to collect anC
diifuse such information "as shall aiC
the people of the United States il
the establishment and maintenance o
efficient school systems and otherwis,
promote the cause of education
throughout the country" This pm
pose in no way conflicts with the edu
cational work of the States. but ma,
! be made of great advantage to tn
States by giving them the fullest
most accurate, and hence the mos
helpful information and suggestio
regarding the best educational sy'
TENS. The Nation, through its broad
er field of activities, it's wider oppol
tunity for obtaining information frOr
all the States and from foreign couI
tries, is able to do that which nc
even the richest States can do, an
, with the distinct additional advaI
, tage that the information thus oil
tanned is used for the immediate bel
eft of all our people.
, With the limited means hilbert
! provided, the Bureau of Educatio
: has rendered efficient service, but tn
Congress has neglected to adequate
ly supply the bureau with means
! meet the educational growth of tn
!. country The appropriations for I'll
=. general work of the bureau. outsid
!. education in Alaska, for the year 1916
= are but SS7,500-an amount less tina
they were ten years ago, and some
the important items in these Apr
priations are less than they wei
=. thirty years ago. 1t is an inexcus
= lie waste of public money to apr