Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-12-07
2.CEN7 POSTAGE
IS BOND OF union
Postmaster Gen. Reports
On His Department
For The Year
WOULD RETAIN IN OFFICE
POSTMAsTERS Of EFFICIENCY
Parcels Post System - Great Def
at-Campaign Of Education
Among Children Of
Schools

ceipts for the year as $20S,351, $50,
thereby showing deficit Of 49,
S73,222, the largest In the history of
the department, with an additional
loss from fire, burglary, etc, OF $37,-
056. The deficit of 1909 It is esti-
mated again will exceed $4,000, 900.
Attention is particularly called to
number of improvements in bust
ness methods OF the department as
tending to its advantage and the
saving Of considerable amounts. Rec
concentration is again made for the
creation of the position of director
Of posts. at high salary. and who
shall hold Office during good behav-
Tor, the object being to have con-
tinuity of policies for the benefit of
the postal service and the people of
the United States.
The necessity for good roads Is
pointed out in connection with the
development of tho rural free deliv-
cry service. It Is suggested that
should Congress grant the depart
ment authority to utilize rural
routes still further by the establish
ment Of limited parcel post con.
fined entirely to rural delivery
routes. 1t would then be possible to
earn additional revenue amounting
to millions of dollars and at the
same time benefit the farmer by en-.
abllng him to have merchandise de-
iivered when ordered by telephone
or postal card, which otherwise
would not be purchased. 1.-The spe-
cial parcel post" says the Postmas-
ter General. will enable the farm
ers to have small parcels delivered
at their gates. to live better, and to
obtain easily the necessaries Of life"
Permission is requested toy establish
experimentally a limited parcel post
in not to exceed four counties In
order to. demonstrate the practicable
ity OF the plan. ...
The Postmaster General again urg
es legislation permitting the estab-
lishment of postal savings banks or
depositaries in connection with post.
Offices. n%
Experiments with stamp vending
machines, says the Postmaster Cen
erai, are still being conducted, with
every prospect that the defects which
developed in the preliminary tests
will be overcome. These machines,
1t is expected by the department, will
add UNNECESSARILY to the public con-
.venience.
| 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 letters
and packages from going to the dead
letter ofiice, each year, as is now
the case. ..'.. t
A marked Improvement in the eff
ficiency of the service Is noted by the
Postmaster General which. he says,
is due to the policy of retaining
postmasters OF all grades whose rec
lords have been satisfactory. He be-
lieyes, however, that the appoint
ments Of second and third-class post
masters should lie with the Postmas-
/ tor fnnnro1 10 tho ssru cti a
with fourth-class Offices, This, he
says, would reserve to the President
the appointment of postmasters al
the more important Offices and re-
lieye him of a vast amount of rou.
tine work that is tax upon his
time. '''
The Postmaster General puts him.
self on record as being decidedly OPP
posed to the law which prohibits the
establishment of postal stations
more than five miles beyond the cor
porate limits of a city, although he
says no such restriction exists with
reference to the extension OF the
free delivery service. The depart
ment. he declares. should not b.
PLACED In the position OF being able
to deliver mail from door to door
and at the same time of being for
hidden to supply the district so serv
ed with the other usual postal con
veniences. The repeal OF the Law
complaincd OF Is urged.
-. - "
The maintenance Of a suitable pos
tai service In New York City, 1t l,
stated. becomes more difficult eacl
Iyear and requires increased expendi
lures In order to reduce so far as pos
sible the heavy congestion of mai
matter. there. The Postmaster Gen
eral speaks OF what has been done to
Ward remedying this condition, AM
says that night delivery In the resi-