The Mena weekly star., 1908-02-13

RTA SERVICE REFORM.
|St1tminary Report of Joint Con- Mission Appointed Last Year
 Submitted to Congress.
IEss BASIS FOR THE DEPARTMENT

SCS sssCsS WY wv. -" wv - W .s~ ' ScommIssIon Recommends That Ices of Assistant Postmasters HeraI Be Abolished and . Direc- "a of Posts Be Substituted, Who <uId Have Actual Charge.
 shington. Feb. 11.-Congress
 " received a preliminary report 1&e joint commission appointed E the last congress to investi- <he business methods of the post M department and postal service Hubmit recommendations for leg on to effect changes in their ad- xkration. The commission, con.
 g of Senators Penrose, Carter Clay and Representatives Over
 Gardner (of New Jersey) and X points out many objectionable Ids of both departments. Among
 Recommendations is a plan to
 the actual direction of the busi-
 pf the postofiice department un-
 ontrol of an officer, with neces-
 assistants. to be appointed by
 President "by and with the ad- and consent of the senate" for
 terms so as to insure the con- IT of efficient service. Under plan the postmaster general, as
 nber of the cabinet. is charge IWith general supervisory control
 he determination of questions of So commission also recommends the business of the department >centralized so as to avoid the
 etion at the national capital
 impairs the efficiency and in- 15s the cost of the service; that |tokmaking, auditing and account
 p simplifled. unified and central <o secure greater accuracy, more 1Dt methods and elimination of Nation of work; and that. the prac- 6 requiring needless detailed re- @ from small postoffices be dis Rued. The moderate application - non-accounting system to small # will eliminate about 30,000. or
 one-half of all the postoff1ce
 pts from the present complex
 and bookkeeping system. or
 at least greatly simplify the
 knitted with the report of the
 lssion Is a report of consider
 volume from two New York ac-
 Ing firms who were assigned to nvestigation of the department
 e commission last May.
 M following is a summary of the
 important suggestions made in 'loport of the examiners:
 6t the offices of the first, second,
 and fourth assistant postmas- Eeneral be abolished and that a Tor of posts be appointed at a IX sufficient to attract the best &istrative talent in the counry,
 hat he be given sole charge of <perations of the department and &ce, subject only to the control in Irs of policy of the postmaster
 n as a cabinet officer; that as 1t directors be appointed to take
 e of the main operating divis 6f the service (postoffices, trans tion, appointments. finance, troller, inspection, purchasing X and supplies): that the comp r should be in charge of the
 accounting for the department oervice, and that the duties of &nditor be limited to an audit of |5e accounts in the proper sense "a word: that all postoflices not r money order business be "a as "non-accounting offices . That a fixed supply of stamps, zbe supplied to them to be re- 11hed from neighboring account 0mces in exchange for cash, or I1uivalent; that district offices be |<td at convenient points through the country, organized in minia- on the same lines as the depart | In Washington, which would SUI ||ee the whole of the work in their 1cts, under the direction of re- I6ible officials: that the director 1osts and the assistant directors f&d an advisory board to meet m times a week and discuss i'm &ht questions as they may arise, That similar advisory board be |ted at each district office; that postmasters account for postal money order transactions hereto kept separately, be merged; that 1otions be based on merit and a me devised for retiring many of oIder employees; that the liability Exceeding appropriations be strict |9flned. and limited; that a proper )0nting system be installed: that Cost of the several services rem )4 by the postoffice department postal service should be ascer- <d in accordance with methods sln suggested, either by periodical { or continuously; that the use sbcr saving machines and devices largely extended. particularly the pfion of mechanical systems oi Hing money orders; adoption of use of postal notes not to exceed and elimination of all money or uffices not issuing 500 money or per annum.
 his report classes the present ac- 1fing and auditing system of the