The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-11-30

L Wv 4NoS. oO.- IL AAAh' SSAA
nual report for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1908, Postmaster General
Meyer gives the total receipts for the
year as $191,478,6 and the expenses
for year $2O8, ,351 1886, thereby showing
deficit of s16,S73,222, the largest in
the history of the department, with
an additional loss from fire, burglary,
ETC., of $37,O56. The deficit of 1909 it
| is estimated again will exceed sixteen
millions.
Attention is particularly called to a
number of improvements in business
methods of the department as tending
to it's advantage and the saving of
considerable amounts. Recommends
ton is again made for the creation of
the position of director of posts, at a
high salary, and who shall hold office
during good behavior, the object be-
ing to have a continuity 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 de-
velopment of the rural free delivery
service. 1t is suggested that should
congress grant the department auth
ority to utilize rural routes still fur
ther by the establishment of limit
ed parcel post confined entirely to
rural delivery routes, it would then
be possible to earn additional revenue
amounting to millions of dollars and
at the same time benefit the farmer
by enabling him to have merchan-
disc delivered when ordered by tele-
phone or postal card, which otherwise
would not be purchased. ssThe special
parcel post" says the Postmaster
General, will enable the farmers to
have small parcels delivered at their
gates, to live better, and to obtain
easily the necessaries of life" Per
mission is requested to establish ex-
perimentally a limited parcel post in
not to exceed four counties in order
to demonstrate the practicability of
the plan.
The Postmaster General again
urges legislation permitting the estab-
| lishment of postal savings banks or
Idepositaries in connection with post
offices.
Experiments with stamp vending
machines, says the Postmaster Gen
eral, are still being conducted, with
every prospect that the defects which
developed in the preliminary tests
will be overcome. These machines, it
/ is expected by the department will
| add immeasurably to the public con
| venience.
| The campaign of education in the
| school houses in matters pertaining
to the ordinary operation of the postal
service, 50 as to emphasize the impor
tance of careful addressing, the plac
ing of the name and address of the
sender on envelopes, etc., is recon
mended to be continued, so as to save
hundreds of thousands of letters and
packages from going to the dead let
ter Office each year, as is now the
case.
A marked improvement in the eff
cheney of the service is noted by the
POSTMASTER General which, he says
is due to the policy OF retaining post
masters of all grades whose records
have been satisfactory. He believes
however, that the appointment of sec
ond and third class postmasters should
lie with the Postmaster General, a:
il now the practice with fourth cIas.
Offices. This, he says, would reserve
to the President the appointment o
Ipostmasters at the more importan'
Iofices and relieve him OF q vast am
|ount of routine work that is q Ia,
upon his time.
/ The Postmaster General puts him