River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-12-03
POSTAL DEFICIT
IS $685. 22
LARGEST IN THE HISTORY OF
THE DEPARTMENT
MEYERS ANNUAL REPORT
Postmaster General Urges Appoint
ment of Director of Posts
He Favors Postal Saw
ings Banks.

Washington, Nov. 30-In his an.
nual report for the fiscal year Post
master General Meyer Sunday night
gave the total receipts for the year as
sos, 351,SS6, thereby showing deficit
of $16,S75,222, the largest in the his
tory of the department, with an addi-
tional loss from fire, burglary, ETC., of
$37,056. The deficit of 1909, it is es-
timated, will exceed $16,000,000
Attention is particularly called to
number of improvements in business
methods of the department as tending
to its 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 being
to have a continuity of policies for
the benefit of the postal service and
the people of the United States.
Good Roads Are Needed.
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 author
ity TO utilize rural routes still fur
Their by the establishment of a linn
tied 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 merchandise
delivered when ordered by telephone
or postal card, which otherwise would
not be purchased. THE special par
eel 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 neces-
saries of life" Permission is re-
quested to establish eXperimentally
limited parcel post in not to exceed
four counties in order to demonstrate
the practicability of the plan
Wants Postal Savings Banks.
The postmaster general again urges
legislation permitting the establish
ment of postal savings banks or depos-
itories in connection with post of
fees.
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
UNNECESSARILY to the public con-
venience.
The campaign of education in the
schoolhouses in matters pertaining to
the ordinary operation of the postal
service, so as to emphasize the impor-
lance 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.
Service Better, He Says.
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 appointments of sec
ond and third-class postmasters should
lie with the postmaster general, as is
now the practice with fourth-class of.
fees. This, he says, would reserve to
the president the appointment of post
masters at the more important offices
and relieve him of vast amount of
routine work that is a 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 corporate
limits of a city, although, he says, no
such restriction exists with reference
to the extension of the free delivery
service.