The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-01
PROPOSED POSTAL REFORMS.

as $2OS,351 $50, thereby showing a
deficit of $16,S75,222, 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 estimated, again will exceed SIG,
600 900.
Att cntion is particularly called to
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 OBJ
ject being to have 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
development of the rural free deliv
cry service. 1t is suggested that should
congress grant the department author
ity to utilize rural routes still further
by the establishment of limited
parcel post, confined entirely to rural
delivery routes, it would then be pos
sible 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 gen
eral, will enable the farmers to have
small parcels delivered at their gates,
to live better, and to obtain easily the
quested to establish experinlentally a
limited parcel post, not to exceed four
counties. in order to demonstrate the
practicability of the plan.
The postmaster general again urges
legislation permitting the establish
ment of postal savings banks or de-
positaries in connection with post of
fees,
Experiments with stamp-vending
machines, he says, are still being con-
| Quoted, with every prospect that the
defects which developed in the pre-
liminary tests will be overcome.
These machines. it is expected by the
department, will add immeasurably to
/ the public convenience.
A marked improvement in the eff
| ficieacy of the service is noted by
| the postmaster general, which, he
says, is due to the policy of retaining
postmas,ers of all grades whose rec
| ords have been satisfactory. He be
| lieves, however, that the appoint
ments of second and third class post
masters should lie with the postmas-
J ter general as is now the practice
with fourth-class Offices. This. he
+ says, would reserve to the President
the appointment of postmasters at
/ the more important Offices and re
/ lieve him of vast amount of routine
/ work that is tax upon his time.
! In regard to pneumatic tube ser
vice, it is stated that the commission
/ appointed under the act of congress
! of May 81, 1908, to inquire into, the
feasibility of the government acquir
ing and operating the pneumatic tube
! service, has completed its work and
/ that the report will be submitted tc
congress soon after it convenes. Nc
hint is given regarding the commits
sion's recommendations
The recent establishment of the two
between the United States and the
United Kingdom of Great Britain ant
Ireland will, it is stated, have the eff
{. feet of bringing about greater posta
receipts. "a lower postage rate viii
prove another bond toward closer so
cial and commercial relations between
the two great nglish-speallng coun
tries" 1t is stated, "and it will dc
much to enable our manufacturers tc
better advertise their goods and thus
increase their sales in those coun
tries" Modern progress, it is added
is annihilating distance, and revolu
tionized methods in shipbuilding have
made the English markets but few
days from American ports. 1t is urget
that cheaper and direct mail servict
as a stimulus to business and friendly
intercourse of nations, should be ex
tended wherever practicable
Figures relating to the railway maj
service show decrease of fifteen il
the number of railway postal clerk
killed and of twenty-one injured, a
compared with the fiscal year 1907. Il
1903 there were four clerks and tw
substitutes killed and 104 seriousl
and 536 slightly injured. Recon
mendation is made that railway pc:
tai clerks be given annual leave Q
absence, with pay, for thirty days, an
that when SO seriously disabled as nc
to be able to resume duty at the e,
piration of twelve months they ma
be granted disability 'eave with pa
at so per cent of their regular con
pensation during such disability, fo
not exceeding twelve additions
months.
Recommendation is again mao
that the leave of absence with pay a
lowed by law to employees of the post
service be increased from fifteen
5 thirty days whenever the postal re
I II n