The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-03
EXPLAIN 1T LATER.
CONTINUED from Page one.)


there was a marked falling off, due tt
the fact that most of the territory avail
able for rural delivery had been GOV.
cred.
On August 2, of this year Souh Caro-
lima had in operation $50 rural routes
II of which were trf-weekIy and thu
remainder daily, except Sundays anC
| holidays. These routes covered abou
II, 542 miles of roads. with an average
of 1888 miles to the route, serving ap-
proximately 300, 900 people, with an an
nual rate of cost of $66s, 100 to main.
| tain. Up to the present time the ser.
vice has been reorganized on county
basis in 16 counties in the state and
others Will follow as rapidly as practi-
cable.
The special committee appointed by
Postmaster GeneaI Hitchcock to in
vestigate the registry system, with a
view to increasing it's revenues and re-
ducfng the cost of it's operation with
out 1mpairing the efficiency of the sys-
tenn, conferred with the postmaster
general this morning and after con-
sideration of the matter, it was de-
c1ded to call in a score of registry of
ficials of ripe experience and ability
from various parts of the country for
| a more general meeting with the post
: master general next Monday.
1t is understood to be Mr.. Hitch
cocks purpose to take up the registry
system first in considering all branch
es of the postal service for reorganiza-
ton wherever greater efficiency and
less expenditure may be effected. 1t
placed on a more businesslike basis
without working undue hardship or
imposing unreasonable burdens on the
public. AS the American people have
service rendered by private enterprise,
it is not believed that there will be a
disposition to deny return for public
service less than its actual cost.
A a-esf.@ I'D 49,,
tanned by Postmaster General Hitch
cock in his talk with a number of the
delegates who attended the recent an
nual convention of the National As
ISOLATION of First Glass Postmasters at
Toledo. They were almost unanimously
of the opinion that an increase in the
registry fee from eight to ten cents
would not be opposed when it was I'M
derstood that the government was los
ing several million dollars through the
operation of the registry system at the
rate of eight cents for each registered
piece.
BY law the postmaster general is
authorized to make the registry fee as
high as twenty cents, but it is not
probable that it will be increased to
more than ten cents. In 1874 it was
reduced from fifteen to eight cents, but
increased to ten cents in 1875. 1t was
reduced from ten to eight cents in
1895, but this reduction did not have
the effect of increasing the revenue or
the volume of registered business.
The registry service is the most ex-
pensive of any rendered by the de-
partment, owing to the precautions
taken to provide special cars and in
sure correct delivery and absolute
safety in the transmission of register
ed articles. Registered mail is in the
personal custody of some employee of
the postal service from the time that
it is delivered to the department until
it reaches the addressee.
The special committee investigating
the registry system consists of Charles
H. Mcbride, assistant superintendent
railway mail service, New York; Her
bert s. Wood, assistant superintendent
division of salaries and allowances, Of
flee of the first assistant postmaster
general. and Henry D. Temple, assist
ant superintendent division of regis
tered mails, Office of the third assist
ant postmaster general.
Isaac B. Hays has been appointed
postmaster at Ematon. Stevens coun-
ty, Kan, to succeed E. M. Anderson.
resigned.
Jasper w. Fish and Vivian ]. Fish
have been appointed rural letter car
rierS at Haviland, Kan