New-York tribune., 1909-09-02
HITCHCOCK AT BEVERLY
PLINS FOR ECONOMY.
Conference scitb President Taft on
Postal 4fGirS.

Hitchcock had an important conference with
President TAFT this afterron regarding the plans
Ie hes formulated FOR cutting down expenses in
tEe postal establishment. The Postmaster General
told the President that according the
mates tho Postoffice Department would show
deficit for the fiscal year ended June 70 last Of
more than &.NV9.oOl This is the largest deficit
that has ever been known iIi the postal service.
and IL. Hitchcock informed the President that Il
was his purpose and his ambition to snow
teF'al decrease ;h, amount every yeor that he
has control Of the department..
The deficit for che nscal year ending June 20.
IoUN was about Slsvns-a The increase. as neari.
as can bc ascertaiued. was due In part TO exten-
Sons Of the service IN part the business depres
sion IN the FIRST part cf the fiscal year, and fur
fher. 10 cumbersome and expensive methods ~
handling the mail and expensive methods in other
departments Of postal work.
Mr.. Hitchcock Is facing the problem ot how 20
Int down expenses materially 20 reduce the
3eacit. and the same tiuo 10 keep the postal
service I'D its present high state % efficiency.
u there is any possible Vsv do this he intends
10 md it ont. To this end he is 70 have com
plete examination of tho methods in vogue in every
branch OF tr service. The investigations 20 he
made by the most able and efficient men in the
service men who rated experts IN their re
spective fields of labor
DRAWN FROM ALL PARTS or COUNTRY.
The Postmaster Genera! has now at work i'm
Washington "A commission OF some forty-odd OK
Ierts IN the registry service. They making
thorough examination Of the registry department,
which has been showing growing deficit year
after year The members of the commission have
been drawn from postoffices all the country
The commission has printed instructions from the
Postmaster General. outlining the scope Of frs
work. and setting ltorth al the various sugGes-
tirus Of reforms that have been received by the
department in the last few yosrs. The registry di-
vision has Ear outgrovn the methods that were FIRST
employed in IT, and IL IS Nir. HitchCocks intention
tn bring it down To more busInesslke institution
han f7a firic1
labors Mr.. Hitchcock will summon p commits
sion Of money order experts make similar
examination Of the money order division. This d.
vision also has been showing growing deficiency.
whereas TIE Postmaster General thinks Il should
soon be placed a soIf-sustaining basis. In fact
-fr. Hitchcock believes that the whole postal SER
vice can eventually be put a similar basis. The
Iostal establishment OF the United St7tes f. ranked
IS the largest business institution in the world It
has been many years since an organized attempt
has been made 10 reform she methods. which have
rot kept pace with the growth Of the business
PRACTICAL MEN TAKE Up WORK.
Many suggestions and recommendations have
been made from time time in the rast but now
practical men have taken up the task Of working
out the reform and Postmaster General intends
~ keep the various commissions In Washington
until they have finished their lsbor~ and made 4
specific report
After the money order division mas received an
overhauLinE work probably viii be begun on the
rural Fee delivery system This vas received with
much enthusiasm that in some instances it vas
expanded fer beyond the needs Of the sections
served. NJ. Hitchcock believes that IA some cases
the rural deliveries be mace by contract at
saving 10 the government II is the intention
70 interfere with the efficiency of the rural free
delivery service in any way. II is the purpose to
ascertain here. as elsewhere IL there IS any
Of efforts or funds. and Il 50 20 conserve both.
The subject OF the franBing privilege. or tho
sending Of matter through the mails free by gov
eminent officials and members Of Congress-. will
also come In Tor a share II consideration in the
to maintain the efficiency Of the service and
az the same time to save money wherever a saving
can b effected II has been practically impossible
10 ascertain Just what the sending Of "deadhesd''
matter through the mails cost the Postoffice
Department.
CUSTOM HAS GROWN RECENTLY
The custom has grown o' recent years in Wash
inzton. however. 90 sending MANY government
documents as registered mail This system has
reen expensive and is in part responsible for the
heavy dencit Of s. o10oco in the registry division
President Tart was deeply interested in the plan
Of carving forward the work of investigation and
the promise or economy in TIE postal service The
President has asked all Of his Cabinet officers
cut down their estimates for the next fiscal wear
wherever possible aud economy OF administering
the governments affairs is 10 he ono Of the princ-
pal efforts OF his administration.
Postmaster General Hitchcock also took UP with
=
I.c:dinf. the appointment Of several Presidential
uostnnastars The appointments announced. how
eyer were au in small ciIes.
Mr. Hitchcock is starting ont long vacation
ln the West where De VIII practically live out ~
doors and spend q great part of the time IN the
saddle The Postmaster General has not been in
III. best of health since the campaign Of last fall
IL was LIS intention % remain in Washington
uutu tle investigating commissions were ready To
r.p,rt but lv taking "A vacation al this time he
,,.tf 81 i,
Of tho winter. He has planned the work FOR each
commission ana has left detailed Instructions FOR
thu guidance OF til, succeeding commissions -
they are summoned 10 washington 10 take up the
examination "r the different branches "f ihe ser
vice
. CENSUS SUPERVISORS DISCUSSED
Mr Hitchcock also had rual talk with the
President regarding some q the disputed census F.
Supervisors in the south Mr.. Hitchcock knows the
S,l.tlle-!. political situation like a book and Ia
las been freely considered in the selection of men
ther,. Vi Duraud. Director O: the Census. Is cue
IN Bevei,- soon leo bring the commissions ot the
-1,er,.-.Js which remain e. be signed by the
President DESPITE the protests % Colonel Cecil
LYON Republican National Committeeman Il has
been decided that the Texas supervisors shall be
half Democrats and half Republicans.
The Postmaster General Will join President Taft
al Los Angeles on October T.. and remain with him
tutii after the meeting with President Dtaz at Z
Paso Ter. ON october II
President Taft expressed deep concern to-day
over th., illness II Justice Moody, of the Supreme
Court. and said h. would motor over 10 Harerhiu
as soon as tie weather permitted to call ON the
stricken justice
John C. Cobb of the Boston Chamber of COM
mcrce saw the President this afternoon regarding
Tho tariff commission. which i- to be ap-
,..i,,.d The President has invited raronm. nJa-
tiaus from many sources
Tha; the President Is Go 1e well cared for so iaE
es th. inner man is concerned or his long Western