The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-02
HITCHCOCK VISITS TAFT Uneasy Over Deficit in
 Department. WILL CUT DOWN EXPENSES President is Pleased With Sug-
 gestions. Postmaster General Also Discusses Ap- pointment of the Census Super
 visors in states of
 the south.

Tn the pOSIal eSIaDllsHIncuL.
 He told the President that accord Ing to the latest estimates. the Post orhce Department will show a deficit for the fiscal year, ended June 30. last. of more than $20,0G0.o00. This Is the largest dencit the postal service mas ever known ,andt MT. Hitchcock in- formed the President that 1t was his purpose and his ambition to show a material decrease in the amount every year that he has control of the depart ment. The deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908, was about $l6,00v,000.
 ascertained, was due in part to exten- sions of the service; to the business de- pression during the first part of the fiscal year, to cumbersome and expen- siye methods of handling the mail and in other departments Of postal work.
 Mr. Hitchcock Is facing the problem of how 10 cut down expenses So as ma terially to reduce the deficit and at the same time to keep the postal service up to its present high state of efficiency. To this end, he is to have a complete examination of the methods in vogue in every branch of the service.
 The Postmaster General has now at work in Washington a commission of some forty-odd experts examining the registry department, which has been showing a growing deficit year after year.
 When the registry commission has finished it's labors, MT. Hitchcock will summon another commission of money order experts to make similar exam ination of the money order division. This division also has been showing a growing deficiency. whereas the Post master General thinks it should soon be placed, on a self-sustaining basis. In fact. Mir. Hitchcock believes that the whole postal service eventually can be put on a self-sustaining basis. s.
 Working Out Reform.
 Many suggestions and recommends tions have beeM made from time to time in the past. now practical men have been given the task of working out the reform, and the Postmaster examiners in Washington until they have concluded their labors and have made a specific report.
 After the money order department has received an overhauling. work probably will be begun on the rural free delivery system. This system was received with so much enth usiasm that in some instances 1t was handed far beyond the needs of sections served. MT. Hitchcock believes in some cases the rural delivery can be made by contract at a saving to the Govern ment. It IS not the intention to in- terfere with the efficiency of the rural free delivery service in any way. It is the purpose to ascertain here, as elsewhere, If there is any waste of eff forts or funds. and to conserve both.
 The subject of the "franking" privi- Iege. or the sending of matter through the mails free by Government officials and members of Congress, also will come in for a share of consideration in the effort to maintain the efficiency of the service, and at the same time to save money where a saving can be ef- fected. It has been practically impos- sible to ascertain just what the send' ing of "deadhead" matter through the mails has cost the Postoffice Depart ment. The custom has grown in re- cent years in Washington, however. of sending out many Government docu- ments as registered mail" This has been very expensive and is in part re- sponsible for the heavy deficit of S3, 100000 in the registry division.
 President Taft was deeply interested in the plan of carrying forward the work of investigation and the prom ise of economy in the postal service. The President has asked all his cabinet officers to cut down their estimates for the next fiscal year wherever possible. The economy of administering the Gov ernment's affairs is to be one of the principal efforts of his administration.
 Postmaster General Hitchcock also took up with the president a number of other postal matters, considering the appointment of several presiden- tial postmasters. The appointments announced, however, were in small cities.
 MT. Hitchcock Is starting out on a long vacation in the West. where he will practically live out of ioors and spend a great portion of the time in the saddle. He has not been in the best of health since the campaign of last fall. It was his intention to re- main in Washington until the investi- gatingl committees were ready to re- port, but by taking vacation at this time. he hopes to get into good shape for the hard work of the winter.
 Mir Hitchcock also had a final talk with President Taft regarding some of the disputed census supervisors in the South. Mir. Hitchcock knows the Southern political situation like a book and he has been freely consulted in the selection of men there.
 Director of the Census Durand Is due in Beverly soon to bring the commis- sions of the supervisors. which remain to be signed by the President.
 Despite the protests of Colonel Cecil Lyon, Republican National Committee man. 1t has been decided that the Texas supervisors shall half of them be Democrats and half Republicans.
 The postmaster general will join President Taft at Los Angeles, Cal, october H. and remain with him until after the meeting with President Diaz at Fl Paso, Texas, october 1s.
 Dallas Plans For Taft.
 Dallas, Texas, Sept, "Details of