Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-02
Accounts Largely for Balance of
Twenty Millions on Wrong Side.
MANY CHANGES CONTEMPLATED
Commission of Experts is Examining
Registry Division.
FRANKTNG PRIVILEGE IS ABUSEI
Money Order Division, which II
showing increasing Deficit Each
Year, should BE Self
Sustaining.

BEVERLY, Mass, Sept 1.-Postmaster
General Hitchcock had an important con-
ference with President Taft this afternoon
regarding the plans he had formulated for
cutting down expense In the postal estab-
lisbment He told the president that ao-
cording to the latest estimates the Post
office department will show deficit for
the fiscal year ended June 30, last OF more
than $4,000 OOO This is the largest deficit
the postal service ever has known and Mr..
Hitchcock informed 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 department.
The deficit for the fiscal year ending
June 30 1908, was about $16,OO0,OO0. The in
crease as nearly as can be ascertained was
due in part to extensions of the service, to
the business depression during the first
part of the fiscal year and to cumbersome
and expensive methods of handling the
mail and in other departments of postal
work.
The postmaster general has now at work
in Washington commission of some forty
odd experts examining the registry depart
ment which has been showing growing
deficit year after year.
Money order Division.
When the registry commission has fin
ished it's labors Mr.. Hitchcock will summon
another commission of money order experts
to make a similar examination OF the money
order division. This division also has been
showing a growing deficiency, whereas,
the postmaster general thinks 1t should
soon be placed on a self-sustaining basis,
In fact Mr.. Hitchcock believes that the
| whole postal service eventually can be put
on a similar basis.
After the money order division has re-
csived an overhauling work probably will
be begun on the rural free delivery system.
This system was received with so much
! enthusiasm that in some instances II was
expanded far beyond the needs of the sec
tions served. Mr.. Hitchcock believes that
In some cases the rural deliveries can be
made by contract at a saving to the gov
ernment
Frnnkins custom Under Fire.
The subject of the "franking'' privilege
or the sending of matter through the malls
| 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 wherever a saving can
| be effected. 1t has been practically i'm
possible to ascertain just what the sending
| Of dead head matter through the mails
has cost the Postoffice department. The
custom has grown of recent Years in Wash
ington, however, of sending out many gov
ernment documents as registered mail.
This system has been very expensive and
is In part responsible for the heavy deficit
Of 5000 900 in the registry division.
Postmaster General Hitchcock also took
up with the president a number of other
postal matters, including the appointment
| aI
appointments announced, however, were all
| In small cities.
| vacation for Hitchcock.
Mr.. Hitchcock is starting out on a long
vacation in the west where he will prac-
tically live out of doors and spend a great
part of the time in the saddle. He has not
been in the best of health since the cam.
paign of last fall. 1t was his intention to
remain in Washington until the investl-
eating commissions were ready to report,
but by taking a vacation at this time he
hopes to get into good shape for the hard
work of the winter.
Mr. Hitchcock also had a final talk with
the president regarding some of the dis
puted census supervisors In the south. Mr
Hitchcock knows the southern political
situation like a book and he has been
freely considered in the selection of men
there Director of the census Durand is
due in Beverly soon, to bring the com
missions Of the supervisors which remain
to be signed by the president, Despite
1.-THE protests of Colonel Cecil Lyon. republi-
can national committeeman, It has been
decided the Texas supervisors shall, half
Of them, be democrats and half republi-
cans.
The postmaster general will join Presi-
dent Taft at Los Angeles, Cal October
II, and remain with him until after the meet
inv with President Diaz at Ell Paso, Tex.
October 1G
President Taft expressed deep concern
today over the illness OF Justice Moody OF
the supreme court and said he would
motor over to Haverhill as soon as the
weather permits to call upon the stricken
Justice,