The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-29

Degraw was introduced by President
Morgan amid much applause. He
spoke In an offhand manner OF the eco
nofnical reforms that have been intro
duced under the present administra-
tion OF the postal service, asserting
that Postmaster General Hitchcock had
in one year reduced the postal deficit
$11,000.000. 1t was evident from Mr..
Degraw's remarks that he had the at
fairs of the department at his fingers
end, for he ree1ed off statistics and fig
lres with amazing flucncy and without
reference to notes. He referred espc-
cially to the efficiency OF the rural de-
livery services. and asserted that last
year. out OF 41,000 rural carriers. only
22S had been removed from Office, and
that In only two Instances had 1t been
necessary to proceed against the
bondsmen. He gave a brief outline OF
a paper he had prepared on Accurate
Accounting for Stock Supplies" which
was filed with the secretary and will
be printed In full in the proceedings OF
this convention
Rural Parcels Post.
The first speaker OF the morning was
j. c. Richardson. of Jackson Mich, who
read paper on Special Rural Parcels
Post" He asserted that Germany
transported her mails for far less than
IT cost this country, probably for less
than half, and asked why 1t was that
the United States could not make n
similar reduction in railroad charges.
He saw no reason why this counfrw
should not assimilate the best features
of the post-offices of European oonn.
tries.
He heartily recommended the intro.
auction OF parcels posts on rural lines
He argued that 1t would render farm
lie more attractive. and would benefit
the rural carrier. Much OF the ob,ec-
| tion Of merchants to general parcels
| post, he said. would not apply to a
parcels post which would begin and
end with the rural carrier routes, and
not apply to cities and towns. or in
any way compete with the express
companies He admitted that the ex-
press companies would make a vigor-
GUS fight against any parcels post
whatever, but he considered their OPP
position as unimportant. saying tina,
the people should get the benefit OF
the enormous profits made eby those
monopolies.
THE express companies are carrying
much light weight matter that should
be carried by mail. The English and
German parcels post laws have served
to moderate the charges of the express
companies In those countries. There
is moral In this that the people
would do we'll to consider"
Would Reduce Deficit.
B. F. Thomas. OF Omaha, Neb.. out
lined the advantages of the establish
as giving opportunities to the farmer
Increasing tine salaries of fourth-class
postmasters now receiving in many
cases but ptttance. giving trade
stimulus to the country merchant. ant
increasing the revenues OF the post
| Office department..
'In round numbers the postal defici
| for the year 1909 was $17,000,000. Tit
| loss from the rural free delivery wa!
| s2s,00o,00O In no event should there
! be a general deficiency. 1t Is especially
! desirable that there be no deficiency II
| the rural service. If parcels post wer'
| added as an auxiliary to this service
81 would materially decrease this de
/ ec,ency. as with but small additional
1 axnense. a large additional revenue
/ could be secured. The government
/ has already In operation plant onl,
nartlv utilized The carrier is paid fol-
| bis time. not for his service. and If the
royernment should give him somethinl
fo do. he would still be paid for his
time"
civil Service Reform.
John c. Black, president of the
limited States Civil Service Comnhs
sIsion. spoke briefly on the relation o,
the Post-Ohlcc Department to the CIV
service. He reminded his hearers tha'
/ the civil service was but twenty-se9en
Years old. and that 1t had come into
hainy only after great difficulties, and
In spite Of great opposition. But to-
day. he asserted. there Is no depart
mont Of the government that does not
the indispensable character
| If its services He said that the postal
service employs $4,000 persons, at an
.lannual expense exceeding S2oV,yVo,VoV,
/ and commented on the reforms Wrousht
nv Kidding the department OF faVorllssn'
and partisanry. so that: the Ignorant
FOUNDER and ward -heeler no longer Sc
cures office, being unable to pass the
civil service examinations. gen
eral discussion followed On measures
Hooking to the Improvement OF the
. health and moral character OF en-
p1oyes. General Black being asked and
answering a number OF questions.
Robert Sharp. chief post-oftice In
spector. spoke briefly. and was fol-
blowed by Seth B. Strong. postmaster
lcf Houston. Tex. who read paper
entitled: Shall Patrons Be Required
to Porvide Mail Boxes AS Condition
Eto Receive City Delivery Service" HI
strongly urged the Introduction as fal
hs practicable of mail boxes as tend
4 ing to save time to tho letter carrier.
and insure more accurate and salts
factory delivery.
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