The Detroit times., 1910-12-06

The cost of living is such. csp''lhilE
In the lafg' cities. that even ~. r., IN.
les hNed la The proposed bill WI ~
able the iucumbents 20 a'rnllHlsN -,
tie. IL anything, 20 support iheli ~"
iiiee after their death. Nothlhs on
important 10 the preservation ol Wv
country and It's beloved INSTITUTIONS 90
TIM maintenance OF the lhdrprh ~.
OF the judiciary, ana h'Nt !" ~ c,,s,
tenure "a adequate salary - the ~
material contribution Ia ia" hl"ll''h
ance OF independer "a on the phr' OF wv
PosToFricE DEPARTMENT..
D Postal saving. Hanks
Al us Inst session congress made pro-
vision for the establishment OF say i"t
banks by the nostonic- d.P"INnnne"' -,
this government by WHICH unuIh ..,,',l
general control OF trustees cohslrtlhs
OF the postma stsr- general, Tue ss'Iv-
tary OF the treasury ana w" 49,, n',n,' in
general, the system cohlu We 81
few cities and towns. ana eh'n' So
Ia To cover within its operations az "."ns
cities and towns aud as iSrs. p Tns
OF the country as seeineu "lse, -
Initiation ana establishment OF SUI"
system has reuuir@d "A great dear on
study on the part OF the experts III tns
postoffice and treasury u.Pa'tn 'ei.",
bat system has now been oeNlse"
which IL believed TO be more ecohom-
zeal and simpler In Its operation than
any similar system abroad, AIIhnsv
ments have been perfe, tcd SO thht say
ings hanks Will be opened In some
cities and towns on the LIST OF Jahuars,
and there VIII be a gradual eAtshsio.,
OF the benefits OF the plan to-the l'S'
OF the country.
wiping Out Of Postal Deficit
As have said. the postoflice depart
meut IL a great business department.,
and | am glad 10 note that unuef lts
present management principles OF pusl-
ness economy and efficiency are BEING
applied FOR many Gears there has
been "A dchcit In the operations OF the
postofrcr department which has been
mat nv
ury. The appropriation estimated TOT
last year from th etrcdsury over anu
above the receipts OF the department.
was 81 500. coo | am glad 10 RECORD
the fact that OF that $li5OO,OOo esti-
mated. l.5OO.0O0 We're saved ana re-
turned 10 the treasury. The personal
Efforts of the postmaster-general Sc
cured the effective o-operauon or inc
thousands OF postmasters ana other
postal Officers throughout the country
In carrying out his plans OF reoreahi-
zation and retrenchment The result
is that the postmastrr-gener mas been
able to make his estimate or expenses
tor the present year 80 low as 10 Keep
within TIA amount the postal service IA
expected TO earn. Ii Is gratifying TO
report that the reduction In the deficit
has been accomplished without any cur
tailment Of postal facilities. On the
contrary the service has been sreatly
extended during the year IN all lts
branches. principle which the post
masters general has recc mmended and
sought 10 have enforced in respect TO
all appointments has been that those
aupoILt-ts who have rendered good ser
vice should BE- resppoiEted This hes
greatly strengthened IA, interest OF
postmasters throughout the country In
maintaining efficiency ana economy In
their offices because they believed gem
.erally that this would SECURE FOR them
further tenure.
Extension OF the Classified Ser, Ice.
UIon> the recommendation OF the
postmaster general | nave included IN
he oil 4 nod IL A
b masters, and / believe that tins giving
secure tenure to those who are the
II ost important subordlnbtes OF post
masters viii add much TO III, efficiency
ut thstr offices and an economical aG-
n,iEistTatinn. \ lars- number OF the
tourth-cluss postMasters are now In
the classified service. / think IL would
Ice " Use TO pat In the CLASSIFIED service
the drst. second and third class post
masters II j. more logical ~ do this
than TO classify tie tourth-c post
masters. for the reason that the fourth
class postonicas are invariably small
and the p"stnasters are nrcessatily
men who must combine some other
bl slness with the Postmastership
The Franking Privilege.
The unrestricted manner ia which the
Thanking privilege is now being used
by the several federal services and oy
congress has laid ii open 10 serious
abuses fact clearly established
through Investigations recently insti-
tnted by the department IL - be-
ing system could be prevented. and con
sequently a marked economy effected.
by supplying through the agencies or
the postal service special Official en-
veloJrs and stamps 10 bC issued on
rcquisition to the various branches OF
the federal service requiring them, and
such records TO be kept OF all Official
stamp supplies as VIII enabl. the post
office department To maintain proper
postage account COVERING the entire
volume of free government mail.
Second Class Mail Matter.
In my last annual message 1 invited
the attention of congress 10 the made
quacy III the postal rate imposed upon
secCnd-class mail matter III so far as
that includes magazines. and showed
by figures prepared by experts or the
postofice department that the govern
ment was rendering a service 10 the
magazine costing many millions ia
excess OF the compensation paid. An
answer wa1~gttempted TO this by the
representatives. ~ the magazines, aud
reply was He'd To this answer by the
postonice department The utter IN
adequacy OF the answer. considered In
the light of the reply of the postorice
department, | think must appeal to any
fair minded person Whether the an
swer was all that could be said In be-
half of the magazines is another ques
|, ton. | agree that the questio mis- one
OF fact: but insist that IL the fact is
as the experts OF the postoffice depart
ment show. that We are furnishing TO
the owners OF magazines a service
worth millions more than they pay for
It, then justice requires that the rate
should h. Increased The increase lii
the receipts OF the department result
ing from this change may he devoted
10 Increasing the usefulness OF the de-
partment in establishing parcels post
and in reducing the cost OF hrst-class
postage to one cent
Parcels Post.
With regpect TO the parcels post.
respectfully recommend its adoption on
all rural-deliVery routes. and that IL
pounds the international umit--be
made the limit Of carriage in such post
This with view TO its general extern
sion when the income OF the postoffice
department will permit II and the pos
tai savings banks shalt have teen fully
established. The same argument Is
made against the parcels post that was
made against the postal savings bank
that II Ia introduCin gthe government
into q business which ought To be con.
Quoted by private persons and Is pa
ternelisIn The postChice department
has great plant and a great organi-
ration, reaching into the most remote
hamlet OF the United states. and with
this machinery IL IL able to do a great
many things economically that if a
new organization were necessary Il
would be impossible to do without cx-
trSvagant expenditure. That Is the rea-
son why the postal savings bank can
be carried on at a small additional cost
and why IL Is possible to incorporate at
a very inconsiderable expense a parcels
post iE the rural delivery system.