The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-09
TUBE ROOM AT CHICAGO.


facilities Of various kinds to those we
have now.
AS TO running Uncle Sans mails
at profit, however. this lis the first
time 1t has been done within several
generations. and believe we shall
continue to make the ENDS meet. When
this service was established 1t was
self supporting, and it continued SO
for the FIRST thirty years, or along
Adams. After that it began to be run
at loss. Every year or so there
was a dehclt. This al first was only
few million dollars and 1t attracted
but little atteation. Lately. however.
the loss has leaped to upward OF ten
millions, and when we took charge
here in 1909 we found that the dehcit
was over seventeen millions. Last
year we cut that down about eleven
millions. and along in December 1t
was almost wiped out Since then we
have been doing better an dbetter, and
better. and we have turned the mil
lions into the Treasury, and are
spending much less than we make.
But will this LAST" asked
Il hope so, the gain has heen made
notwithstanding that the business of
.he post-oihSeS mas Oeen running al a
lower rate than IN the past. II we
should have a panic and period of
hard times. which l do not expect.
there might be such falling off in
receipts as to nut us behind. But IL
not, expect to keep on paying our
way"
lettering the Service.
But has not this cutting down the
expense curtailed the service?"
ia
have reduced the deficit ,hy extending
the service, and that along profitable
lines. During the past two years we
have added more than 5000 new post
Offices, and have established more than
1000 new rural delivery routes. OF an
aggregate distance of more than So
600 miles, or enough to reach twice
around the world. We have increased
our force OF employees by between g.
600 and 5000 and have put on the
railway service about 500 more men
than we had In the past.
We have extended the salary list
and raised the rate OF compensation
in many cases. The annual amount
paid for salaries has been increased by
about $4,000 600 and the average
salary of the post-oftice clerk has gone
up from 1919 to s1,o5i There has been
an increase in the wages OF the let
delivery men.
I'VE have also improved the city
post-ofhces. and have given them L.
500 more clerks. and at the same time
have put on 1000 more letter carriers.
You cannot reduce the expenses OF a
business like this by cutting down
the force of employees. Tho postmas-
ter-senerals of the past tried that
and failed. The trouble is the moment
you lessen the force you reduce the
efficiency. The wheel. OF the machinery
become clogged, tho mails pile UP and
complaints flow in. 1t takes lot Of
time to answer the complaints and TO
so rearange the service as to make
1t efficient again. AS a result the loss
Is greater than ever.
Modern business Methods for the Post
Office.
NO" continued the postmaster
general. "The wiping out of the de-
felt has been due more than anything
else to the Introduction Of modern
business methods into the service.
We have cut out the waste wherever
possible. have adopted all sorts of
la nor saving devices and have tried
to improve the efficienoy Of the clerks
You see we have a25.oo0 employees, and
most OF them are high priced men,
We have many here who are receiving
$1,000 and 1900 and upward a year
They are good men. but we have to
handle them properly to get their
greatest efficiency.
We have done this in the city post
ofnces BY Introducing travelling belts.
overhead carriers and other machines
to carry the mail matter from place to
place in the Offices. The letters are
faced up by machinery and the stamps