The Coconino sun., 1912-04-26
TAFT REFORMS IN
 POSTAL SERVICE Governments Biggest Business Concern Now Run on Mod
 ern Basis.
PENNY POSTAGE POSSIBLE
Economy and Efficiency In AdmlnIs- tratlon Under Hitchcock Make Cheaper Postage Rates Imml- nent--Polleles Should Be
 Continued.


 No branch of the public service comes closer to the people than the postofsice department. In this depart ment the Taft administration has ac- complished results which have rem dered this service more efficient than at any other time in the history of the country.
 In thorough accord with the policy of economy and efficiency of the Taft administration, Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock has put an end to the annual deficit in the postofiice de- partment and made possible the seri- ous consideration of further reforms and Improvements, not the least i'm portant of which is the imminent pos sibility of penny postage. Many oth- CT reforms that have the support of President Taft will be inaugurated this year Another term of the Taft administration would place this s240.- 000,000 business institution complete ly on a business basis.
 At the beginning of the present ad lnt HOhNhl DCA biNC hoE III arrears to the extent of s17,479.770.47. which was decidedly the largest de ficit on record Last year the reve- nues exceeded the. expenditures by $219,118.12.
 The wiping out of the deficit has been accomplished without any cur tailment of facilities. On the con. trary, there has been established 3,744 new postoffices. delivery by carrier has been provided in 1Se additional cities, and 2516 new rural routes. az gregating 60,679 miles. have been au- thorized Meanwhile the force of pos tai employees has been increased by more than 5000 and last year the total amount expended for salaries was approximately $14.000,000 greater than two years ago The average an nual salary has been increased from $S69 to s967 for rural carriers, from s979 to s1,0S2 for post office clerks, from $1,021 to $1,0S4 for city letter carriers, and from $l,163, to $1.1S3 for railway postal clerks. Thus marked extension of the postal service and increased compensation for it's em- ployes have gone hand in hand with a vanishing deficit.
 Postal Banks Great Success.
 By persistent effort the present Re publican administration secured the passage on June 25, 1919. of the act creating the postal savings system, which is now in operation at prac- tically all the 7,500 presidential post offices Preparations are being made for it's extension to 10000 fourth class postofices, It is confidently anticipated that the deposits at the close of the present fiscal year will aggregate $50, 900, ,000, and that the in- come of the system will be sufficient to pay all operating expenses.
 Under President Taft the postoffice department has engaged in an aggres- sive crusade against the fraudulent use of the mails. Last year the in- spectors investigated many cases in volving the sale of worthless stock in imaginary mining companies and oth- CT fictitious concerns. There were al together 529 indictments and 184 con victions with but twelve acquittals The other cases are pending The con victed swindlers had defrauded the people of many millions of dollars. A great number of similar concerns have gone out of business owing to the rigid enforcement of the law.