The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-30
TAFT REFORMS IN
POSTAL SERVICE.
Governments Biggest Business
Concern Now Run Of, Mod
ern Basis.
PENNY POSTAGE POSSIBLE
Economy and Efficiency In Adminls-
tratIon Under Hitchcock Make
Cheaper Postage Rates ImmI-
s.ent Policies Should 30
Continued,

No branch Of the public service
comes closer to the people than the
| postofnce department In this depart
ment the Taft administration has ac-
\ cornplished results which have rem.
dered this service more eaicient than
st any other time In the history of the
country.
In thorough aecord with the policy
OF economy and efficiency OF the Taft
administration, Postmaster General
TrznA H. Hitchcock tas put an end to
/ the annual deficit In tho postonice de-
/ partment and made possible the seri-
Gus consideration OF further reforms
and improvements, not the least i'm
portant OF which ie tho Imminent pos
sibility Of penny postage. Many 9TH
e. reforms that have the support OF
President Taft will be inaugurated
thiE year. Another term Of the Taft
administration would place this $780,
100000 business institution complete
+ " on business basis
At the beginning u the present ad.
ministration the postal service was in
arrears to the extent OF S17,479, 770.47,
which was decidedly the largest de-
felt on record. Last year the reve-
nles exceeded the expenditures by
$219,11s.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 postofilces. delivery by carrier
has been provided in 1S6 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
1863 to 1867 for rural carriers. from
1919 to $1,0s2 for post once clerks,
from $1.021 to $1,OS4 for city letter
carriers. and from $1.163, to $1.1s3 for
railway postal clerks. Thus marked
extension of the postal service and
Increased compensation FOR It's en-
ployes have gone hand in hand with
vanishing defcit.
B Postal Banks Great Success.
BY persistent effort the present Re-
Fypublican administration secured the
passage on June Is, 1919, Of the act
Treating the postal savings system,
(which is now In operation at prac-
Etically all the $500 presidential post
Eonices Preparations are being made
flor It's extension to 10000 fourth
class postofices. 1t Is confidently
that the deposits at the
|aclose of the present fiscal year will
lAggregate 100000 900, and that the In
come Of the system will be sufficient
to pay all operating expenses.
Is Under President Taft the postofice
department has engaged In an agrees
tpive crusade against the fraudulent
Euse OF the mails. Last year the IN
Ispectors investigated many cases In
Ezvolving the sale of worthless stock In
Imaginary mining companies and 9TH
Ter fictitious concerns There were al.
together 529 indictments and 1874 con-
Evictions with but twelve acquittals.
The other cases are pending. The con-
Evicted swindlers had defrauded the
Epeople Of many millions OF dollars. A
Egreat number of similar concerns
have gone out Of business owing to
The rigid enforcement Of the Law.