The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-05-30

utbhS W thdhth6C Ohc VI tWo
of the statements made by the gen.
tleman from Mississippi (Mr. Sisson)
regarding the Rural Mail Service. The
gentleman made the statement that
the rural service all over the coun
try is paralyzed. He made the
further statement, in answer to an
interruption by myself, that there
was one year during which no rural
routes we're established, and he sug.
gested that / could corroborate these
statements IL l would make inquiry
of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General. l had already talked a
number Of times with that official and
am somewhat familiar with the sub.
ject; but, In order to get specific in
formation, / telephoned that office
the substance OF the statements made
by the gentleman from Mississippi
(Mr. Sisson) and have here the ex-
act figures as the number of rural
routes established under the present
administration; and let me say, in
passing, that ! did not get in my
telephone conversation with that of.
flee any corroboration Of the state
ments Of the gentleman from Miss
issippi, as he said I should.
In the year 1909-and I am refer.
ring now to the net increases-there
were 1851 rural routes established,
451 in 1910, 577 in 1911, and 543 in
1912.
l am informed that no more rural
routes will be opened during the pres.
Ont fiscal year, but that work he's
alrea dly begun on those to be estab.
lished during the next fiscal year. In
the course Of this preliminary work
the establishment of 81 routes, begin
ming July / next, has already been
agreed upon.
IT is easy for gentlemen flippantly
TO charge neglect of duty on the part
Of public officials. have recently
had occasion to read some of the
es delivered in both brancses
OF Congress in previous sessions, and
] have been greatly surprised at the
nj n.ber of gentlemen who criticized
in Il e broadcast terms the management
OF the Post Office department. / am
glad to notice that during the pro-
longed debate on this pending meas
ure the tendency to criticize that
department so broadly has almost en-
tirely disappeared. AS far as / can
recall, the only criticism of that
character has been INDUCED in by
the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr.
Sisson).
The postal service is the greatest
Government enterprise in the world,
employing, believe, about 100000
people; involving travel by carriers,
messengers, and mail trains aggregat.
ing almost a billion miles annually.
] venture to say that in the history
OF the Post Office department here
has not been more progress made in
the general development OF the varl-
GUS branches OF the work since its
organization than has been accom-.
plished since the present Postmaster
General took hold of 1t.
! have before me one of Postmas.
ter General Hitchcocks annual re-
ports, in which he mentions 80 dis.
tinct Improvements that nave been
made under his administration, not
one OF which, ! believe, could be sue
cessfully questioned. / might also
add what gentlemen already know,
that he has changed deficit of more
than $l70OO,OOO. under which the de-
partment groaned when he took
charge, TO a surplus of more than
100000. That alone, considering the
enormous amount of business conduct
ed by this great department, Is an &C
complishment which does honor to
Postmaster General Hitchcock.
wish particularly to point out that
the economics by which the Postmas.
ter General has succeeded in trans.
forming huge deficit into a surplus
have not resulted in any Gripping OF
the service. There has been no harm.
full saving. The result has been at
tanned by the 2ut.'hg out OF wasteful
expenditures and the introduction OF
the most modern business methods.
Mr.. Hitchcock's policy throughout has
been to extend the service as fast as
population warrants and to harile
more scientifically the increasing vol
ume OF mail.
To show how the service has been