The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-04-18
TAFT REFORMS IN
POSTAL SERVICE


complished results which have rem
ocrod this service more efficient than
al 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 postoffice de-
partment and made possible the seri-
Gus consideration of further reforms
and Improvements, not the least i'm
portant of which is the imminent pos
sibility OF penny postage. Many 9TH
er reforms that have the support Of
President Taft will be inaugurated
this year Another term of the Taft
administration would place this $780,
100000 business institution complete
ly on business basis
At the beginning of the present ad-
ministrarion the postal service was In
which was decidedly the largest de-
felt en- record Last year the reve-
nues exceeded the expenditures by
$2f911s.12
The wiping out of the deficit has
been accomplished without any cur
tailment Of facilities On the con.
trary there las been established 3,744
new postof.ecs. delivery by carrier
has been provided in 1876 additional
cities. and 2,5lG new rural routes, ag-
gregatine 60679 miles have been au-
thorized Meanwhile tie force OF pos
tai employees has been increased by
more than 5000. and last year the
total amount expended Tor salaries
was approximately sl4.00000 greater
than two years ago The average an
nual salary has been increased from
1859 to 1867 for rural carriers, from
1919 to s1,0S2 for post Office clerks,
from $l.021 to 81 0S4 for city letter
carriers. and from sl163. to s1,183 for
railway postal clerks Thus a marked
extension of the nostal service and
increased comren alton for its en-
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 $500 presidential post
Offices. Preparations are being made
for its extension TO 10000 fourth
class rostofiices II is confidently
Al
close Of the present fiscal year will
$50. 900, 900 and that the in
come of the system will be sufficient
to pay all operating expe~ ses.
Under Presiden Taft the postoffice
department has engaged in an aggres-
use of the mails Last year the in
srectors investigated m2ny cases IN
yolvlng the sale CT worthless 8 ock in
mining cCmranios and 9TH
er fictitious concerns There were al.
together 500 indictments and 1874 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.
Sunday service by employees mas
been reduced to a minimum, with lit
tie objection from the patrons of the
service.
Reforms Under Way.
Many other improvements have
been made In the postal service dur
Ing President Taft's term OF office,
such as the shipment of periodicals in
carloads by fast freight. which has re-
duced the cost OF transportation and
expedited the handling of first-class
mail, and the consolidation Of the star
route and rural delivery services so
that 1t has been possible to establish
many new routes and to serve thou
sands OF additional patrons ON exist
ing routes with little or no increased
cost. But the Taft program OF postal
reform and progress is not yet CON-
pleted. The president is urging con-
gress to adopt legislation for the re-
adjustment OF postage rates on a
basis OF cost, which will eventually
permit of one-cent rate on letter
mail A project also Is under way for
giving to village communities the
same free delivery OF mail that Is now
enjoyed by cities and the rural popu-
lation.
The establishment of domestic |
parcel post has received the earnest |
OF the president. In |
some branches of the delivery serv-
Ice, notably the rural and city deliv-
cry routes, the equipment now neces-
sary Is sufficient for the additional
OF considerable mer-
chandise with little or no increase in
expense. A system thus limited would !
enable the government to render an
important service to many millions OF
people and to determine from the
viewpoint OF actual experience the