Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-06-04
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~ uoanns JOURNAL SPECIAL LGAsgo WIRE
silver city, y. NJ. June 3.-On ar-
irving at silver City today, from the
Noeollon mountains. where he has
heen spending some weeks. former
Postmaster General Frank H. Hitch
eock was shown for the first time
the statement issued a few days ago
ls Postmaster General Rurleson at
f.eklng his administration OF the post
office department. After reading the
charges. Mr. Hitohcock issued the fol-
lowing statement.
"A committee, composed in the
main Of newly appointed assistants,
having less than ten months expert
ence IN postoffice business, attempts
if a report ta the present head Of the
department to discredit the financial
showing made hy the postal service
under President Taft's administration,
After reporting alleged discrepancies
that are insignificant wnen compared
with the great sums known TO have
SEA saved Is heir predecessors, this
committee Of novitiates proceeds in its
published statement to eniighten the
American people as to the character
oi the postal service they have been
receiving
Their statement Is as inaccurate as
it is gratuitous, for the public well
knows that never WAS the postal serv-
lee conducted more efficiently, or
mail handled with greater precision
and dispatch. than in the closing years
ol the Taft administration. In that
administration. nearly 5000 new post
offices We're established, delivery let
ter carriers were provided in about
S0a additional cities and over 5000
new rural routes. ageregating about
1900 miles were authorized.
Notwithstanding these great eX-
tensions Of service and the heavy in
crease in expenditures they required
the pCstolfice department was placed
on self-sustahlng basis. and that
vas its condition when, on the fourth
Of March, it passed into the hands OF
newly appointed Officers, who seem
thus far to have been exercising their
time and their energy in their vain
attempt to detract from the record
made BY the devoted public servants
they succeeded.
The postal committee of a demo-
cratic house of congress endeavored
last year in a similar manner to at
tack the audited accounts Of the pos
tai service but after investigation
That committee was fair enough to
ADMIT that the department had be-
come substantially self-sustaining.
The returns as to surplus or deficit
afe made up. not by the postoffice de-
paftment, but By the treasury depart
hent' where all postal incomes are re-
eeNed and all postal accounts finally
audited.
The secretary of the treasury re-
ported the wiping out of the postal
aeiieit and the record thus certified
e IN his fiscal report is likely to
sund in history. If the postoffice de-
paftlhent could have received prop
81 allowance for the cost of carrying
ranked mail, the postal surplus
would have been much larger than
mat recorded, and this is true
after deducting the expenses incurred
gh account of the postal service by
'ne treasury department for the free
quaftering Of certain postoffiees in
.eaefal buildings, an expense that is
.ess than half the cost of the frank
Hls privilege. In the fiscal year 1912, /
more than 500000,000 pieces Of mail, /
haFng an aggregate weight of about
eLo0o,O0O pounds. were carried free
u charge under the franks of con-
sfessmen and of the various govern |
tieht establishments. If postage at
ene usual rates had been paid on this
matter it is estimated that the postal
revenues would have been increased
y more than 100000. 900.
In the last administration we ap-
Pealed in vain to d democratic house
'of legislation abolishing the frank
.ns abuse 1t is a subject that the
''seht postal management might we'll +
sopsider. for it affords an opportunity
~ save the department millions of
eoilars year. But Judging from the
eoihmittee's report. as published in /
~ press, the gentlemen now in
aaaiee of postal destinies seem more I
a%'efested in disclosing the fact that
eeaflng the four years preceding
aafeh 18th, an average of thirty-four
siAshlps per annum remained va
'it IN the department
ihe United States postal service /
eoa piises altogether, more than 300,-
oiilees and men. II is the largest I