The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-01
SURVEY SHOWS
Continued from FRS. page.)

long-term contracts, authorizing a
large number Of FREQ delivery and
the department with fixed charges
which would not affect the reported
expenditures for the current year,
bat would immensely magnify those
of the first year OF thu now admins
tration.
The alI-absorbing program OF tho
last administration was the placing
of the postotace department or a
paying basis" says the report. The
policies pursued IN The e@ort to sue
coed at this plan were overworked
and resulted In defective airninistra-
ton and just criticism on The p~r.
OF the public.
That efficiency and economy should
be substituted for wastefnlncAx and
extravaganza needs no arguu mt but
the postal service affects so vitality the
interests of the entire population OF
the country hat economy which
e a curtailment Of postal facili-
ties as a check to the social and in
dustrtal progress of the country. The
people are entitled to h best facili-
ties administered In the most efficient
manner. That the facilities furnished
during the last four years were not
the best Is clearly established by the
facts"
1t appears that the departments
practice has been TO pase its state
ments OF h cost of the service upon
payments made during the year as
shown by the accounts settled by the
auditor for the post Office department.
- ~, ~ tAs ny@D Ap ryhS~h ~,
obligations were incurred. In this
connection the report says:
notwithstanding the great zeal
displayed in the effort to place the
department on the so-called paying
basis and the resultant injuries to the
service, the claim of the former
postmaster general hat the service
actually yielded a profit in 1911 has no
foundation In fact, as il shown herein.
1T Is to be further noticed that the
balance-sheet as heretofore prepared
concerned itself entirely with the
revenues from postage and the opera
tons OF the department and expendi-
lures under the appropriation for the
service OF the post-office department
In addition to this. the department
should be able to make a complete
statement OF its financial status, which
should include the administrative ex-
penses of the department, the expenses
of the auditors ofice, and q fair
charge for the maintenance OF federal
buildings used exclusively or in part
fer post-office purposes rs items 81
cost. 1t has not been the custom to
include these In the balance-sheet.
Furthermore, due credit should be
given the department for the service
performed in handling and carrying
franked and penalty mails.
I'm line with the policy OF unwise
administrative economy which the
former administration had adopted,
vacancies in the clerical force OF the
department were permitted to remain
untitled, and the 1apsed salaries were
turned back to the treasury. The
Withholding OF deserved promotions
caused dissatisfaction among the en-
ployes and undoubtedly to some *
tent lowered their efficiency and con
trtbuted against keeping current the
work OF the department"
The report declares that tho fail
ure to I'LL cies in the latter part
OF 1910 and during 1911 was not justi-
fed. and It goes on to say that in
stead OF making deserved promotions.
a considerable number OF transfers
from other departments were made.
at salaries in excess OF h entrance
OF The post-of1co department."
It II further stated that "in order.to
effect these transfers tho postmaster
general certified In each case where
the transfer was at q salary In OK
cess OF the entrance grade that the
person recommended for transfer was
especially c~ouipped Tor the work q