Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-05

Silver City. n. NJ, June 4.-On ar
irving at Silver City, Tuesday, from
the Mogolion mountains. where he has
been passing some weeks, Former
Postmaster General Frank II. Hitch
cook was shown for the first time the
published report of the statement is
sued a few days ago by Postmaster
General. Burleson attacking his adj
lministration of the postoffice depart
ment After reading the charges Mr..
Hitchcock issued the following state
lment:
"A committee composed in the main
of newly appointed. assistants, hav-
ing less than three-months expert
ence in postoffice business. attempts
in a report to. the present head of the
department, to diseredit the financial
showing made by the postal service
under President Taft's administration.
After reporting alleged discrepancies
that are insignificant when compared
with the great sums known to have
been saved by their predecessors, this
committee of novitiates proceeds In
hts published statement to enlighten
the. American people as to the CHAR
acter of the postal service they have
, been receiving.
| Their statement is as inaccurate as
lit is gratuitous, for the public well
knows that never was the postal ser
| vice conducted more sufficiently or
| handled with greater precision anu
+, dispatch, than in the closing years OF
the Taft administration. During that
administration, nearly 5000 new post
Offices Were established, delivery by
.etter carrier was provided in about
800 additional cities and over 5000 new
i rural routes, aggregating about ib,ooo
miles, were authorized.
! Notwithstanding these great ex-
tensions of service and the heavy
increase in expenditures they re-
! ouired, the postofiice department.
twas placed on a self-sustaining basis.
land that was its condition, when, on
1.-the 4th of March, it passed into the
! hands of the newly appointed othcefs.
who seem thus far to have been eS-
Ihausting their time and their energy
/ in q vain attempt to detract from the
record made by the devoted puphc
tservantS they succeeded.
"The postal committee of Democratic
House of Congress endeavored, last year
in al Similar manner to attack the auoi.'
I ed accounts of the postal service. pu'
\ after Investigation that committee was
/ fair enough to admit that the department
had become substantially seif-sustainihs
1.-The returns as to surplus or deficit are
\ made up not by the postoffice department
but by the treasury department, whers
all postal income is received and all pos
ttal accounts finally audited.
.The secretary of the treasury reported
{, the wiping out of the postal deficit aHo
I the record thus certified to finish hsca
report is likely to stand in history III
the postoffice department could have re-
4 ceived a proper allowance for the cos
OF carrying franked mail, the postal sur
plus would have been much larger thar
= that recorded and this is true, after DE
Quoting the expense incurred on iaccoun
Of the postal service by the treasury
department for the free quartering O
certain postoffices in federal buildings
an expense that is less than half th'
cost OF the franking provision.
"In 1912, more, than 100000 pieces O
4 mail, having an aggregate weight o
about 81 oO0. 600 pounds, were carried FREE
Of charge under the names Of congress
men and the various government estab
4 lishments. If postage, OF the usual rate
had been paid on this matter, itiis est
mated that the postal revenues 'wouis
have been increased by more than Wv.
100000.
an the last administration. we appeal
ed in vain to Democratic House 10
legislation abolishing the franking abuse
TIT is,sa subject that the present posta
management might well consider. for
laffords an Opportunity to save the de
lpartment millions OF dollars year.
.The United States postal service
4 comprises altogether more than $780,
$ aO0D officers and men. 1t is the largest
! business organization in the world. ],
expends annually about $25o.oOoooo
and now takes in approximately tnas