Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-15
FIRST TINE SINCE BENJA
MIN FRANKLIN, SAYS
BURIESON.
3 MILLION SURPLUS


WASHINGTON, Dec, ~. Assct ilng
that for the first time since It's or
gauizatou by Benjamin Franklin, the
postoffice department is ON self
sustaining basis, Postmaster General
Burleson submitted TO President VII
son today his annual report II re-
cords enormous growth in The depart
mcnts business because ot the pat
GELS post ana postal savings bank di-
visions Bnd recommends II program
of postal legislation TO increase the
scope of the departments activities.
MI Burleson features his report
with an estimate that a surplus OF
S3,J69,b45, the second Of his admin
istration, will be shown for the fiscal
year of 1914, when all claims and
charges have been met On that
showing he bases his declaration that
the department has been securely
placed upon self sustaining basis"
1T is safe to say" the report adds,
that unless unusual conditions should
arise resulting in abnrrmal depr,s-
sion Of business, there Is no danger
Of recurring deficiencies
Legislative Program.
The Legislative program recon-
mended is az follows as TO lts most
important features
Early action toward government
ownership Of telegraph and telephone
lines and immediate taking over OF
these systems In Hawaii, Alaska and
Porto Rico Transfer Of the Alaska
cable from war TO postoffice depart
ment control,
Substitution of contract star route
system for salaried rural carrier serV-
ice TO eliminate s40,00O,000 annua
loss on rural delivery.
Postoffice cooperation with state
governments in road building wher,
improvements insure better postaI
service.
Raising maximum balance accept
able at postal banks from $500 tC
$1,000, interest payments to be linn
tied to $1,000. Removal Of monthly
deposit limit restriction.
Aerial mail service, where topog-
raphy warrants, and extension Of mo-
tor truck and automobile service, III
view OF recent successful experiments
Passage by senate of pending bill
providing space basis of compensation
for railroads on mail carried, instead
of weight basis.
Pending change in rural delivery
system, computation OF carriers sal
aries on basis OF service performed
dependent on bulk Of mail carried, {
stimulate business
ReadJustment Of postmasters' sal
aries on basis of changes In business
handled due to parcels post develop
ment.
Raising OF second class rates or
publications other than newspaper
issued once a week from to . cents
a pound.
Granting the department lega
jurisdiction over selection of sites anc
designs for postal buildings.
or the parcels post during the last
year the report says:
Parcels Post Grows.
Rapid growth of the parcels post
vastly increased postal business dur
ing tho year. The departments field
OF service has expanded at phenom-
email rate; 1t is still expanding. Not
withstanding the decreases Of parcels
post rates authorized January l. 1914
economies OF administration have
kept within the revenues"
OF the departments financial CON
dition the report says:
The postal revenues for 1914
amounted to $2s7,s34, ,565.87, an IN
crease over the preceding year o
slightly less than s per cent, as com
pared with corresponding incress,
Of slightly more than 5 per cent FOL