The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-06-23
THE POSTAL DEFICIT.

Doubtless the European war had
half million dollar deficit in postal
business, but there are some circum-
stances that point to other contribut-
ing causes. For instance, il seems to
be one of the theories Of this admins
tration that practical experience is OF
minor value in determining fitness for
responsible positions in the postal
service.
When Woodrow Wilson became pres
ident one OF his heaviest Responsible
tiles was tina, Of choosing poStnlast-
cr general. The responsibility was
great because the postal service is the
most extensive and most complex
feature oil governmental operations
and affects the business and PERSONAL
interests OF all the people. mat de-
partment handles more than $3o0.ooo,-
oOo a year in receipts ana dlsbtlfse-
ments. Upon the efficiency OF TINS
service largely depends the prompt.
convenient and satisfactory dispatch
OF private business.
The postal service is complex be-
cause il involves not merely the hand
ling o. mail in post offices, but the col
lection aud delivery OF mail in cities.
collection and delivery on rural
routes. transportation by rail, by star
route and by steamboat, management
of money order business and operation
of the parcel post and postal savings
u nnta..nriSn IN q
United States presents so many var
led problems as does the postal serV-
ice.
President Wilson knew this. Did
he endeaWor to place at the head OF
the department Il man already pos
scssed OF practical knowledge OF post
al affairs? Not at all. OF course he
would appoint Il democrat. quite
properly he would seek for available
men in congress, though he might have
found u good man in the department
itself. 70
There were seven democrats on the
senate committee on post Offices and
post roads and fourteen on the CORE
spondins committee in the house. All
these twenty-One men We're 1amilia!
with postal affairs through their an
nual study ,oftiie post office approprla-
ton bill and other bills affecting the
postal serNica.Ha
Not one OF them was called to the
head OF the post Office department
Neither did the selection so to man
.. large experience i'll private bust
ness. The appointment went to Tex
as congressman who began practicing
law when he was q, held positions
continuously as city and district at
torney for eleven years ana then went
to congress where lie served fourteen
years.
inspection Of the Congressional Rec.
ord fails to show that Mr.. BuriesOn
ever served on the post office commi
tee or took any part IN the discussion
OF postal affairs. He was in no way
identified with the enactment OF the
parcel post law-the most important
development in the postal service in
recent years. However good law
yer he may have been, he had no spe
cial fitness for the business manage
! ment OF so larseaSand SO complicated
IA public service as the post Office de
Eartment.
Mo private enterprise would have Sc
lectcd manager in any such manner
II it did, it would certainly meet the
fate the postal service has met i'll its
financial accounts. No factory, con
struction company or other large con-
Germ doing a business OF $300,000,o0u
4 year could succeed il such policies
prevailed in the selection OF man
agn.
Undoubtedly Mr.. i,urlcaon was a
good prosecuting attorney and his
sevel elections to congress are strong
evidence that he is Il good politician.
But his lack OF special qualification
for the position OF postmaster gener-
al, together with his experience in pol,
tiles, is not altogether reassuring
to those American citizens who think
there is more need for business man
asement than for politics in the post.
al service.