Gilpin observer., 1915-01-21
WASHINGTON NEWS
BY Edward Heating.

eight years the postal establishment
has paid into the treasury OF the
United States funds to be used for
position in different language-for
the first time in three quarters Of
a century Uncle Sam is making mon-
ev out of his post office. He receiv-
ed very tidy dividend last year
about SO, 500, ,000-and Postmaster Gen
eral Burleson says that is only be-
ginning.
The wiping out Of the postal de-
ficit Is one OF the substantial achieve
ments of the Wilson administration.
In 1909, under Taft. Congress had to
appropriate almost $ 0 100000 to make
good the deficiency for that year.
The marvellous development of the
parcel post under Democratic direc-
ticn is largely responsible for the
prosperity of the POSTAL service. AS
an example of this growth, the post
master general poi.ts out that at
the fifty leading postoffices of the
led in the first fifteen days of April
1914, showed an increase of 146 per
cent over tie number handled in the
first fifteen days of October, 1913.
And yet the parcel post is in the
infancy of it's development. When
the railroads are compelled to give
it the same treatn ent they accord
the express companies it will pro-
duce a profit of $50, 200, 900 a year, in
addition to cutting rates in two and
materially Increasing efficiency of
service.
Largest Appropriation Bill.
The Post Office appropriation bill
Is one of the most interesting meas
ures brought before Congress, and al
ways provokes extended discussion.
1t is the largest of the appropriation
bills. This year it provided for ex-
penditures approximating $500, 100000
Ten years ago the department got
along on s15O,OOO. 900. Twenty years
ago its outlay totaled sS3,OOO,0O0.
Rural free delivery and parcel post
are responsible for a large part of
the increase.
The American people insist that
their mail must fellow them. even
when they move out on the desert
or ascend to the submits of snow
capped peaks. and the government
bows to public opinion, frequently
spending dollar to deliver a letter
bearing two-cent stamp.
A few years ago Congress appro-
priated $4,000 for rural free delivery.
This year the appropriations for car
S641 900 900.
The railroads receive about $50
100000 for transporting tie mails.
They are always complaining but it
can be demonstrated that they make
more money out of carrying the mails
than they do out of their passenger
business. The fact is, the railroads
are whining not so much because Of
the damage they are sustaining, but
because their friends. the express
companies, are being put out of bust
ness.
Our Postal Army.
A mighty army IS required to con-
duct the post office department and
in the main it is hard-working, in
telligent and rather poorly paid army
The postmaster general gets $12.-
900 a year. The president of an ex-
press company would sniff at that
salary.
The men who manage the parcel
post receive $4,000 to $1,000 year.
They are all worth three or four
times those sums.
Men must be great executives in
order to properly conduct the post
offices in our large cities. They re-
ceive from $1,000 to $4,000 a year
fair salaries-but their assistants,
all experts In their respective lines.
get from $4,000 to $500. These
salaries seem small when compared
with the salaries received from pri-
vate employers by men Of equal ca.
pacity and who assume equal respon
sibuities.
There is a general impression that
the postmasters in the smaller Of
fices have "soft snaps" As a rule
that Is not true, and an investigation
in any typical town will show that
the postoffice is as economically and
efficiently managed as are the ex.
press. telephone, railroad and other
public utility offices in the same
town.
Some Big PayroIIs.
Some conception Of the size Of the
post office department may be se-
cured from an examination Of the var
ious items which make UP the annual