The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-02-13

Eer cent OF the warsayings carfiTz-
Gates and thrift stamps were ssIdg X
is fact tAppIause BarIenS6me
taxes had 70 be laid upon the hacks
or the people. Il became necessary
70 distribute revenue stamps through
out the country IN order that they
might be readily accessible 20 those
requiring them
The request Was made that the
Post OffIee Department undertake the
distribution OF these revenue stamps
We acceded 70 the request, and there
followed as q result that We not only
distributed these warr9vEnue stamps
but sold large quantities OF them OF
course there developed upon the post
al establishment, tfen, the burden
some task or accounting and auditing
more than s.. 900 additional accounts
Necessary 70 be accurately kept OF
stamps received and disposed Of
During the war il became nee
sary 70 register the alien enemies OF
our country That responsibility was
imposed upon the Department OF Jus
tee The gentlemen who was at the
head or that great department ap-
preached the head or the Postal De-
parrmenE and frankly said. Il cant
undertake this task unless y0u lend
me the aid OF the postal establish
ment'
SO the postal department became
the right arm or the food admins
traitor as the million OF housewives
could be reached IN no 0the- way: and
it became also the chief factor to the
fuel administrator.
4 monumental burden was placed
upon IFS shoulders yet il undertook
the gigantic task and no department
Of any country the wide world over
showed more efficiency.
Speaking OF the espionage act the
postmaster general says
/ The post Office department Oer-
formed that task L was an unweE
come one. as say. but we performed
X I WAS denounced from enc end OF
taa country 70 Ehe other as an auto.
crzE and as EyranE and as a man
who was engaged in the suppression
Of free speech as q slave driver. but
moved on in the even tenor OF my
way performed the service with
moderation exercising no arbitrary
power whatever. bur enforced the law
as * was written.
Ind il has been q source OF grgat
satisfaction 10 me that N evgrE N
stance where my action was chaIEeng-
I'd the courts upheld nv action. IN
effect saying The postmaster gen
eTaE did more than his duty
General BurEeson greatly enlarged
the parcel post and Tor doing 50 he
Vas denounced from Ian 70 Beershe
ba- Why2 Because the express com
panies were afraid that they would
be put out Of business.
Under the action that he took the
traffic through the parcels post was
increased from 81 0g0, 0u0 a year ID
2,7Oo.800.O0 year The system
passed permanently from a deficiency
70 revenue producing basis under
constantly diminishing rates ana IN
creasing weights.
/ And the express companies stiH live
and their business is all the while In
creasIng
For transporting the mails the rail-
road companies charged the govern
ment a higher rate than on any other
kind OF traffic largely more not
withstanding the mails were handled
On the railroad BY the postal employees
themselves.
When the postmaster general insist
ed upon the government having q
square dear il aroused the railroad
officials and they joined hands m
poisoning the minds OF the people
against Mr. BurIeson.
Another quotation from the post
master general.
set upon foot the movement for
the adoption OF the space-basfs system
before the Congress OF the United
states. and was met there bv tF1a
representative OF every selfish rail
road IN the United States and nv
every kind OF Misrepresentation bv ali
sorts Ct criticisms and denunciaTfous
directed against the head OF the Post
Al Establishment Day after day.
week after week. month after month.
tie struggle went on. and finally the
bill got into conference. So powerful
were these great transportation agen
cias that they stsangIed the postal an
preparation bill for that year. which
forced me 70 operate the department
under resolution for the ensuing
fiscal year This wag-the first time
such thing Was done In 10 years.
lAppIause1
a felt Ike John Paul Jones'. The
railroads didn't exactly ask tor sur
render. bur LEI Il b knOWn that 1
had Just begun % Tint
And nezt y<eK ~ & o1Uv 0f
~ 81 eE<.S~ |'1 - S