Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-18

for the last few years the deficit has
been rather large. Many post Office
activities were originally started as ex-
periments and have developed so as to
become almost universal necessities.
While post Office expenses have enor-
mously increased by a general expan-
sion of the business, new lines of service
have from time to time been estab-
lished which have greatly expanded
and we would not give them up to save
expenses.
Postal Service Expensive.
Our rural delivery service was started
about 80 years ago with two expert
mental services in different sections of
the country at cost of few thousand
dollars. We appropriate now annually
to carry it on SLOT 100000 and no one
would do away with it. It is a daily
necessity.
Our city delivery service has kept
pace with the growth of the cities and
we gladly pay out annually over $780,
000,0 to bring mail to the doorstep
of the houSekeeper, or to the business
mans Office from one to two or three
times day. We would be lost with
out it.
The transportation of our mail by rail
costs over $130,000,000 annually. No
one dreams of doing away with it, I'M
less II be by swifter system. Judging
the future by the past we need not be
surprised at any developments that
may take place with the afrmail among
people so active and energetic as we
are. There are just two or three IL
Illustrations of the great expansion of the
greatly increased cost of the post Office
service.
A few years ago We had much con-
troversy among our people about high
way improvements. The impulse for
such improvements became so strong
it could not be resisted and the Ma
tional Government was brought into it.
A Federal highway system was started.
The sentiment for its expansion became
overwhelming. In 1917 We appropriated
out of the National Treasury for road
construction SIS 100000. For 1881 We
have appropriated over $106 900 900 and
to date 1913 .0o0, 600 has been appro-
priated for this work, and In my judg-
ment no single item OF appropriation Is
Of more Importance to the people as
whole than these appropriations for
good roads.
Veterans Cared For,
Our people have always dealt fber-
a
may be interesting to learn that we
have actually appropriated for our SOL
diers Of the Mexican, Civil and Span
ish Wars over $500 000. 900.
For the veterans of the World War
we appropriated over $3.50, 000, 900 for
the year 1922 and for 1881 over $780,
000, 900. The total amount appropriated
for these veterans from 1922 to 1881
inclusive, is over $4,000, 1000. 900. This
has been done gratefully and cheerfully,
and there is no better way to put money,
raised by taxation, among people of
the country.
There is great need for public
buildings throughout the country The
Government should have these build
ings for the transaction of its business
and the people are glad to have them
as fine architectural examples. For
many years comparatively few public
buildings were constructed. A regular
system was established few years age
under which it is contemplated a public
building will ultimately be constructed
| in practically every city in the coun-
try with population of $500 and up
ward, including monumental buildings
in larger cities and in the District OF
Columbia. During the last fve years
| including 1881, we have appropriated
| for this purpose over $182 100000.
The cost of running the Post Office