Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1874 — Postmaster-General’s Report. [ARTICLE]

Postmaster-General’s Report.

Washington, Nov. 29. The report of the Postmaster-General is completed. The revenues for the year ending June 30, 1874, were $24,598,568, and the expenditure $32,126,414. The estimated expenditures for the year ending June 30 1876, are $36,964,034; total estimated revenue, $29,148,156, leaving a deficiency to be appropriated out of the general treasury of $7,815,878. These estimates do not include appropriations for steamship service and stamps, amounting to $2,098,500. The use of the registered-letter system is steadDy increasing. There has been a marked gain in the time of transporting through mails an average gain fromNe w Yorkto SanFrancisoo of five hours and thirty-two minutes, a gain for mails to New Orleans of two hours and fifty-seven minutes, and going north of one hour and fifty minutes, and a perceptible gain on all through routes in regularity and certainty. The foreign mail system is in better condition than ever before. The number of postofflces in operation June SO, 1874, was 34,294; total number of appointments during tne year, 9;428. The results of the extensions of "the letter-carrier system are of the most gratifying character. There has been a gain of over 30 per cent in the amount of fees received from money orders. There has been only one erroneous payment in 50,677 payments, and only seventy-four in all. The increase in money exchanges with Great Britain and Switzerland has been very marked. NEWSPAPER POSTAGE. ' By an act of Congress approved June 28, 1874, it is required that on and after the Ist of January, 1875, postage on newspapers and periodical publications mailed from a known office of publication or news ageney, and ad. dressed to regular subscribers or newsagents, shall be charged at the rate of two cents per pound, if issued weekly or oftener; ana at three cents per pound if issued less frequently than once a week. The act provides that matter shall be weighed in bulk and prepaid with adhesive stamps to be specially devised for the purpose. The manner of applying stamps Is left discretionary with the department, and a system which it is hoped will work satisfactorily has been devised for carrying the law into effect 'The stamps are note n course of preparation, and will be ready at the time appointed for their use. It is expected that the revenues of the department from postage on printed matter will be increased by the enforcement of this act, notwithstanding that rates are cheaper than before, as now postage wifi be prepaid, while heretofore much loss has been occasioned to the department on account of the non-collection of postage at the point of delivery. THE MONEY-ORDER SYSTEM. The money-order business of this department appears to be rapidly growing in public favor ana is, undoubtedly a very great accommodation to a large number of persons who arc not within reach «t banking faeiH-; ties or who are unaccustomed to the use of them. Yet I see no reason why this branch of service should not be made self-sustaining. The apparent profits of the money-order system during the last year are about $105,000, while certain expenses to the amount of $182,000 for clerk hire and stationery in the Postoffice Department, Auditor's office, and for money-order clerks in the Poetomce are not charged to the money-order business, but are paid out of apS nations', so that, white the money-order m appears to yield a revenue of $105,000, there is, In fact, a deficit of $70,000. I suggest, therefore, that the fees of money-orders be increased in accordance with the views of the Superintendent, submitted herewith (see appendix), or that the money-order system shall, like any other business, be made to defray all its own expenses. TRANSPORTATION OP MAULS. The number and length of mail routes in the United States require an expenditure for transportation which dwarfs into insignificance the cost of similar service in other countries. For the yesr ending June 30,1876, it is estimated that this item atone will exceed $10,000,000. The portion to be paid to railroads will amount to more than $8,000,000. Opinions have differed widely as to the best method of determining the rightful rates of compensation to be paid to the railroads /or services rendered to this department. Heretofore their pay has been based on tM

weight of. mails, with an additional allowance on certain thoroughfares for providing postal ears. At present the matter is in a very unsatisfactory condition, and some equitable mode df adjustment should be at once devised and sanctioned by law. dome of the roads have represented to the department that the carrying of the mails was little or no object to them, because the express companies were willing to pay much more for the accommodation furnished than the department would allow. On the other hand, representatives of toe leading express companies have contended that the act which took effect July 1, 1874, permitting the transmission by mail of packages of merchandise weighing not over four pounds at the'rate of one cent for each two ounces Is taking away the most profitable part of their business, and will soon render them unable to meet the heavy rentals demanded by the roads. Thus is presented a curious anomaly, the roads claiming that the Government does not pay as much as the express companies are ready to pay, and the express companies claiming, on the other hand, that the law is effecting such a diminution of their revenues that they are unable to' accede to the demands of the roads. I find no disposition on the part of any railroad or transportation company to deal otherwise with the department than in a spirit of fairness and justice. I trust Congress will adopt some equitable plan of adjustment which will not be burdensome to the Government, and which will be satisfactory to the companies. The act of March 3, 1873, readjusting the pay of railroads on the basis of the weight of toe mails carried, added much more largely than was anticipated to the expense of the department. The appropriation for that purpose having become exhausted, I have declined to make further payments. I would suggest that the time has eome when a resolute effort should be made to determine how far the Fostofflce Depafti nent can properly go in its I efforts to accommodate the public without trespassing unwarrantably upon toe sphere of private enterprise. There must be a limit to govermental interference, and happily it better suits the genius of the American people to help themselves than to depend on the State. , THB FUNCTIONS OF THK PEPABTMENT. To communicate intelligence and disseminate information are primary functions of this department. Any divergence from the legitimate sphere of its operation tends to disturb the first rule, that, in the ordinary branches of Hfe, the recipient of a benefit is the proper pfirty to pay for it, since there is no escape fflom the universal law that every service must, in some way, be paid for by some one. Moreover, in a country of vast extent like this, where most of the operations of the department are carried on remote from the con-

trolling center, the disposition to. engage in internal enterprises, more or less foreign to the theory of the system, will tend to embarrassments whereby expedition would be difficult. For years the franking privilege was an incubus upon the department and an obstacle to efficient postal reform. Its abolition, for which we are largely indebted to the resolution and wisdom of my predecessor, opens the way for other measures which have yfet to. he inaugurated and pressed to a *uccessfui issue before the department can be come self-sustaining. While Ido not flatter myself that I shall be able to accomplish this most desirable end during the short period of my service, I propose to keep it ‘steadily in view and to direct my best efforts toward its attainment.

For the first timerin the course of a Hfe devoted actively to business I find myself in charge of an establishment the expenditures of which largely, exceed its receipts—a state of afiairs which strikes with great force a mind more or less disciplined by that close inspection of accounts enforced in mercantile pursuits. In ordinary affairs there is but on&end to this condition of affairs —bankruptcy. The deficiency of this department has varied of late years from 15 to 20 per cent., while from the best data at my command I have been compelled to submit estimates for the year ending June 80,1876, which will show an expected excess of the expenditures over receipts of nearly $8,000,000, or about 25 per cent, of the entire revenue of the department. How far the American people will be willing to go in this direction remains to be seen. The difficulties in the way of adopting and enforcing' a policy of economy which while properly guarding the revenues of the department shall also afford to the new and growing patrons of our country the mail facilities to which the entererise of tpe people entitle them, are feW «r small, but to some way they can and must be surmounted. I deem it suitable to say here that I propose to guard with strict vigilance the expenditures of this department, sanctioning no outlay whieh can be avoided without detriment to the service, and so to conduct it* affairs generally that the interests of the public shall be paramount to those of any individual, corporation or party. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARSHALL JEWELL,

Postmaster-General,