Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 December 1874 — Postoffice Report. [ARTICLE]

Postoffice Report.

sf Washington. Nov. 29. The report of the Postmaster-General is completer - The revenues for the rear ending June 30, 1874, were $24,596,568, and the expenditures $32,120,414. The estimated expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1876,“ are $36,964,034; total estimated revenue, $29,148,150. leaving a deficiency to be appropriated out of toe general treasury of $7,815,878. These estimates do not include appropriations for steamship service and stamps, amounting to $2,098,501). Tlie use of the registered-letter system is steadily increasing. There has been a marked gain iii the time of transporting through mails, an average gain from New York to San Francisco of live hours and thirty-two minutes, a gain for mails to New Orleans of two hours and fifty-seveil 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 pos to Hires in operation June 30, 1874, was 34,294; total number of appointments during the year, 9,428. The results of tlie 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 tieeo only one erroneous payment in 59,677 payments, and only 74 in all. The increase in "money exchanges with Great Britain and Switzerland Ims been very marked. :== newsi'aUk taJSTAUH. By an aft of'Congress approved June. 23, 1874, it is required tliat on and after the Ist of January, 18i5, postage on newspapers and periodical publications mailed from a known office of oublieation or news agency, and addressed to regular subscribers or news agents, shall be charged at the rate of two cents per pound if issued weekly or oftener; and at three cents per pound if issued less frequently than once a week. The act provides that matter shall be weighed in bulk and preoaid with adhesive stamps to ,be especially 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 now in 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 tlian before, as now postage will 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 3TSTEM. The money-order business of this department appears to Be rapidly growing in public favor, and is undoubtedly a very great accommodation to a large number of persons who are not within reach of banking facilities, 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 moneyrirder system during the last year are about $105,000, while the 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 postoffiee are not charged to the monevorder business But are paid out of appropriations; so that, while the money-order system 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) v ovthatthe money-order system shall, . dike any other business, be made to defray all its own" expenses. . TRANSPORTATION OF MAILS. Tlie number and length of mail routes in the United States require an expenditure for transportation which dwarfs into insignificance the cost oft similar service in other countries. For the year ending June 30,1876, it is estimated that this item alone will exceed $10,000,000. The poction 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 for services., rendered to this department. Heretofore their pay has been based on the weight of mails, with an additional allowance on certain thoroughfares for providing postal cars. At present the matter is in a very unsatisfactory condition, and some equitable mode of adjustment should be at once devised and sanctioned by law. Some of the roads haVfc represented to the departmentthat the carrying of the mails was little or no object to them, because the express companies were willing ter pay much more for the accommodation furnished than the department woqld allow. On the other hand, representatives of the leading express companies have contended that the act, which took effect July 1,1874, permitting the transmission by mail of packages of merchandise w eighing 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, Hie 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 ana 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. Tbe act of March 3, 1873, readjusting the pay Q.f railroads on the basis of “the weight of the 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 come when a resolute effort should be made to determine how far the Postoffiee Department can properly-go in its eflbrts to accommodate the public without trespassing unwarrantably upon the sphere Of private enterprise. There must be a limit to governmental interference, and happily it better suits tlie genius of the American people to help themselves than to depend on the State. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT. 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 life the recipient of a benefit is the proper partyto pay for it, since there is no escape I from the universal law that every service ! must in some way be paid for by some one. i Moreover, in; a country of vast extent like ! this, where most of the operations of the de- | partment are carried on remote from the coil: j trolling center, tlie disposition to engage in i internal enterprises more or less foreign to ‘the theory of the System will tend to ejnbari rassments whereby expedition would be difli- ; cult. For years the franking privilege was : an incubus ou the department and an obsta-- ; ele to efficient postal reform. Its abolition, ; for which w e are largely indebted to the resolution and wisdom of my predecessor, opens the way for other measures, which have yet i to be inaugurated and pressed to a successful issue before the department can become self-sustaining. While I do. not flatter mvself that I shall be able to accomplish this most desirable end during the short period of me service, I propose to keep it steadily in view and to direct my best eflorts toward its attainment. For the first time in toe course of a life devoted actively to business I find myself m charge of au establishment the expenditures of which largely exceed its" receipts —a state of affairs which strikes with great force a» mind more or less disciplined by that (Hose inspection of accounts enforced in mercantile pursuits. In ordinary affairs there is but oae «nd 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 hare 'been compelled to submit estimates for toe year ending June 30,1876, which will show

an expected excess of tlie expenditures over receipts of nearly $8,000,000, or about 25 per cent, of the entire reveuue of the department. HoV far the American people will be willing to go in this direction remains to lie seen; Tbe 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 enterprise of the people entitle them, are few or small, but in 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 ot this department, sanctioning no-putlay which can lie avoided without detriment to the service, and so to conduct its 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-Genera..