Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-05-12
HDOAY'EECAEI.
A LETTER

\ LETTER
Relating to the administration ami present condition of
the Post Office Department 0fthc United suites, nndcr
ne Hon WiLtGm T. Barry Postmaster Gcncral-By
bertrand District, IN Misunderstanding
IL Under Major Barry, the annual mail transporta-
ton has been increased equal TO 900 600 miles per an
mum, which is buta little short of 100 per centun.
IL The annual evenues of the Department Ina hccn
increased from 81 ,707 4IS ~ (as they were on the
3oth June 1921 to S2,S23,7OG 97the increase being
IL In the last year of Mr. McLeans administration
fthe Department, ending June 30 1920 the of
the Department, on its then comparatively mied Satc e
operations, fell short of It's expenditure in the sum of
$47l4 10, without adding $Gl,2l5 76 which Major
Barry s'hse iuey reid - eeE' or Of tics
upon The contracts of his predecessor.
u But in the last year Of Major Barry's administra-
ton of the Department ending on the 3Oth June, 1884,
most doubled scaIcoFvazaueg It's expendi
lures only So ,ss4 o.
W Taking the last six months of MIR. MclIeans last
year, and the Department. fell short of its ex
penditures in the of i9,77S So whereas taking the
last six months of Major Barrys last year, and the De-
Partments revenue ercccdd its expenditure in the
of $d7 5O7 M-makng difference in favor of the lat
ters administration, of S97 ,265 70, saying nothing
of the almost doubled amount OF business performed our
ing the last named period the amount performed
during the period with which it is contrastcd. And,
yet, while MIR MeLeans administration is pointed at as
the ultimatum of all ta is desirable by the enemies of
the Administration, in efficiency, economy and success
Major Barry administration is denounced not only
without merit, but absolutely rumous the finances of
the Department So much for the force of prejudice
when IT has been once permitted TO blind the under
standing, and dssuade men from actual investigation of
facts.
The extension of the Thanking privilege to members
of Congress, TO enable each member elect TO
mence ranking sixty daya before the first session which
he is returned member, and continue it until the
commencement OF the Congress next succeeding that
with which his term Of Office expires, has been
most prolific of increase in the business Of the
Department With this pr viiege extended, for the
period between the dissolution Of Congress and
the first session of the succeeding CONGRESSES pcrod
of nine months,-bctwecn three and four hundred
neT ln in pf tIte rrIaa &C.,.
ing and receiving letters free of charge members
Of Congress had by recently list of the new
membes Of the 23d Congress, added to the aggregate
number of the 22d Congress, who, during the vacation
between the I'd session Of the latter and the 1s session
of the former, were enjoying the ranking privilege
Inc list is not now at hand, but my recollection that
+ <EzSsgaie number Of members thus quartcred upon
Ss1s'es'ee Department at the same time, exceeded
40 Ought consideration to he made in favor
Of the Department in bearing up against this extraord
nary enlargement of its burthcns?
The effect of this measure upon the Department is
longer dependent upon conjecture have before
letter from Postmaster in Alabama, which says,
under date Of October 4, JS:A--
That Che extension Of Die franking privilege has
greatly injured tie revenues Of the Department. carnUt
be doubted by any orc SsaSHszEzaF1h It's operations.
Evcn AZ Jas Instance Wofc han eight hundred miles from
the Seat Of Government the effect is quite perccpblc
ain the year 800 | was frequently 10 this
Office as au assistant OF tic Postmaster The mails,
on the principal routes then arrived at and left IT, but
once week, and on horseback. think they weighed.
average, about one hundred pounds. The quanl-
" Of matter passing this Office weekly is now, am per-
suadcd, about times great tIc quantity that
passed through it during the period ia 1922.
In letters which have seem the Postmaster at Salem
Mass, SAYS, under date Of November last
"The whole weight Of the mails has increased since
1929, about % per cent
THE Postmascra at Richmond, Indiana, under date Of
December g 1884 says
"I have no doubt but the extension Of the frankug
privilege has greatly curailed the revenue Of the De-
pnrtment When first attended TO ibis Office
in 1896, there n mere handful; bot there is
large chain bag and always linen bag aud sometimes
two. / should say the mail lour times large
IL was in the year 1921
The Postnaslerat Geneva, Ny. Oct -. l-i, says
As as can learn, The cntfe mail on HE prin-
cpa routes connected with i5 office b. 0He-tird larger
than i'm i52J giving Increase in WEIGHT and bulk OF
not much short Of one-thrd though the revenue TO The
Department has by mcaas increased ia thc same pro-
agCer az indianapolis, Indiana October q
emit that The extension Of he Gankine
;tIS - q much 10 diminish the revenue Of the De-
P,teg., - Md think somcitiDg Ike 500 uyedr at
tIis"esc1 - From I'D tLe Information haze On
,h ioc ,Nnk that ahe sails az this lime iron,
~ 20 igbt times large tpy were in 1920, and yet
Srtdf Postc,ssief a Portsmouh, Il H. says
a. Pom Desc data should initf tliat nceriY
ous Aird Of the wcig o. our whole mails wasJsfe nat
~, Willie Coporess sitting am pcrsaedcdit much
49,, G's, o,;s Feor general observation. am in
sined ~ fine opnion ft hc weight O our nails Is al
least double what 70 was in ~ 49, 49, ,.
Tbe Postmasier NJ Philadelphia Nov. %, 1874 says
The free matter sent 10 Us Office has increased ~
nearly double thc quantity witih te 'ASt Two years
Under the present laws cxtendM ine i@nking privilege
- oasoler5 of Cor yress durnghe whole year snd 70
membssgeoo' sixty dfys prt2sio 'e''o'' ono 70 OLD