Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-12-23

Posr OyFicr DsrAsrxENr. Dec. 2. ls4l. I
To the PSesideaf Of als tailsd State;
In the discharge Of the dirty OF reporting TO you /
he cOndiion OF the Gensrni Post Office. have to
regret that my recent middleton into office VIII pre-
vent from giving YOU that full development at
this time necessay a clearundcrsianding OF the
variOn- and extended operations ct Department
- important aud Interesting TO every class OF our
feli0w-citiz as.
Unliko the other Departments of Government
vLici, derive their support from the national rreas,
ar. the General Post Office .ooks for the means TO
continue All extend its operations the income de-
rived alone from successful administration OF the
laws prescribing It's duties aud privileges
The Geaerai Post Oiiice, al first almost The crea-
iure OF administrative discretion. necessarily - re-
manso great degree At the present time. Ia ilsin.
fancy. required the constant aud viglant slperin.
tendence of IFS head direct Us rs ia such man
ner rs TO extend the sphere OF its useiUlness cum
rhensurate with the increase and extent OF popula.
ton and business. EiIal. il not greater. vgilence
Is demanded at tho present day.
IL Is 10 be disred that in the general alm:nisira-
ton OF the Government. little OF discretion as pns
sible should be left with those charged with public
trusts and regret my acquaintance with tho details
OF The Department, At tins time. is limited not
10 qualify me ID suggest specifically ihnse int
proNements in the law pertaining to it, whereby
much of that discretion herct,i exercised. might
be restrained aud probably regulated ~ legislative
enatImenis. The propriey OF these remarks will he
fully demonstrated by TO the history OF
the Pos Office Operations. from their commencement
/ TO the present time
| la 1890. the whole number Of pJs; offices in the
United States did not exceed seveniy-iyc; the nuu.
Der OF miles Of pot rOad. SIS; the revenue. S37
936; the expenditure S32.l40. IN 1910. twill lie
seen that the whole number Of post offices in the L.
niIed States was l3.iSS; the lumber Of miles of psi
rond loo .139; the grnss revenue Zoe The wear
was $3.50 26J. aud the expenditure was st7J3,
ITO. The necessity of guarding as flr as priciira.
bic, by specific legislation such amount of income
and expenditure. AMI the duues and liabilities OF so
many agents. must be apparent.
| As has already been Temlrked, the original de-
sign in the establishment ol the Post Office D.part.
ment that its income shonil be IN lie TO sustain
IT'S operations That principle ought never to DO a.
bandoued. Whilst IN" Department should not be
regarded as a sOurc OF revenue to the nation, il
should never become an annual chlrgc t. its Trca-
snFv.
! Upln assuming the discharge OF The duties per
tanning 10 the Office Of P,,stni ,ser General nv frs,
object was to investigate its financial condtinn; and
\ It becomes my duty to inform Won that did not
fad It IN that prosperous state which the demands
upon il require.
The income Of this Department, is always liable to
be affected by the lIctnaiions ofhe business OF The
country. IL Is increased depressed in proportion
TO The increase cor depression of that business.
Besides this cause OF luctuatiOn in its income
other causes of reduction. more or less in every
year, may be fund in the Increased facilities which
the travel upon railroads and steamboats, furnishes
r The transmission ofleIiers and newspapers by pr-
vae conveyance; secondly in tho great extension 10
say nothing of the abuse, of The frankng priv leae;
thirdly. in the recent establishment Of what are cal
led private expresses upon the great mail routes of
the United States; iourthly in the frauds practsed
upon the Department in evading. by vanons devi-
crs, the payment OF the postage imposed by law
While all OF these causes operate To lessen the re-.
venue Of the Department, tho expenses Of iran,por
ing the mail not affected or lessene by Ihem;tnd
respectfully suggest whether the evils to which
have referred do deserve the serious attention Of
Congress far call for sumo more specific leg
'sla'ion' whereby they may be removed or suppress
ed.
Tho total grIss revenue of the Past Office fur tho
fiscal year commencing on the 1t Of July, ISI)
AMI terminating on the 30Ih June. 1911, was ST.
3I92i1 7ohe total expenditure for the sano Time
was 81 SCI .23S 30 Ia this year Iha expenditures
exceeded the revenue by the sum OF Sl67920 6i
y statement rs tbs expenditures. mIre in detail
wnl Indne tims. as required BY law, he reported
10 Congress.
The precise income anl expenditure OF Tho Gen.
erll Post O.iire cannot he known ia my one year
until The CT ee Of ilIe fiscal year aul the settlements
OF all accounts have been cnmplctcd. CnnscJ tent
H. any statement OF expenditure aui incom- Cor the
psccnl year. IL liable 10 the fluctuations and chan
ses always incident - the peculiar character of the
service.
Tho Expenditures unl incnme ofthe Doplrtnon,
for the current year may upon esiimle. be stated
IN roInd Humhers follows
Total am1uui uf revenue, derived from
Postages, fines. sui all other sources $3.50 900
Expenses Of mail transportation 3.I45.00b
Commission 10 pasimlsters .f The rates
of per ceutlge rem1in unchanged l0l5 600
Ship. sicamoIlt and way letters 10000
Incidental expenses, including blanks
stationary. printing. sc. 10000
Total c-tim tel expenditure 100 900
Total estimated income 1850 900
$4,000
Tins il viii be seen that tie probable amount OF
expenditure will exceed the am lunt OF revenue, a.
esum,tod by $4,000.
With this deficit presenting itself so palpaby 10
my mind, have essayed 10 mliIse into the al min
isiraiiun of the service rigid ecUnImy, yet with
all the saving which il may be possible 20 make by
the most rigid economy, without either reducing
ths transportation OF the mail below tho Just wants
"fhc community. or ia some other m,de increasing
the revenue Of tho Department
To sOntinue the present ampunt Of service md
extending u with the growth and spread Of our pop
uation, particularly IN the West. the present reven
vac, with IT'S former charges, Is evidently inadequate
and reduction OF that service greatly below us
present standard would have 10 take place. unless
Congress make appropriation from the public
Treasury, which neither ask for or desire to sec
made.
Upon 4 view OF the circumstances. md with a.
perfect sense Ofthe delicate responsibility assumed
have felt myself irnperiously called uppn TO exert
else the power vested by the of 5!5 ia the pos
master General, aud have re-adiusicd the commits.
Sims hitherto allowed 10 deputy pist masters BY
this regulation, a copy Of which i annexed there
viii be added,lp the nett annual income of the D..
parimeHt about 100000. I thought it better 10 DO
this Than either TO ask Congress for appropriation
or 10 reduce the transportation Of the mail below
the inst wants Of the community.
When IL is known that this reduction has been
made 10 enable the Department 10 send intelligence
among the people by continuing md extending mail
facilities. and not in spirit Of parsimonious econ
Ony The liberal and enlightened Of all sections will