New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-10
UsFlFss WORK.

When we stated that half the labor Of postnasters
in keeping accounts OF mails sent and received, was
worse than wasted, the reply was sheer, with the
declaration that those accounts were absolutely neces
sary as means of keeping pOstmssters in order AMI
were carefully examined and compared at Washington
all of which we knew aud stated to be erroneous,
though without much apparent effect the advocates
Of doing all this labor We are glad however, to see
that our observations have not been neglected more
influential quarter, ard that they are likely to be car
RED out in the way of practical reform
The Postmaster General in his recent annual Report
resf:rus the same fact to which long since invited
his attention and that of the public, namely that the
transcripts of local posoces are never checked with
each other to ascertain whether the receiving post
master charges himself with all unpaid matter sent to
him or with the paid matter he receives aud sends of
thus these laborious accounts practically useless
On this head we quote a passage from the Report;
"It ia true that where there is to suspect the in
teeIity Of postmaster rigid scrutiny is instituted into
bis accounts but such instances are not common For
the purpose OF such Investigations and Tor the iGrthef ur
pose Of tracing letters reported to be lost or stolen nom
The mails all the post bills belonging to the returns OF
postmasters are retained for the period of year and
half and then sold waste paper but the whole system
of accounting 20 the extent just noticed IS so little cacu
lated 10 protect and the public revenue that eau
not rest under the grave responsibility OF permitting il 10
continue any longer than the proper remedy can be DC
yised ard applied.
What is the proper remedy Simply to abolish this
whole system ofaccountilg. lthas cost millions OF dol
lars without mill of benefit Country Postmastcrs
are clamorous for compensation, and why Sim-
ply because so much labor is required to enter in tho
account of mails sent all the letters deposited with
them to be forwarded-and then to make post-bill
and send with every package of letters each OF which
must lie written or stamped with the name Of the Posi-.
Office and the da,e and done up in bundle. Then he
must enter in another account of mails received all
that comes to his Office and send transcripts of these
accounts and Ill these old post bills go to the General
Post-Oice there to be handled and fumbled over fur
nfhpg useless employment to twenty men, for no object
in the world except in ease OF suspicion that John
Smith Las failed to account for three-cent letter, a
rigid scrutiny may be instituted into his accounts
"but such instances are Uncommon" Yet the system
has been pertinacOusy maintained and contractors are
paid, upon moderate estimate of one dollar to each
Post Coe So 6ss per annum to transport these old
old postbils TO Washington there to be stored at an
equal expense, eighteen months, and then sold as
"waste paper" But this is not all the waste There
is an item Of $7i O56 3d. for Blanks At least 100000
of this is for these useless accounts of mails sent and
received, thd LOT tueke precious Ae hcrdps vi punt
bills which arc sold for waste paper, just what they
always have beenthOugh before they are thus sold,
every one of them has cost the people of this country
more money than we change for five copies Of Tue
DAILY TRIBUNE.
But if this system Of keeping accounts is OF value
to protect and secure the public revenue, why has it
been con nued The answer is simple. First, At is
stupid and "Old ogy" everything at the seat of Gov
eument is old fogy, and Young America must turn
old fogy there or be turned out. Second, the fat
tracts for paper printing and transportation, all help
sour gGny' about election time. Third, the system
employs more clerks than dreamed of in the phi
osophy opostage payers Wesuppose that not less than
fifteen clerks and messengers, at average salary of
1900 each are employed about these blank accounts
and waste paper post-tls at the General POst0iice
Those who pay for the privilege OF sending letters by
nail at rate Of speed most apty compared to land
turtle are the persons who taxed for all this
less expense which, with other old fogy notions has
so wasted the revenue Of the Department that cheap
postage is menaeed because appears by the Report
there is not money enough collected to pay the enOr
nous expense oecasioned by the absolute folly and
waste Of our Post-Ofice system