The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-12

mail services care sn0ul0 always Do taken TO
make such an application Of 1t e. will be
productive of the greatest general benefit to
the country. Thus, for example, where several
bids are sent in for the performance of Post
Office contract, preference should always be
given to the one which embraces the largest
amount of indirect as we'll as specific advan-
tage to the public. We do not, of course,
mean to say that the conditions of a RESPONSE
BILE service should be departed from to secure
this additional gain. Our idea is simply that
all other features Of the different bids being
equal, preference should be given to that which
diffuses over the widest surface the benefits Of
the public expenditure.
The Pacific mails are at present conveyed at
an expense to the country Of $l,4OO,OOO an
nually. They are transported bi-monthly by
the way OF the Isthmus of Panama, and over
land bi-weekly by what is called the Butter
field route. OF the sl,4OO,OOO thus appro-
priated, 100000 is paid to the latter service.
The speed of the two routes averages about
the same. The Overland Company offer to
carry the mails every day for an annual com.
u u,
we understand, another proposition before the
Department to start daily overland mail every
alternate day from St. Louis and New Orleans;
the appropriation to be the same as is asked for
by the existing Overland Company, namely, a
million of dollars.
Now the success of the overland mail depends
in great measure on its own power to attract
extraneous support To prove self sustaining
it will have to create new interests as we'll as
serve efficiently existing ones. There is no
doubt that it will do both. 1t is certain that a
mail running daily through our uninhabited
territories, the distance accomplished by horses
being continually lessened by the extension Of
the railway lines on both sides, will do more to
populate and develope the resources of those
regions than any other inducement that can be
devised. With such prospect in view, every aid
should be afforded to these routes in the power
Of Congress to bestew. The 100000 now ap-
propriated to the conveyance of the mails by
the Isthmus would, if paid to the overland mail
companies, be so much devoted to the develope-
ment Of the industrial and agricultural re-
sources of the wild regions through which they
run their expresses. Public policy, therefore,
dictates that every encouragement possible be
given to an enterprise which scatters such
fertilizing influences in its path.
The NEW METROPOLITAN POLICE BuL-The
Albany Legislature has effected another tink-
ering operation with our police system. The
New Metropolitan Police bill is now law,
having duly received the signature of the
Governor. The Commission is reduced by the
new act from five to three members, excluding
altogether the Mayors of New York and Brook
Ign from their seats as er oficio members of the
Board. OF course the chief executive officers of
these two cities, who are supposed to be re-
sponsible, as Mayors usually are, for the peace
and protection of their respective constituent
cies have no right to a voice in tho govern
,..Ont tho pvdce rorce, which is supposed to
keep the peace and insure protection to citi-
zens; at least such is the dictum of the Albany
Solons.
Governor Morgan, in selecting the new
Commissioners, has exercised nice discretion
with regard to the Importance and interests Of
the city of New York. He has appointed, for
instance Mr.. Pilsbury, of Albany county, Mr..
Bowen, of Westchester county, and Mr. Bergen,
of Kings county, to comprise the Board, the
Insignificant city and county of New York
having no representative therein at all. Pro-
badly Governor Morgan selected Mr.. Pilsbury
partly because the Newspaper Express has ex-
tended the Metropolitan district up to Albany,
and partly because he, being a warden
of the Albany penitentiary, is supposed to
be we'll acquainted with the rural members
of the Legislature, and can instruct the
police how to take care of them when they
come to the city and pay their usual visits
to the dry goods institutions of Church street
and Mercer street. Mr.. Bowen, of Westchester,
was the treasurer of the old Board, and is pro-
badly retained on account of his valuable expe-
rience, while Mr.. Bergen, of Kings, will, of
course, keep faithful watch and ward over the
citizens of Brooklyn and the adjacent villages.
AS for the citizens Of New York, they are ex-
pected to take care of themselves as they have
hitherto done since we ceased to have a NUM-
cipal government any nearer the metropolis
than the city of Albany.
Every Legislature has its own particular set
of friends to reward and enemies to punish,
and thus it is that at every session new police
bills, almshouse bills; sanitary commissions
and amended charters are introduced to reform
refractory politicians out of Office, and install
new friends who have not yet had a share Of
the spoils. By this system of reward and pun
ishment New York has been seized upon by
the rapacious vagabonds from the rural dis
tricts who annually congregate at Albany,
until, by this perpetual sceneshifting, we never
know who are pretending to govern u.s.
Everything regarding our local government
is annually turned upside down, until it has
come to pass that New York is really in Alba
ny, and Albany rules in New York. In every
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