, 1862-02-05
Che Ttibuttf.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY s, 1889.


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Il SEEF-EUSTAINING POST OFFICE
DERAHTMTST.
During the fiscal year ending June 30th,
1861, the expenditures Of the Post Office
Department exceeded its receipts IS 251 ,967.
The estimated deficiency for the current
fiscal year, not including service in disloya1
States, is $,747, 900; and the estimated de-
ficicncy for the year ending June 3oth, 1863,
including partial csti,natesforserr1ce where
it is now discontinued, is s., $4,000 The
financial cxigencies Of the Government
growing out Of the rebellion have directed
attention to the necessity Of relieving the
Treasury Of this enormous annual drain,
ty placing the Post. Office Department upon
selfsustaining basis. Bills having this
object in view have recently been intro
duced in Congress, hut nothing definite
has yet been accomplished,
The bill for the abolition Of the frankine
privilege, which has passed one branch Of
Congress, is good as far as it goes. It
strikes directly at abuses which have grown
into gigantic proportions, the eradication
Of which will augment the receipts of the
service and lessen its expenses Let us
hope that the Senate, following the wise
example Of the House, Will not hesitate to
lon off this c1crcscencc from the system.
The bill requiring the payment Of post
age upon newspapers carried outside Of the
mails, has probably received, as it deserves,
Its final quietus. It is well if this be 50,
for it vas an in-adyised measure, which,
while it would not have added dime to
the net receipts Of the Department, would
have diminished the national revenue to
tho extent Of thousands Of dollars by the
partial destruction Of several important
branches Of productive Industry.
The "moncy order" system now under
consideration has for its object the protec-
ton Of the public in the transmission Of
money by mail, rather than the ausulenta-
t;on Of revenue. It is question. however,
whether such q system is adapted 10
country 50 extensive as ours, or, Il
capable Of being Carried into e.
feet. whether it would not really
lc productive Of loss rather than Of profit
10 connect the banking system with the
postal service Of the country. There are
those who believe that the Department
might safely and proftably undertake the
transmission OF money and Of other valua-
blcs outside Of the mails, on a plan similar
to that OF private expresses, charging a
higher ratc than letter postage for the ser
vice, but enough less than the prices
charged ly express companies to Sc
cure the business, and guaranteeing against
loss. We may remark in passing, that SC
far as the registering Of money letters i
concerned, it may be voted failure both
as regards increased security to the public
and profit to the Department. It does moi
even pay expenses, while it is doubtful
whether it has ever prevented the loss Of a
dollar
The bill simplifying rates Of postage Or
printed matter is based on a correct priin.
ciplc, and that, OF something like it, should
he passed But its advantages are not te
be locked fol in any considerable increase
in the revenue Of the Department. While
its tendency Will undoubtedly be in thai
direction, the augmentation, if there bt
any, will necessarily be small.
These, so far as we know, constitute al
the measures that have been proposed, tt
tic end Of making the Post Office Depart
mezst sclfsustaining. That, if adopted
they will fall very far short Of accomplish
ing the wishcd-for result, there can be III
doubt The abolition Of the franking prir
ilege, and the reduction in the number O
rates on printed matter, Will do somctllin;
towards cutting down the deficiency; bu
twill he hut 4 drop taken from an ove1
flowing l}ucket-the effect Will scarcely b
pereep,ible- If the object is to be attained
Other and far more sweeping reform
arc necessary. Such reforms are, doub
less, practicable, and are called for, nj
alone hy the financial necessities Of IL
Government, but also by public opinio1
which demands IA the Government seryit
the same economy Of means and adaptaio
TO ends that, in the management Of priTa1
business, always keep pace with the pro:
ress Of enlightenment
Curposta1 system is ridiculously cunbc
some and complicated Results are reacl
cd by circuitous and unnecessarily expe,
lvc methods. twas devised and broug1
to its present state under q condition
things which 10 longer exists; and am
all the changes that have characterized Il
last three quarters Of a century, it alone Il
remained unchanged. Unlike private int
1iduals who, in the conduct Of their affai1
always change their plans and methods
correspond with every new or molif'
condition affecting their business, the pc
tai system is now substantially what it "
under the first Postmaster General Nh.
pos.ages were paid in money on delivc
Of letters to the parties addressed, a meth
of keeping accounts was Instituted adapt
to that state Of things Postmasters Nj
compensated by q commission
the total business Of their respect
Offices, and to ascertain what Il
commission amounted to in each ca
accounts were kept in d present.
manner, necessarily complicated and
curing much clerical labor. But NJ
postage is paid in advance, not with mon
tut by Government stamps, while
cmourt Of stamps sold furnishes basis
commissions, yet there has been no cor
ronding change in the mode Of keeping
counts Precisely the same routine is
sc1ved, the same expense is incurred
lla1ks. and the clerical force is kept up
I'LL cut these blanks which arc of no en
II service when filed All these b1al
consisting Of post-bills, accounts Of N
sent and Of mails received, when filed
are dispatched quarterly 10 Washing,
where they are thrown into an apa1tm
without examination, as SO much use
lumber, until the storage room having h
exhausted, a bonfire closes the scene.
cost to the Department for blanks dtl
the year ending June 30th, 1861, is
down IN The Postmaster Generals rel
at $9,S9. This item is so much mo
sacrificed to routine in other NO
thrown away.
Again: Before the introduction Of
velopes, letters we're carefully enclosed
fore putting them into the mails, in S
wrapping paper, as protection against
wear and tear Of being carried long
4o-,oor IN ~,,.@1 1.c.-, ri