Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-02-18


There is scarcely any agency performed
Dy the Government which more intimstely
concerns the comfort and convenience OF
the people, or which more directly reacts
on the business facilities Of the country, |
than the regulations established with re- |
gard to the transmission and distribution |
Of private letters and printed matter con-
veyed by the mails. The reader will find
in another part Of to-dsy's paper an in
teresiing table containing q statement Of
the manner in which letters are distribu-
ted in the principal countries Of Europe,
and also the mode in which postmssters
receive their compensation in such coun-
tries. 1t will be seen that the carrier sys-
tenn universally obtains, and that this ser
vice is in most cases performed without fee,
the exceptions being confined to localities
where the sparseness of the population
justifes departure from the system. The
generality Of the rule, however, shows
the direction in which postal reform un-
der this head has steadily tended in Eu-
rope.
We are indebted to the present efficient
Postmaster General for the partial intro.
duction of this system into the admins.
tratiOn of our postal service. The law
authorizing the free delivery Of mail mat
ter by carriers took effect on the first day
of July last. About thst time the system
was put in operation at forty-nine Of the
larger officers, with a competent corps Of
carriers to each, numbering in the sggre-
| gate four hundred and forty-pine, at an
aggregate annual compensation of $780,
$50. While we cannot hope, with the pres
ent distribution of our population and the
extent Of our country, to attain the point
reached by European Governments under
this head, we may at least mark Che pro-
gress they have m ade as Indicating q re-
form which should be adopted wherever
the conditions of its existence are found.
We have the best reason 10 know that Mr..
Blair is disR0sssd pot pPi piF ritfa Fl But to pro
mote its extension as far as practicable.
Ample but well guarded provision to this
effect has been made in the revised code Of
the laws relating to the Post Office De-
partment, which was submitted by him at
the last session of the Thirty
Congress, and TO which the atteIt ton Of the
present Congress is again invited in his
last annual report.
There is also in this proposed revision Of
our postal laws (which is for the most part
but digest of existing legislation, the
provisions Of which would be but slightly
affected by the notifications suggested
smother recommendation as to which the
practice and experience Of Europe may be
studied with advantage. We sllude to the
mode ia which postmssiers are remuners-
ted for their services It will be seen that
it is everywhere regulated by fixed rates
in the shape of salary, and not left 10 be
ascertained by calculations based on the
number of letters received aud apparent
amount of service rendered. This latter
method involves the keeping of oumbrous
accounts for no other purpose than to as
certain what is TO be paid in any given
case, when in point Of fact the Department
can readily srrive at the approximate rate
of payment from the average revenues Of
the post office during a series Of years
Hence Mr.. Blair proposes in his revised
code to divide post Offices and the compen-
sstion of postmasters into five classes, and
to fix these classes according to the annual
average Of compensation to the postmast-
eTs during four years last past, with a
provision TO meet the cases where returna
may not have been received for each uar.
ter, and confning the average to q less Pc
riod when revenues are increasing. II is
not proposed in sny case to change the
present amount of psy. The first class
comprises all offices where the annual pay
has been between $1,000 and $1,000; sec
ond class, between $1,000 and $1,000 I;
third class, between $1,000 and $1,000;
/ fourth class between 500 and $1,000;
fifth, less than 500. Salaries thus ascer-
tanned by the annual average for four
years are to be fixed in even sums, but in
| r .-ss-- - -----~Sl tk4 auaraaa
The advantage NJ this change, whether re-
gard be had to the convenience OF he De-
partment or to the satisfaction OF post
masters, would seem to be apparent.
There are many other provisions of the
revised code which strike US as being
judicious, and We hope the suggestions Of
Mr.. Blair may receive at the hands Of
Congress the attention to which they are
entitled.
There is one point to which, in conclu-
sion, we would particularly advert We
allude to the recommendation which the
Postmaster Geueral has renewed in his
last annual report that postal money
order system be established to facilitate
the transmission of small sums of money
through the mails, which would not only
prove great convenience to civilians and
soldiers, but would almost entirely obiYate
the loss Of money letters, the great major
ity of which enclose small remittances. !
The present Congress has just shown it.
self properly mindful of the comfort Of our |
soldiers in the field by providing that a1ti.
cles of clothing comprised in a package |
not exceeding two pounds in weight ad-
dressed to any non commissioned officers /
or private serving in the armies of the
United States, may be transmitted in the
mails. By authoritizing "the postal
money order system" Congress would
eonduce to the increased comfort of our
soldiers, while placing at the same within
the reach of all facility for the safe re-
Of small sums. Il is a matter Of
surprise that this desirable reform has
been SO long postponed in the United
States.