Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-06
sl1,59i 70
Sl8,5S4.37

Excess of expenditures OF 81
This deficiency has been provided for by the ap
preparation OF $1,000 Of May last leaving unexpen-
ded S252 o. applicable to any deficiency Of the
rent year. and as the proceeds Of the system will
hardly equal the expenditures until ii is gener
ally established 1t IL recommended that any balance
remaining at the close OF the present may be applied
Ing ne maximum amount OF money orders Is S3o.
which may be JUdlciogsiy Increased TO $50 and the
RESTRICTION to sums not less than one dollar removed,
retaining the present minimum fee.
hder the law the owner of lost certificate to OBJ
tam duplicate, must furnish statement. under
oath OF animation, of its loss destruction and pro-
cure from the postmaster by whom it was payable
certificate that the order has not and will not be paid
these requirements work hardship to the party in
that they compel him to pay the customary fee to the
officer admins STEERING the OATH the cost of revenue
STAMP atIXed to- that oath, and the payment of a
second fee for the duplicate order The loss of orders
is seldom chargeGble to any neglect of the owners
and posmasters should be authorized to administer
oaths in cases Of loss and issue duplicate orders with
out charge.
The law would be further improved by extending
the time within which the order may be paid to siI
months, the period now allowed, of ninety days be
ing too limited for the necessary correspondence be-
tween distant points.
Losses have occurred to the amount Of Si5 by rea-
son OF the carelessness Of rcmters, the burning of
steamers, ana other causes, not chargeable to the
system.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Balances were due from Southern pOStmasters ar
tne outbreak OF the rebellion amounting to S36y,
0Z7.s, few Of which have been paid Means being
employed through courts and other agencies to col
lcGt the amounts due to the Government.
The closing of the war brought with the necessity
o. restoring the postal service i'll tho Southern STATES.
States all the facilities which they were in condition
10 accept Special agents appointed to assist in
the work of restoration. The provisional governors
were notified of the readiness of the Department to
appoint pOstmast-rs upon their recommendation
They also advised of its desire to nut the mai3
on all the railroads within their respective States as
soon as informed by them that the roads ready
to carry them, and the cOmpan es proper parties to
iutruSt with their transportation All applications
for carrying the mails land and water routes have
been considered and the service ordered at such rates
of compensation as could be agreed upon.
Among the many remarkable facts Illustrating the
progress of the people of the loyal States during the
rebellion, III almost every department of material
Development and social advancement, having no pre-
ccdCnt IN history, and contoundug the predictions of
all having little faith in the vitality of free insttu-
tlons and the resources OF free people, that of the
increase Of postal correspondence as shown by the
postal revenues, is not the least interesting and sug-
geStlve. The maximum annual receipts of this de-
partment previous to the rebellion from all the
States was SS,5lS 06I 40, which was exceeded in the
from the loyal States alone
The revenues during the past four years amounted
to $40 S229I an average OF 9ll ola ,55.4 per
mum. compared with the receipts Of the four YEAR,
immediately prec ydlng which amounted 70 ;2..is12
9iO'3, the annual average increase of revenue was
3.533. 5i5.J which has not resulted from any con-
tlcrablc additions the service the ratio Of rGccpts
to expenditures having been larger than, with few
exceptions at any previous period. A proper regard
10 economy IN administration, aided BY larger
ibutions from all the States of the Union will epa
bio the department to increase its usefulness from
to III all OF its legitimate functions. But it
must not be overlooked that the ability fully per
form lis mission the postal agent of the govern
men is grcatiy impaired by the burdens imposed by
tho ranking privilege. and expensive service upon
routes established for other than postal purposes tho
receipts from which largely UnremuncratiVe.-
However much the establishment of these routes is
10 be commended for national objects, in which re
gard they command the approval OF the country il is
not possible to see upon what principle they
wholly chargeablc TO the postal fund which belongs
to those by whom il has been contributed, and is
pledged to meet the wants Of the postal service.