Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-12-04
Excess of eNnenditnre
Sl.TTR.tGI

Excess of expenditure .......... SL778.t6J
For this deficiency no special appropriation
VIII be required The standing appropriations
Tor free matter, unexpended for several years
are deemed sufficient. The following Will.
however. be required from any money in the
treas ury not Otherwise appropriated, viz For
overland mail transportation between AtchI-
son and Folsom. and for marine mail trans
po1tation between New York and California
steamship service between San Francisco
japan. and China. for one year from July l.
1867; and steamship service between the
United States and BI aZil, for the same period
~, l,550.U00. Much statistical information l.
furnished In the report as 10 postage stamps
and stamped envelopes, allowances to post
masters robbed by armed forces, transporta.
tloh, mail service in late insurgent States, the
foreign mail service, dead letters, number OF
post offices, appointments, &c, &c: and infor-
nation given as TO the postal conventions con-
cluded or proposed with Italy, Great Britain.
room for to-day.
The postal money order system is treated OF
al some length, asd additional legislation is
recommended to make IL more useful In ref.
erence 10 increase OF salaries, the Secretary
says :-"The clerks and employees OF the p )st
Office Department have not been well paid for
the services they have performed. The salaries
OF clerks In the Post Ofce Department during
the four years OF war We're not increased
lille all the expenses of living were more
Than dor bled The salaries were fixed in times
OF peace and low prices. They were not raised
when war raised prices. Clerks were compelled
10 run in debt, and. In many cases, their fam
lilies Suffered from want. They worked faith.
fully and skillfutly and honestly in dlscharcipg
important duties Tor the Government. 1 SUBJ
NIT that they ought to hayessome reasonable
allowance for the past, and an Increase of
salary in the future.
Clerks in post Offices. letter carriers, and
route agents are not paid what they ought 10
be paid. Honest. industrious men are req u ired
Tor all these duties, and they ought TO be paid
n fair and living compensation for their labor
Their employment is uninterrupted, except by
sickness. The letter carriers claim pecu liar
consideration. They travel every day from
early IN the morning until laie al night, in heat
and cold and rain and snow, all through the
cities, distributing letters and papers without
compensation enough 10 pay house rent | feel
thar the government ought to pay all these
employees better. because they earn more and
because the government can afford TO pay
more. plead tie cause of all these en- ployees
earnestly ask permission and means 10 pay
the m better
The report conc udes as follows:-"The law
reg ulating the frankIng privilege ought in nv
opinion, 10 be amended. l do not think the
privilege should be abolished. l think il me-
cessIty for The different departments, as well
as Tor Congress. But great abuses have growI
up nrder il. To avoid frauds and a misuse OF
the privilege, / recommend such a change In
the law as 10 require the written signature of
the person exercising the privilege upon the
matter ranked; and 10 relieve the heads of
departments and bureaus OF great labor that
ranking clerk De authorized by law for each h
department OF the government, with the right
10 frank all matter pertaining 10 The depart
nent fer which be is appoin ted y"