The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-06

has been for years in successful operation In the
largo cities or other countries 900 thore anpoavs 70
be no valid reason against Its intyVduction here.
Detailed regulations for the execution Of the con.
pos.s orders S between the United states and Swt
zerand were finally agreed upon ana sgnou -
Washington July 1862 BY tho Postmaster Genera;'
under the authority given bJ the act OF july ~.
1858, and 1t bernc on the 26tn OF july loos W sn9
chief of the federal post department oil SWitzerano
This hrst attempt to establish an lnternasiohel
money order system by this department was put
into operation, Oy mutual agreement on the ist Q!
September. 1859, and. Notwithstanding frequent anu
considerable nuctualioas In the value Of currency.
IL has been conducted without diinculty, ana mus
lar has worked satisfactorily IN all It's details. LUG
number OF offices 0t present authorized to ISSUE
orders for sums to be remitted to Switzerland. ana
TO pay orders for sums RENTED from tnat country
Is $50. The amount OF orders RENTED from TINS
country to Switzerland from the LIST OF september 10
the 10th or OCTOBER was So oi0 gold value. equiva-
lent to $35l5 in currency at tho time OF trans
mission; and the amount Of orders sent during me
time to the United STATES was 49, 1911 In gold.
or "a 200 IN currency. copy of the convention.
with tho detailed regulations, and OF the lnstrno
lions relative to the International system" issued to
postmasters by tins department. Will be found IN
the appendix.
MISCELLANEOUS.
When | accepted at your hands the position Of
Postmaster Gene al pfopUunded 10 myself two
questuns-How eau the postal service OF the coun-
Try nc made most ellcien6! anu, now can IL DO re-
against itf Knowing II 70 Do your desire tina the
department. should be restored TO 30 fsustaining
condition as rapidly as faithful discharge Of its
duties would permit l have diligently sought tue
true answers to the above questions As lar AZ Isy
Ia my power. during my short administration.
have reduced the expenditures anu increased the
revenues OF the department; but. Notwithstanding
my Efforts, found myself. Ut the end OF the fiscal
year. confronted with deiclt OF 10. jo2) Though
thD amount Is less than tue denct provided FOR ~
appropriations 1t is yet large enough 20 stimulate
me co inquire carefully into the causes OF such
The principal causes operating to prevent the de-
partnent from becoming selsustalning are three
tU-wit:-
Frst-Tne depreciation OF the paper currency.
Sec0ad-unpald p0srages ON prinled matter.
ThfrU-rhe ranking privilege.
The first OF these ~ temporary, and will In q SHORE
time. II Is hoped, cease to operate. While con-
tlnues however, 1t greatly Affects the proportion be-
tween tue receipts aud expenditures OF tine depart
menL Inc truth Of this will be admitted when 1t 10
stated that the hostages are liked BY law
aud remain the same nomlnally. no matter
what may DO the nuctuauons IN the value
OF the currency: while. on the other nand. sl
rar ~ az uoss
renoy Is Deprecated the postages are reduced IN
enecS by tue exact amount Of the depreciation, SO
that when gold u quoted at 1885, the single rate Of
letter postage s no longer three cents but IN reality,
only two aud Q quarter cents.
Again, the department. u defrauded out OF large
amount OF postage on newspapers by parries who.
known 0nices OF publication to regular 0nd BONA Ed6
subscribers are. IN TACT loading the mails with 'Spe-
In the iorln newspapers. Tine act OF March !.
1905, and the regulations made In pursuance
tnereoi require tnas all such matter, u sworn
through the mailing ONCE. snail O0 sent to the
oiiice OF delivery aud that tue posrages whether
charged at newspaper rates or at lester rates ~
way vi n3 Tor fraud, shall De collected by she Once
OF delivery. II not pad for and delivered 1t often
happens that no otner disposition OF this matter
can be made than to return Is to the mailing ONCE
for the prosecution OF the offender The double
transit thus encouraged Is hequently ATTENDED with
no result, except that the matter Is lefs In the
Office and ultimately sold Tor waste paper. For
this mischief there Ii but one adequate remedy. and
that Is to require prepayment on all printed
A
the publishers Of newspapers would require that
postage on newspapers Should he charged according
TO the weight vi packages. 10 accomplish thH
reform Considerable reduction on present rates
might be conceded Or the department. 10 MAKE
necessary. furthermore, to confer ample power on
pOstmasLers ut mailing offices to open aud Inspect
suspected PACKAGES OF newspapers ana to Impose
upon then II found to be viliated by fraud iul
letter postage. to DO PAID invariably IN advance
1ns SUMMARY proceeding should not relieve the
meat by the imposition Of the nne already provided
by law.
Tho foregoing arc evils which doubtless ought to
DO corrected. 1t s possible, however, Tor the de-
par 70 endure them and yet retain fair degree
OF efficiency. But the Remaining cause OF complaint
department. Is 70 be saved from utter Generalization.
The ranking privilege has grown TO be an abuse SO
monstr0ls mat 1t now threatens the very LIE Of the
service
! now approach the discussion Of tho franking
me first objection that presents itself Is that 1t Il
specl-l privilege granted TO favored Class at The
expense OF the many: 10 TINS 4 - no sufficient
interest oil government. II the views already pro
scented are correct, government has no right TO
appropriate TO itse III part or IN whole the benefits
o. q trust the ADMINISTRATION Of which has been con.
United to It for The advantage or others; and TO
show that | am not singular In th3 opiuiOn IL 4trO-
duce tno following fro n the admirable report
dated December 3 1859, Of my distinguished prede-
ccssor, Hol. Joseph u0is:-
There no more reason why this Post once Department.
veyane OF gstaousy for the
Companies OF the country should transport It's troops man
ions OF war and stores without compensation. What shall
documents forwarded on behalf OF the govsrnmen s
whose so utica belongs sSoasvsiy 60 oonsrss ana WHOM
Is not my purpose a. psaen, 70 c.ca's ae.ro 70 maintain
and printed great small il be despatched il
agents accredited purpose should Be charged siss
Inc RANKING privilege a. accorded to various ocss o. the
hi ana
s%y. essentially Political afV fundamentally tally
congruou. Tor Il to demand remuneration for II. ser
AMI h =. S.a h' ana
Sr ,s status Beyond s political .a:hory s...s.
the relation. Of the to are precisely
nsed IN the -, 70. acts
made for the support department. IL own rsva
H. ia it, terms spsciao Compensation for the srsnsnis.oa
Of the correspondence and documents connected with
administration OF the goverDmsnt.
At this point IL may be asked IL It not better for
the department that governments should make good
oil DEFICIENCIES, rather than simply pay Its own post
agesf To TINS question the answer should he an
emphatic negative 1t Is not better that government
should continue 70 bllndiy pay all DEFICIENCIES. No
policy could DO more unwsc, both Tor itself aud the
department. IL Is unjust TO government because IL
thereby assumes to pay hostages not only on Its Own
its name and under OF the counterfeit franks Of
Its officials be fOsted into the mails thus doubling the
necessary expenditure. IL unjust to the depart
ment because IN so dealing with government
does not respond to Its call aS to the claim or q
creditor who mas rendered important services and
VINO, In consideration thereof, IN entitled to demand
Just compensation, but rather as 70 an imbecs Rt
It's gates appealing In his helpessness for charity