The Montana post., 1869-01-08
Postmaster GeneraI,. Report.

After giving an Interesting exhibit of
the postal system, Postmaster General
Randall concludes his report as follows:
"The increase of the expenses OF the
postal service, based as il is upon pubs
lie necessity and public demand, instead
OF being cause of encouragement, is a
subject of cUngratulatlon. The resto-
ration of SD large a part of the postal
service suspended during the war, and
the new service created by Congress
since the close of the war, equal 10 one
third of the amount OF service in opera
ton at that time, have produced less
deficiency than existed in time of peace
and prosperity previous TO 1860. The
proportion Of deficiency to- revenue Is
far less now than then. Notwithstanding
the service is very much greater than
ever before. In 1859 the sum of the de.
ticiency was only 81 100000 less than
the entire revenue; in 1860 the sum OF
the deficiency WAS about S3.j00.000 less
than the entire revenue; tor the year
1868 the deficiency is Sl0,000.000 less
than the entire revenue.
The majority of the Southern States
have never paid their own expenses for
postal service. They will not do so for
long time TO come. With the excep-
tion of Iowa and Missouri, none of the
States or Territories west of the Missis-
sippi river have ever paid a revenue
equal To their postal expenses. The
cost Ot the transportation of mails in
all new States and Territories, and all
sparsely populated portions of the coun-
try, never has been paid by those States
or Territories out of their own revenues.
Ii is only as population and business in
crease, and the country is developed,
that the postal service can be self-sus~
tanning The idea that the Department
can be self-sustaining in the present
condition of the country is absurd. IL
cannot be, and ought not to be, for fifty
years TO come. The revenues will
largely increase, and so will expendi-
lures. Ten years hence | estimate the
expenses of the Postoffice Department
at $43. .000, 900, and the revenues at S3O,-
100000. This increase must go on as
long as the country continues to
prosper, and mineral. agricultural
and commercial business increases. The
mines are not yet all developed, the
lands are not all cultivated. the rivers
are not all navigated, the railroads are
not all built, the sea has not given us
all we have right to expect. Our
country is not finished Until il is fin.
ished he is not wise nor a sagacious
man who assumes that the postal SER
vice will pay for itself
The Postoffice Department can be
made self sustaining in one way. and
that Is by cutting off the postal service
in the States and Territories where the
receipts for postages are not equal to
the expenses. This would exclude all
but Iowa and Missouri west of the Mis-
sissippi, and all the States overborne by
the rebellion. Ii could further econO.
mise by Withdrawing all aid from the
China, Brazil and Sandwich Islands
steamship lines, thus saving S215, 900.
Ii could save $295, 900 by abolishing the
letter carrying system for the cities. Ii
could also economise to the extent of
over 100000 by overturning the system
of postal cars. Ii is true that, in the
public estimation. the letter carriers for
cities are thought to be almost indispen.
sable, but the system costs money and
brings small revenue. 1t is all disburse-
ment and no receipt.
What if from twelve to twenty-four
hours are saved in the transmission of
mails between Washington and Cincin-
natl, or st. Louis, or Chicago, and the
whole West and Northwest, by these
travelling postoffices, which put off and
receive mails while travelling at thirty
miles an nOur, ana Wnlcn receive mails,
make up mails and distribute mails as
they gohurrying along. 1t costs money.
and the government, like a miser, can
keep its money in it's chest. 1t gives
no return, and helps nobody, but is
safely boarded. a halting, timid, illib>
eral policy like this will save one mills
lion and lose twenty. Every dollar put
out by the government in subsidies to
aid commerce. in liberal appropriations
to open lines in travel and develop ma
terial resources in a great nation like
this, is money put out at exorbitant
usury, and will bring returns in the de-
velopment of material wealth, and in
making the nation great, and rich,
and strong, in everything of value and
interest to great people.