The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-02
THE POSTAL REPORT.


Financial Operations
OF the department during the last fiscal year were
''The ordinary revenues OF this department for
the fiscal year ended June S0 1870, were 22O,
and the expenditures OF all kinds s23,99S,s37. For
the year ended June 30 1862 the ordinary revenues
were SIS 3445lo and the expenditures s23 69S 1871.
ss Ss 0 lOF OF
increase Of expenditures $780, 706 or 1872 per
% The In for the year
1870 over the year ls6s was t3479,6l9, or
is7o over 1865 was 81 2ss,244 or 557 per cent The
increase in revenue for 1870 as compared with 1859
1865 by sG24 and the increase in expenditures for
1STO compared with 1862 was less than the increase
for 1889, compared with 1858, by s6e6,s32
"lf in addition to the ordinary revenues, the de-
partnent be credited with S700,oOO appropriated for
free matter and the amounts drawn aud expended
for subsidies to steamship lines 1t will appear that
the deficiency provided out of the general treasury
for the year 1870 is 1l6, as against s597O9S7
for the year 1897
On the subject of
The Frankins Privilege
the report says:-
my letter dated February 26 1870 addressed to Hon.
Schuyler Cofax in reply to two resolutions of the
Senate asking for information, had the honor to
present my views at length concerning the franking
privilege. In both those communications l argued
against the longer continuance OF that evil and
earnestly recommended its immediate and absolute
repeal. My experience in the administration OF the
strengthened @ my my convictions and T has induced
me again TO call the attention of Congress to the
abuses which m the to be part
dens which it imposes upon the service L am
thoroughly satisfied that If the franking privilege
were repealed and all matter passing through the
mails charged with its fair share OF postage, the
department would In short time become self-sus-
tanning. This assertion, when made heretofore
was warmly denied, and nothing was left but a
resort to demonstration by figures. AS has been
already stated the deficiency for the last year has
been reduced to s2,s14,1 1l6. Accurate accounts OF
the cost OF free matter despatched through the
mails were ordered to be kept by all postnnasters
ending 30th OF June last and the returns which
and tabulated for submission to Congress
] regret that, owing to numerous accurate
Postmasters to make any report it has been impos-
sible with the limited number OF clerks employ ed in
this report. Enough is known, however, to enable
those who are most familiar with the work to
press the opinion that the actual returns viii show
the aggregate cost Of free matter for the year be
fully equal to the above mentioned deficiency. The
term during which accounts were Kept was confined
to the first half OF the year. when few elections
| held and when only small portion OF the public,
| documents are transmitted. Should the amount Of
| franked matter be accurately ascertaned during
Presidential canvass, and subjected to The postage
charged upon other like matter sent by private indi-
viduals, i am convinced that the average cost per
| apnum would be greatly enhanced.
| "My anxiety to make the Department self-sustan-
ing arises from strong desire to reduce, equa ize,
and make Uniform the rates of postage. During the
year 1870 the amount derived from the letter postage
and pamphlets was only 1884 382 and yet the weight
and bulk Of newspaper mails are at least nine or ten
times greater than those OF letter mai s. This shows
thaIwhle Newspapers charged mucn less than the
| cost OF their manipulation and transmission, let
tiers are charged much more, and that the postage
| on letters should in fairness be reduced
| soon the finances OF the department will permit
II letter postage could be reduced from three to two
cents, am sure that the increased correspondence
| thereby stimulated would in a few years compen-
safe for any temporary loss OF revenue, and that
| many mistakes and VeXatious delays would be
avoided by the uniform rate for all distances which
would thus be established. despair, however, OF
securing any further reduction OF letter postage as
| ranking
impose upon the department an rremediable def
'It is not intended to intimate that there should
be an increase OF postage on newspapers. on the
contrary 1t is the duty OF government, as part OF
elevation OF the people by carrying newspapers as
cheapy as possible; and hence am OF opinion that
the present rates are not too low. Nor do object
to the free transportation Of newspapers to regular
subscribers in the counties OF their publication. as
charge does not interfere with the speedy and regu-
lar transmission Of the mails They are
and always stop within the boundaries of their own
counties They are so evenly distributed over the
whole country that practically they cause no incou
venieEce, or injury, or delay. There is but one
change that deem desirable in the treatment OF
points outside the counties OF their publication.
would require the postage on printed matter, in al
cases, to be prepaid pr pa hy stamps Tne law aIIoSlng
the office of delivery is departure from the &C
jects the department TO heavy losses"
Foreign Mall service.
''The amount paid for the transportation OF the
mails to Great Britain and countries on the Cont
Rent OF Europe, was t322, ,29, the steamships EN-
poyed receiving the sea postage on the mails con
veyed as full compensation for the service.
"The cost OF the transatlantic mail sreamshiI
service during the three preceding fiscal years wa
For fiscal year ended June 80, 1867. 1851, 80
For fiscal year ended June 80, 1888 All ~
For fiscal year ended June 80, 1869 1885,
al respectfully renew the recommendations mate
in my last report for an Increase OF mail service
from monthly to semi-monthy trips on the mai
steamship route from San Francisco to Japan anC
China. Impressed with the great national import
ance OF maintaining this line OF American steam
ships and the necessity OF providing increased fac
ltes OF communication with those countries Il
order to retain and extend the commercial adVan
tages already gained by its establishment, felt
my duty to address special communication on tn
subject to the chairman of the Senate Committee o.
Post Offices and Post Roads, under date OF April 2l
1870 Senate Mis- Doc. NO. 1916, 4lst Congress, 2
SESSION., in which statements were presen ed, Oh
taned from Official sour ces, showing the owth q
our trade with Japan and China since this line wa
established, the amount OF CORE spOndenCe trans
, ported and the financial results or the enterprise
beg TO refer TO that communication for the speclr
considerations which render IL aXpedleut, IN m
Judgment 10 sustain this important national ente
} prise and 10 express the hope that Congress wi
| promptly pass the hill reported by the Senate Con
! mltee on P 81 q fiices and Post Roads at the la
ssssiJn, authorizing an increase OF the service
semmOnthly trips, under the same terms and COZ
= | dtions as thespTesent monthly service.
'The recommendations made in my report OF la
year relative TO the necessity OF some legislation
, encourage the re-establishment or American line
OF tran satlantc steamships for the transportation
e our mails to Europe are respectfully renewed
5 Appointments.
"The report OF the Appointment ofiee shows Il
1 | followIDg:-
: Number OF Post Onices established during the
year z, 81
NnRber discontinued d...............,........-. o
Q Number In operation on June sO 1869 ...... 2TO
Nnmoer In operation on June 30, 1870 rs 4