The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-02


dolar or more, amounting to Sa2.8Td 81. Oh
this amount ST, JIG % was delivered to the |
writers or persons addressed. 22,944 letters |
contained money in sums of less than one
dollar, amounting to $5793 60, of which ST.
05S 70 was delivered to the writers or persons
addressed. 1860 letters contained checks,
drafts, deeds, &C., to the nominal value OF
S3,O75, PA 80, of which 81, $685. 400 OF was re-
stored. 3126S4 letters were detained for
postage not prepaid. 6s,123 letters were mis-
directed. 30l6 had no address whatever
Three hundred and eighty-two new money
order offices were created August l. Inc
whole number now open is 2016. Inc num-
Der of domestic money orders issued was
1871 ,253, OF the aggregate value or So4,oo4,-
1874 IL, an increase Of S9,206,l25 Is. The
amount of fees was 1926, 235 so, an increase
of $59044 co. The average amount Of each
order was $40 81. The profit of the money
order business was 500, ia 63.
Mr. Cresswell renews the suggestion made
last year, that the law relating to the money
order system be so far modified as to permit
the postmaster of any city which the post
master may designate to issue and pay money
orders at the stations or sub-ofices, in the
same manner as at the main Office.
The international money order system, for
the exchange OF postal orders between the
United States and Switzerland, is referred TO
Post-office dep rtment of 1892 40. NeSotla-
lions are now in progress for an information
| al exchange OF postal orders between the
| United States and Great Britain.
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE AND IT'S INFLU-
ENCE ON CHEAP POSTAGE
The following are recommendations in full
relative to the tranking privilege
Ny experience in the administration of the
Post Office department has strengthened my
previously expressed conviction of great
abuses which have grown to be part of the
franking system. 1 am thoroughly satisfied
that if the tranking privilege were repealed the
department IN short time would become self
sustaining. This assertion has heretofore been
warmly denieC. The deficiency for the past
year has been reduced to 50, S14, 116 9S. Accu-
rate accounts of the cost of free matter de
spatched through the mails were ordered to be
sent by all postmasters for six months, begin
ming January 1 and ending June 80, last, and
the returns are now being received. Enough
is now known to enable the opinion to be ex-
expressed that the actual returns will show
the actual cost of free matter for the year to be
fully equal to all Deficiencies. The term dur
| ing which accounts were kept was confined to
| the first halt of the year, when few elections
were held, and when only small portion OF
public documents are transmitted. Should
the amount of franked matter be actually as
| certaned during the presidential canvass, and
| subjected to the same postage as like matter
| sent by private individuals, am convinced the
| average cost per annum would be greatly en-
| hancec. My anxiety to make the department
self sustaining ar ses from a strong desire to re-
duce aud to make uniform rates of postage
During 1870 the amount derived from letter
| postage was S16,771 ,928 20. and from newspa-
pels and pamphlets only 1884 1872 SO, and yet
| the weights and bulk of newspaper mails are
| at least ten times greater than those of letter
mails. This shows that while newspapers are
| charged much less than the cost of their trans
| mission, letters are charged much more, and
that in fairness letters should be reduced in
| postage as soon as the finances of the depart
| ment will permit. If letter postage could be
| reduced from three to two cents, am sure
| that the increased correspondence thereby
| stimulated would, in a few years, compensate
tor 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. But I de-
| spair OF securing any further reduction letter
postage as long as the ranking privilege shall
be imposed upon this department. 1t is not
intended to intimate that there should be any
increase OF postage on newspapers. On the
contrary, it is the duty of government to aid in
)-e elevation and education of the people by
carrying newspapers as cheaply as possible,
and hence l am OF opinion that the present
rates are not too low. Nor do object to free
transportation of newspapers to regular sub
scribers in cOunties of their publication, as
now authorized by law. Their conveyance
without charge does not interfere with the
speedy and regular transmission OF the mails
There is but one change that deem advisable
IN the treatment of newspapers, and that ap-
plies only to those sent to points outside of the
county where published. I would require the
postage on printed matter, in all cases. to be
preoaid by stamps. The law allowing postage
20 be paid in money by subscribers at the office
ofdelivery is departure from the accepted
heory of post office management, and only
subjects the department to heavy losses.
The Postmaster General earnestly recon-
mends the adoption, early in session of Con-
gress, of the bill introduced by Mr.. Farms
worth to revise, consolidate and amend the
statutes relating to the Post Office depart
ment. The new postage regulations and the
accumulation of copper and nickel coins in
post office receive some attention in the re-
port. He respectfully recommends the estab-
iishment OF the postal card system, OF which
so much has been said, and advocated it by
the usual arguments. He advises that the
rate be fixed at one cent, including the cost of
the card as first step toward general re-
duction of letter postage.