The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-05

one very important matter we would suggest
to the Secretary: let him hurry up the pub
LEGATION Of the census reports.
The Postmaster GeseraI's Rcport-Pessai
Telearaphs and Savings Banks.
The report of the Postmaster General does
not present very gratifying exhibit Of the
financial affairs Of the department.. With an
increased revenue for the past year we have
also an increased expenditure nearly equal in
amount, and total deficit In the ordinary
revenues Of $4,35O, OOO This arises in q
great measure from the opening of new routes
and the increase in annual transportation, all
of which are necessary in young and rapidly
growing republic, where new communities are
constantly carrying life into the wilderness,
aud where education and its require
ments keep pace with the progress Of
the country and the prosperity Of the people.
The extension Of mail facilities throughout
even the most sparsely populated districts is
an imperative duty imposed upon the national
administration, and no mere question Of dol
lars should be permitted to interfere for an
instant with the bestowal Of the benefits and
blessings of a thoroughly efficient mail service
upon those most deserving members of the
community, the pioneers of civilization. The
reore anization of the Southern postal routes,
thrown into such disorder by the war, has also
continued to be drain upon the resources of
the department during the last year. The
hope is expressed, both in the report and in
the Presidents message. that the day is not
far distant when the postal service may become
self-supporting but this is far less impor-
tant consideration than its present Improvement
and extension. There is 70 doubt ample room
for reforms in our present system, and they
should be undertaken in broad spirit of
intelligence aud liberality without reference to
cost, except in the exercise of wise economy
and the enforcement of honesty in all branches
of the department The readjustment of tho
rates Of compensation for the transportation Of
mails on railroad routes is absolutely necessary
to insure rapid transmission, and it is a dis
grace to the nation that we should depend
upon foreign countries for the bulk Of our
ocean mail service. These great points should
no longer be evaded by Congress, and the
Post Office Department should be brought up
to the standard demanded by the splendid
prospect opening before us as the centre Of the
commerce Of the world.
The Postmaster General recommends the
immediate assumption of the telegraphic
business Of the country by bis department,
and deprecates further delay in this great
national undertaking as injurious to the public
interests. He also advocates the adoption Of
the system of Post Office savings banks now
in successful operation in Great Britain. On
both these points the suggestions Of the Post
master General are endorsed by the President,
who especially recommends to Congress
favorable consideration of the plan for uniting
the telegraph and postal systems of the
Unit States. Government telegraphs are
no longer an experiment. Wherever they
have been adopted in Europe they have
rapidly become self-supporting, while in
majority Of instances they have yielded
good surplus revenue. As the universal
principle of the government system has been
in the extension Of telesraphc accommodation
and to decrease the rates to the lowest paying
point, il is evident that as years pass on these
institutions must become more aud more pro-
ftable with the completion of lines and the
increase of population and of business. When
the government system was confined to few
OF the smaller nations Of the European Cont
nent the argument Of the private telegraph
corporations was that it might succeed in such
countries, but would fail on more extended
scale. The great success Of the English
postal telegraph, however, destroys that
plea, and it has been found that the larger the
area covered by population the more valua-
BILE to the people becomes the government
system. A few facts alone are sufficient TO show
how greatly our own citizens would be bene-
flied by the low and uniform rates prevailing
in Europe. Messages Of twenty words, exclu-
sve of the address OF the recipient, are sent
all distances in Great Britain for twenty -four
cents American money. Thus from London
to Inverness, a distance Of six hundred miles,
message is despatched at this low rate.
In France the tariff is only twenty cents,
American currency, for twenty words, in
GLIDING the address, and for this a message
can be sent from Calais to Nice, distance of
seven hundred and eighty miles. In Belgium
and Switzerland message Of twenty words
costs only ten cents for all distances. The
tariff from Calais to Madrid, seventeen hun
dred miles, on twenty word message, Is but
eighty cents, and the same number of words
can be sent from the extreme limits Of the
Prussian territory 10 the borders Of the Baltic
for thirty-sevcn cents, American money. Those
of our citizens who are in the habit Of using
the telegraph lines at home will be able to
Judge for themselves of the advantages Of the
government system over private monopoly,
so far as cheapncss Of rates is concerned.