National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-05

Of the Auditor that, after payment Of all bal
anees due Switzerland on the exchange OF
money-orders during the year, q net profit Of
s2,S4o.09 accrued TO the United States, the
expenses proper exclusive Of the premlums
paid for gold funds to meet balances due
Switzerland, having amounted 10 only sS6.O0
OF which S2B.ll were commissions to post
masters, and s5775 incidental expenses. Tho
total cost OF premiums on payments OF gold
balances was 4G,Gb5.2O.
Additional articles TO tho postal convention
with Switzerland Of October H. 1867, for the
| exchange Of mOney-orders, were concluded
February %, 1877, by which the rates Of corp
| mission for the issue Of International ordds
are smplihcd. Formerly each postal admin
istratOn charged, In the first place, its ordi-
nary domestic rate for the Issue Of an inter
national order, and then deducted at Its dis
patching exchange Office, one per cent. from
the amount Of the order to meet the cost Of
exchange. Finally the exchange Office Of tho
paying country made a further deduction
from the order, as charge for payment,
equal TO the amount Of its ordinary domestic
fec: Al present a single fec only Ia charged,
which is paid by the remittcr, and each postal
department pays to the other one per cent. Of
the total amount Of orders which II issueF.
/ The rate Of the commissions for tho isRuc Of
orders In Switzerland Is fixed at two per
cent, gold value, and In this country at two
and one half per cent in currency. A copy
Il VI AllN NnuNtuIlbu MAKING lIleHN lnUullCNllUuA
accompanies this report.
On tho lat Of October 1871, the system for
the exchange OF money orders betwoon the
/ United Statos and the United Kingdom was
put into operation. From that date to tho
close Of tho fiscal year the amount of orders
Issued In this country for payment In the Uni
/ ted Kingdom was S7l7, 428. CS; and the amount
Of orders from that kingdom paid hero was
slS3 Sl0.SS. The feSs received amounted 10
s23, 1884, and the Bum paid for commissions
to pOstmasters, cloEk hire, and Incidental eN.
/ penscs, vas g,S32.S5.
In pursuance Of the provisions Of a postal
convention concluded at Berlin July ~, 1871,
chango OF postal money orders between the
United States and the German Empire was
commenced October 1, 1877.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES PRIVILEGE,
In my three previous reports | have ur.
gently recommended the Immediate and I'M.
conditional repeal Of the franking privilege
The experience Of the past year has strength.
ened my conviction that it, abolition Ia ALSO,
lutely necessary to an efficient, economical
and vigorous administration Of our postal sys
TEN.
by reference to special report made Il
Congress on the 18th Of January, 1871, II will
appear that the actual cost Of free matter, Il
charged with tho regular rates Of postage
was then S2, $40 327.T ~ annually. During The
late Presidential canvass, the quantity Of sucl
matter was largely increased, and / think Il
safe TO say that the free matter carried DURING
tho past year, II taxed at ordinary rates
would have yielded q revenue Of three and
half millions OF dollars, a sum larger than the
entire deficiency Of tho year. In addition L
tho heavy loss Of revenue thus indicated
great Inconvenience was experienced from
arrangements and delays In the regular nnt
prompt transmission Of the mails caused b,
the Immense amount Of free matter throw
suddenly, and without notice or system, upOr
the postal routes Of the country. The delay
and irregularities wholly chargeabe to thi
cause have been the subject Of many com
plants during the past year. Al the last SOS
sion Of Congress, q bill passed the House o
Representatives, by vote Of 1879 to 90 To-
tho unconditional repeal Of the franklnl
privilege, hut reached the Senate too late FOL
action before the adjournment. II II b.
deemed desirable to reduce the public eNpendi
lures by removing the constantly increasing
burden imposed upon the Treasury by tn
franking privilege, aud II II be considered
wise measure Of administration to make tn
postal service as nearly as practicable self
supporting, thus preparing the way for tn
reduction Of existing rates OF postage, Anl
for the Introduction OF other nocdful reforms
know Of no measure more entitled to favor
able action than the aforementioned Hous
bill now pending In the Senate. therefor
feel that | cannot too strongly urge its pas
sage Immediately after tho rcasscmbling q
Congress.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
= In compliance with the provisions Of la'
requiring the Postmaster General annually I
fix the rates for official telegrapnlc dizpatchC
Issued an order, dated the Goth OF Junt
7 1879, one section Of which retained the prt
viOusly-establlshed rate for ordinary tell
: grams, viz, one cent per word for each di
: lance Of two hundred and fifty miles, or fra
n -
ton had been made by the telegraph con
panles.
The rates established IN 1871 for signal se
Vice messages having been objected to as &c
$ low by the Western Union Telegraph COmpan
: by whom the greater part OF the service wi
c performed, again ayRiled myself OF the el
| perienced counsel and assistance Of Brigade
' General Albert j. Myer, chief signal office
and Hon. William Whiting specially retainG
as Assistant Attorney General, with authOri
I to represent the United States In the negoti
|; tons with the telegraph companies.
u The Western Union Company cOntonde
+ arst, that the signal service messages, whic
, 10 DO effective, require simultaneous tran
= mission through special circuits at certA
times, were not covered by tho second sectlt
! Of tho act approved July ~, 1894, entitll
, IAN act TO aid In the construction Of tslegral
D lines, and to secure to the Government the II
o OF the same for postal, military and 9th
l
= Arrangement. second. that the understandI
nnder which tho eompany had bcen trnI
= mitt,nE such reports was NOT Intended 10
10 continuous bnt was terminabIe al Inc ple,
ure Of the company AT the end OF a wear frr
n Inc 24th Of Nav. 1871. when The GONNA
II gave formal notice that Il would dIscontIn
., The service unless a higher rate should
II allowed therefor.
,r On both Of these points took the opposl
ground, maintaining the right of the Cover
n inent 10 require the trSnsmIssIon OF /
x weather REPORTS under the act Of 1874 a
D. also asserting the permanent Character Of 1
assent of he company 10 dis eOnstructIon
rs the law. In view however. Of the repres,
s. tatIons Of the company as 10 the Insuiflclen
I'd Of the compensation previously allowed, a
N acting on the recommendations OF Gene
o. Myer and Mr.. Whiting, advanced the Ta
C. for signal service messages from two TO thu
re cents per word for each circuit over viii
OF they might pass, In accordance with the pll
% Of the chief slgnal officer.
IN Grave difficulties have arisen from time
NC time between the Government and certain
90 the telegraph companies, which have deelin
az and still decline 10 furnish such facilities
a. are deemed essential to the perfect success
VI the signal service.
OIL In my opinion, a Government telegraph
fords the only safeguard against the contii