Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-12-12
POSI- oFFICE DEPARTMENT.


gnying the year. The ordinary revenues of the
InaArsr,ment fer the fscal year ending June
5o6 1872. amounted to S2l ,9l5, 1851, and
H. expenditures S26, 65S, 1921. Compared
ritb The previous fiscal year, the increase OF
revrpue was 1857 s3s, 095, or 9S7 per cent. and
he increase OF expenditures S226, sos, S23, or
i q 10 Der cent. Adding to the ordinary revenues
The annual appropriation of 500, 900 for free
rNattsr. and the amounts paid to theisubsl-
dies on mail steamships lines from
sDecial appropriations, the deficiency
naid ont Of the general treasury was $751;
L ia 595. an excess Of S3S, 970,72S over the de-
f,-encv for the wear 1871. Other interesting
statistical information relating to our rapidly
svtanding postal service Is furnished in this
mort. The total length of railroad mail
rentes on the 30ih of June, 1872, was 81 81
miIe., s,077 additional miles of such service
having been put INTO operation during the
rea, Eight new lines of railway postcffces
have been established, with an aggregate
isngtb of 2 500 miles. The number of letters
| ovchanped in the mails with foreign countries
| vas a 1852 500 an increase OF i,O66,502 or
twenty per cent over the number IN 1871 and
the postage thereon amounts to slS7, l25, 10.
The total weight OF the mails exchanged
uitb Eurouean countries exceeded 923 tons.
| The cost Of the United States transatlantic
| nail steamship service was s22 $50, 10 The
/ total cost Of the United States ocean steamship
| service. including the amounts paid to the
subsidized lines OF mail steamers. was S1O2,-
702097.
| powreceivng subsidies for mail service under
special acts Of Congress. The Pacific Mall
steamship Company receive $500, 900 per an
| pUm for carrying Il monthly mail between San
Francisco Japan and CHINA, which
viii be increased to $1,000. 900 per
annum, and a semi-monthly mail on and
sitter October LIST; the United States and
Brazil mail steamship company receive 49,
| NpO per annum for carrying monthly mail
between Now York and Rio de Jauero, Brazil;
and the California, Oregon and Mexico
steamship company receive s75,0O0 per
apuum fer carrying monthly mail
between San Francisco and Homo
| lulu. Hawaiian Islands. Making the total
amount q mail steamship subsidies at pres
| fnt $725, 600 per annum. Our postal commu-
| uicatous with all parts Of the civilized world
| have been placed upon most advantageous
| footing by the improved postal conventions
| and arrangements recently concluded
with the leading commercial countries OF
Europe and America, and the gratifying state
mout is made that with the conclusion of q sat
lsfactory convention with France, the details
Of which have been definitely agreed upon by
the head OF the French Postal Department
subject to the approval Of the Minister OF FL
nance, little remains to be accomplished by
treaty for some time 10 come in respect there
TO reduction of rates on improved facilities
Of postal intercourse.
Your favorable consideration is respectfully
invited to The recommendations made by the
| Postmaster General for an increase of service
| from monthly to semi-m onthly trips on the
mail steamship ronte TO Brazil for a subsidy in
vow of the establishment of au American line
. of mail steamers between San Francisco New
| Zealand and Australia; for the establishment
| Of pOstoifIce savings banks, and for the in
crease of the salaries Of the heads of bureaus.
THE FRAMING PRIVILEGE,
nave heretofore recommended the aboli-
non ofthe ranking privilege, and see no rea-
SON now for changing my views on that sub
ect. 1t not having been fayorably regarded
by Congress, however, | now suggest mod =
ication Of that privilege, to correct its Slarins
and costly abuses.
THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
| recommend also, the appointment of a
committee or commission to take into con-
sideration the best method equitable to prl-
yate corporations who have invested their
time and capital in the establishment OF tcle-
graph lines. Of acquiring the title to all the
telegraph lines now in operation, and of con-
Meeting this service with the postal service OF
the nation. II is not probable that this sub
jact could receive the proper consideration
daring the limits Of short session of Con
grcss, but il NAV be initiated, so that further
action may be fair to the government and TO
the private parties concerned.
THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICE.
There are but three lines of ocean steamers,
namely, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
between San Francisco, China and Japan,
with provision made for se,I.i-nlonthlv service
after October ST, 1878 the United States and
Brazil line. monthly. and the California, New
Zealand and Australian line, monthly, plying
between the United States and foreign ports.
and owned and operated under our flag. l
i earnestly recommend that such liberal con-
fpT mails
with these Ines as will insure their con-
lnnance, If the eXpediency OF extending the
l.G of the Government to the lines of steamers
which hitherto have not received 1t should be
i.rmed worthy of the consideration OF Con-
gTnss. Political and commercial objects
make il advisable TO bestow such aid on line
under our flag between Panama and Western
and South American ports. By these means
much trade now diverted toother countries,
might be brought = us, to the mutual advan-
@-e Of this uutry and those lying IN that
.Q1rter OF the Continent OF America.
OUR OCEAN COMMERCE.
1 The report of the Secretary q the Treasury
shows an'alarmins falling off in the carrying
trade for the last ten or twelve years,
anI even for the past year. | do not
II believe that the lublic treasure can be better
1 A'ended IN the interest of the whole people
IMAM IN trying 10 recover this trade. An c1-
Fendlture olive million dollars per annum for
l lAc next five years il it would restore to
Is our proportion of the carving
l trade Of the world, would be proftaby cx,
l pended. The price of labor in europe ha. so
l much enhanced within the last few years that
ne cost of building aud operating ocean
l Gamers III the United States is not so much
cater than in Europe, and | believe the
NE has arrived for Congress to AXE this sub
.ei INTO serious consideration.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
l Detailed statements of the disbursements
ough the Depal tment Of Justice viii be
FINISHED hr the report of the Attorney Gen
rat, and though these have been somewhat
creased by the recent acts of Congress to
a.orcc the right, Of citizens Of the United
>atrs 70 vote ~ the several states OF the