Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-12-05

IiiiLiS Oil HhuO III lIC Va 49,
year was 9l,6S9; the number received
during the year was 1854; the number
disposed of was 39,97S; making a net
gain of 1864. The number of claims
now on file is 6O9,SO0. On the Both OF
June, 1872, there were on the rolls the
names of 95,405 invalid military PEN
sioners, 3,5lS widows, orphans, and de-
pendent relatives, making an aggregate
of 20S,923 army pensioners. At the
same time there were on the rolls the
names of 1,449 navy pensioners and
l ,730 widows, orphans and dependent
relatives, making the whole number OF
naval pensioners 3,179. There have
been received, since the passage Of the
act to provide pensions jor the war OF
1872, 1856 applications prior to June
80, 1872. Of these there were allowed
during the fiscal year 40, ,126 claims; A.
S45 were rejected during the year, leav-
ing II $50 claims pending at that date
The number of pensions of all classes
granted during the last fiscal year was
1888. During that period there were
dropped from the rolls, for various
causes, 9,14 names, leaving grand to-
tai of 49,, ,229 pensioners on the rolls on
the 30th OF June, 1872. 1t is thought
that the claims for pensions on account
of the war of 1872 will all be disposed
of by the first of May, 1873. 1t is es-
timated that $50, ,4sO, 600 will be required
for the pension service during the next
fiscal year.
The accompanying report of the Post
master General furnishes full and sat
isfactory, exhibit of the operations of
the Postoffice Department during the
year. The ordinary revenues of the
department for the fiscal year, ended
June 80, 1872, amounted to $21 ,S15, ,426,-
81, and the expenditures to $26, 1858 1872,
81. Compared with the previous fiscal
year, the increase of revenue was 81,
S7S, $3.50, ,95, or 937 per cent, and the in
crease of expenditures 81, 26S, ,09S,23, or
929 per cent. Adding to the ordinary
revenues the annual appreciation of
100000 for free matter and the amount
paid to the subsidized mail steamship
lines from special appropriations, the
deficiency paid out of the general treas
ury was s3,3l7, 1854, an excess of
$389, ,7O7, 30 over the deficiency for the
year 1871. Other interesting informa-
ton relating to our rapidly extending
postal service is furnished in this re-
port. The total length of railroad mail
routes on the Both of June, 1872, was
57,9l1 miles, S,077 additional milos OF
such service having been put into opera
ton during the year. Eight new lines
of railway post routes have been estab-
lished with an aggregate length of q
900 miles. The number of letters eX-
changed in the mails with foreign coun-
tries was 24,S62 300, an increase of A.
066,6S2 or twenty per cent. over the
number in 1871, and the postage there
on amounted to S1,S71 ,257 ,25. The to-
tai weight of the mails exchanged with
European countries exceeded $40 tons.
The cost of the United States Trans.
Atlantic mail steamship service was
$220,301 20, The total cost of the Uni
ted States ocean steamship service, in
Guiding the amounts paid to the subsi-
died lines of mail steamers was $102,-
702,OS0. The following are the only
steamship lines now receiving subsidies
for mail service under special acts OF
Congress: The Pacific Mail Steamship
Company receive $500,000 per annum
for conveying Il monthly mail between
San Francisco, Japan and China. 1t will
be increased to one million per annum
for semi-monthly mail on and after
October l, 1873. The United States and
Brazil Mail Steamship Csmpany re-
ceive $3.50, 900 per annum for conveying
a monthly mail between New York and
Rio Janeiro, Brazil; and the California
Oregon and Mexico Steamship Com
pany receive SIS, 900 per annum for con-
veying a monthly mail between San
Francisco and Honolulu, Hawaiian Is
lands; making the total amount of mail
steamship subsidies at present $725 ,0OC
per annum. Our postal communications
with all parts of the civilized world
have been placed on most advantage
Gus footing by improved postal cOnven-
tions and arrangements recently con-
cluded with the leading commercial
countries of Europe and America, and
the gratifying statement is made that
with the conclusion of satisfactory
convention with France, the details OF
which have been definitely agreed to by
the head of the French postal depart
ment subject to the approval of the
Minister of Finance, little remains to
be accomplished by treaty for some time
to come with respect either to reduction
of rates or improved facilities of postal
intercourse. Your favorable consider
alton is respectfully invited to the rec
ommendation made by the Postmaster
General for an increase of the service
from monthly to semi-mOnthly trips on
the mail steamship Irsute to Brazil; for
subsidy in aid of the establishment of
an American line of mail steamers be-
Australia; for the establishment Of a
posioffice savings bank, and for the in
crease of the salaries Of the heads of
bureaus. l have heretofore recommen-
ded the abolition of the franking priv
ilege, and see no reason now for chang
ing my views on that subject. 1t not
having been favorably regarded by
Congress, however, 1 now suggest a
modification of that privilege, to cor
rect its glaring and costly abuses.
would recommend, also, the appoint
ment of committee or commission, to
take into consideration the best method,
equitable to private corporations, who
have invested their time and capital in
the establishment of the telegraph lines,
of acquiring the title to all telegraph
lines now in operation, and of cOnnec-
ting this service with the postal service
of the nation. 1t is not probable that
this subject could receive the proper
consideration during the limits of a short
session of Congress, but it may be ini-
tiated, so that future action may be fair
to the government and to private par
ties concerned. There are but three
lines of ocean steamers, namely, the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, be-
tween San Francisco, China and Japan,
with provision made for semi-monthly
service after October l, 1873; the United
States and Brazil line, monthly, and the
California, New Zealand and Australi-
an line, monthly, plying between the
United States and foreign ports, and
owned and operated under our flag. l
earnestly recommend that such liberal
contracts for carrying the mails to be
authorized with these lines as will in
sure their continuance, if the eXpedi-
ency of extending the aid of govern
ment to lines of steamers which hither-
to have not received it should it be DEEM
ed worthy of the consideration of Con
gress, and political and commercial OBJ
jects make it advisable to bestow such
aid on line under our flag between
Panama and the western South Ameri-
can ports. By this means, much trade
is now diverted to other countries might
be brought to us, to the mutual advan-
tage of this country and those lying in
that quarter of the continent of Ameri-
ca.
The attention of Congress will be
called, during the present session, to
various enterprises for the mere certain
and cheaper transportation of the con-
stantly increasing surplus of the west
ern and southwestern products to the
Atlantic seaboard. The subject is one
that will force itself OH the legislative
branch of the government sooner or la
ter, and l suggest, therefore, that I'M
m adiota stems he tn ken tO Uain all avail