Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-12-04
POSTAL AFFAIRS.

Synopsis of the Report of the Postmas-
ter-GeneraI-A Plan for the Prepay
ment of Newspaper Postage-The Pro-
posed Postal Savings Banks and TeIe-
graph.
The followingis synopsis of the annual re-
port of Postmaster-General Creswen:
The ordinary revenues of this Department
for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1873, were
$22, 906, ,741, and the expenditures of all kinds
$29, ,084, ,945. For the year ended June 30,
1872, the ordinary revenues were $2l, ,915, ,426,
and the expenditures $26, ,65S, 1872 In 1873
there was an increase of revenue over lS72 OF
81, ,081, ,313 or SO per cent, and an increase
of expenditures of 50, ,426, 1853, Oh. 81 per cent.
A comparison of 1873 with 1871 shows an in
crease in the revenues of 80, 959, 696, or 142
per cent and an Increase of expenditures of
stamps stamped envelopes, etc, issued over
the last fiscal year is 81, 329, 900. There has
been gain during the year on thcough-time
mails between New York and San Francisco OF
two days going westward, and one day going
eastward. Gains on the other great through
lines have been proportionate. The number
of railway postofice lines in operation Is
ffty-nine, extending over 15, 600 miles of road
With this report ends the first decade of the
free delivery service in this country. The
grounds relied upon for it's establishment and
extension, namely, public convenience and
stimulus to correspondence, have been tully
verified by experience. Thus far this system,
with its letter boxes located at convenient
places throughout the large postal cities, and
its frequent deliveries and collections of mail
matter by carriers, has proved to be a virtual
extension of the postofice to every house.
The transaction of the postal business of large
communities by few men selected for the
purpose is justified in an economic point OF
view by time saved to the people, the reduc-
ton of labor in postofhces, the facilities and
the stimulus given to correspondence, and the
frequency, promptness, and accuracy secured
in the delivery of letters, and the reduction of
the number of advertised and dead letters.
While these benefits most strikingly seen
in the larger cities, they are felt and approved
in all places where frequency OF the mails,
density of population, and distance from the
Office make it inconyenient for citizens to call
send for their mail, The average of
population to each carrier varies with the
number of people to be served, the extent
of territory, and frequency of deliv-
cries. The general average, however, is estl-
mated at $500. The expense of the system at
each Office is paid out of the revenue of that
Office It seems but fair, therefore, that this
mode of delivery should be extended to all
cities where the population, business, extent
of territory, and frequency OF mails may au-
thorize the requisite force and outlay. Just
how these elements may combine to warrant
the extension of the system it is difficult to de-
ternine, but am of the opinion that 1t might
advantageously be provided for cities having
in their corporate limits population of not
less than 10000.
The total number of officers and employees
of the department is Al, 900, of whom 81, 1868
are postmasters-
Money order transactions snow an ucreASe
of over $4,000, 600, or an increase of 18- -55 per
cent. More than 100, ,OOO 900 of postal cards
will be issued during the first year:
The several acts for the repeal of the frank
ing privilege came in operation on the 1st of
July last. The results of the first quarter of
the current year are highly satisfactory, and
have fully verified the predictions OF the
friends of repeal The confusion and delay
in the distribution and transmission of the
mails caused by the sudden throwing, without
notice or system, of immense masses of free
matter on important postal routes, have
been remedied, TINS making it possible to
effect a decided improvement in the or
ganization and practical working of the
service. The increase in all issues for the
single quarter following the abolition OF frank
ing was 81, 635, ,554, or 351 per cent. The large
increase of receipts is derived altogether from
general and departmental matter, and from
postal cards. Publications of class hereto
fore printed and sent out by order OF Con-
gress have been almost entirely cut of since
the Ist of July. OF the relief this afforded
some idea may be formed from the fact that
during the three months next preceding that
day there were forwarded from this CITY over
single route on the Baltimore and Ohio rail
way in box cars, Independently of the amount
conveyed in regular mail cars, 665, 5O4 pounds
of such publications, as appears from returns
of actual weights thereof, taken by the com
pany with the permission of the department
These facts, it is respectfully submitted, are
ample to sustain our opinion given in the
special report to Congress, under date OF Jan
L.
with the regular rates of postage would amount
to 81, ,543 327. 72 annually, and it is hoped this
fact will be deemed sufficient to prevent any
attempt to revive an abuse which would I'M
pose most grievous burdens upon the posta
service at u time when that service is strug
| CLING to meet the growing wants OF the coun
| try in its course of unparalleled development
respectfully submit the following plan fol
| the prepayment of newspapers of the secons
| class, and respectfully urge its adoption: LIE
| all publishers or their business managers o.
agents, be required at the beginning OF ever.
| quarter to state under oath that, after dLilgen
| inquiry, they are satisfied that they will sent
| in the mails to regular subscribers during tn
coming quarter not more than --- copies
| the newspaper known as the - (glV1nt
| the number of copies and the name of tn
| newspaper); and let them be further requires
| to pay in advance the postage prescribed b
| law, and asking them for duplicate receipts
one of which shall be transmitted to the Post
Office Department; and to afford reasonapl
! opportunity for an increase of circulation dur
| ing the quarter, let the oath taken at the be
ginning of the next quarter embrace all the ao
ditional copies for the last quarter as Wen a
the number to be sent during the then com
mencing quarter. On the other hand, lie
Postmasters be required to return, within tw
weeks after the beginning of every quarter
correct lists of all the newspapers addresse
to regular subscribers and dispatched In th
mails from their respective offices, stating tn
number of copies of each newspaper, aVerag
weight per paper, number of issues per weel
|
postage therefor. Payment having bee
made in advance for the quarter, n
stamp on manipulation would /
needed, but when received into the Office ever
J paper answering to the description given
the receipts would be treated as paid. Th
papers of persons subscribing after quarte
day would be forwarded Immediately, and pal
for at the beginning of the next quarter.
marked would be the Improvement in the co
} lectons under this law that believe the d.
partment could safely consent in case of Ii
adoption, to a reduction in newspaper rates
, 40 percent. on the present price. At the n
, duced rate, 1 am satisfied the departmel
would realize more revenue than now L ais
believe that, so great would be the saving {
labor to newspaper proprietors, in the prep
ration of their papers for the mail, and 30 d.
cided the dispatch and the freedom from mi
) takes in transmission and delivery that the
would find the new plan more advantageous
them than the present one. similar pls
could be adopted for magazines aud period
calls of the secend class.
The remainder of the report is devoted
a long and elaborate discussion and advoca'
J. of a system of postoffice savings banks, al
G to a renewal of Mr.. Creswell' 8 former recon
3 mendation for the establishment of post
1 telegraph.
J The Postmaster-G General, at some lengt
recommends Postal Savings Depositorie
Throughout the plan for their organic
ton and workings two ideas predominant
s First. the United States is to insure the sa