New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-22


great difficulty and there II provision whatever by
which dishonesty or negligence eau he detected No
stamps used for the payment OF such postage aud
the Department compelled to accept In full sasfac-
ton whatever sums or money postmasters choose 10
system that postal officers OF high standing have est
mated that not moro than onethrd 0i tEe postage prop
erly char geabe newspapers IL aecohhleu ior anu
paid Furthermore disputes are contnuaiy arising
between pOstmasters and publishers az 10 whether he
fern ,esnen. ana MS 10 the number OF their bona
Tide subscribers. In the hope OF c0nulDuhk 70 nois
faithful collection Of pOstages, the more promPt anu
efficient transmission OF newspapers the saving OF labor
in pOst-Oflices, dpd tne general adsauisbe a. wen VI
tho department OF publishers anu thclr Pa'rOns,
respectfully submit the following plan Tor prepayment
of newspapers OF the second class anu urge us aoptOh
Let all publishers, their business managers or
agents be reGued AT the beginning Of every quarter
10 state under oath that after al iseht INJURY! ey are
satisfied that they VIII sena IN tns . unt NM than
- copies OF the newspaper known as - giving me
number of copies ana name OF newspaper. Ahu iet
Them he further required pay advance The postage
prescribed by law, taking therefore uuC,o reeSips'
0@cs Dcnartment. and to afford reasonable
oppOrtupY for increase or cirouiaiou uulihg thc
quarter let the oath taken at the beginning OF INC next
quarter embrace all additional copies l1r tne it qnar
fer as well as the plumber To be sent unre me COM
menoing quarter On the other hand let postnasers be
red 10 Tetrp within two weeks after tue beginning
of every quarter correct lists OF an me newspapers 70
regular subscribers and dlspaIcheu ID INC ihas IRON
their respective Offices thihs rnc nu ,nh, o az
copies OF each newspaper, the average Welght pc,
paPSr ,e g, money paid as postage therefor. Pay
ment having been made in advance ior tHt quarter no
stamp munpul alton womb DC netdci bit "ach t1-
ceved lnto the once every p'Pec ,% no to ~ i
description given ia the Tccept WOllu DO lieatou ds
pad The papers of persons SUBSCRIBING hcr quarter
day would DC forwarded lmneuate! anu Pa Lof W Tue
beginning of the next quarter 30 ldrAeu wou DC uie
piin t1at i believe the department could safely
consent, in case or It's haoptlmh, 10
prces At The reduGed rate satisfied the depart
meut would realize revenue than now also be-
eye that 40 great would be the saving OF labor 10 news
paper propretors the preparation OF their papers for
the mall aud decided their gain from IN" greater ds
paten and freedom MISTAKES I'D 3LlIsaiDh ana
delivery thai they would lind the new plan more ad-
vantageOus them than the present one. a Imlar
plan could be adopted for maSdznes anu pefoca4' VI
tho second class.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
further recommend that on all mater OF the third
class the posagebe made uniform at one cent Tor each
two ounces or fraction thereof, and the maximum
weight OF packages increased 20 four pounds II this
recommendation ba adopted the postage on flexible
patterns SAMPLES OF ores. metals, minerals and mer
chandse. sample cards, photographs paper letter en-
veOpes postal envelopes ana wrappais' Imprinted
cards. plan ana Ornlmeh,ai pager, ara uoalu,
or other flexible material, and on all other
maabe matter not included III the dr't class VIII tie
reduced from Two cents 70 one cent of eih bWo ounces
fraction thereof, anu the weight ol phcAdsc3 IA
creased from twelve ounces TO four pounds On books
the postage will be reduced rom Two conS u. ono cent
foitoach fraction thereof ana the weight
OF packages Of wooden, cotton, or linen eothiug adj
dressed 10 any D0nfOuilnsslOheu obcer o pINalf III
the army OF the United STATES will be Increased from
two pounds 90 four pounds .-,...,
also recommend that any person be permitted,
without additional charge. to write q form VI
presentation 10 any DOCS pimpni.t m's.L'he psflod
cal any other matter Of the thrd class ald also
the sender OF any package be permitted without
address the outside thereof win the word " from
above preceding the same, 80 s to MORN tie person
addressed OF the name % the SENDER aud ID we Orey
any package the number and name Oh 'hs article IN
PosrMAsrERs' SALARIES.
The present moce Vi determining salaries OF post
masters 80 far affects those appointed by
president, is defective Formerly the salary OF every
Postmaster was comp lted by commissions the actual
tecops OF the Office returned TO the Sixth Auditor.
In 1864 the law changed ami 1t provided that
salaries should DO adjusted for two years in advance
upon special returns fox stated time TO be made by
DOS tiuasers the First Assistant Postmaster etr,d
being urged In favor OF the new method that II would
large amount of clerical labor IN postoces as
well the department. The change has worked well
in presidential offices aud many OF the elaborate aud
pensiye accounts OF iorner days have been di'ceu-
tmucd but in smaller offices the effect has been far
from beneficial. Unfortunately there are no crteth
whereby the accuracy OF salary totlrns may be tSled
and upOn these the department is 0bhged 10 rely III
every case OF douot or suspicion. II has been found
fly made OF the accounts OF presidential offices which
Ike scrutiny into Tie .irs OF the offices ed b.
appointment Of tho POstnasrerNienerai aDd yet there
T. more the utmost u dealing with the lat
tor Offices, Of thelr large and RAPIDLY Increasing
number and the better opportunity they present 10
those charge OF them for increasing sher eonpensa-
ton by fraudulent or excessive returns.
Moreover 1t mas been observed az general result
OF ma King each mau ms accountant. that while all
are eager TO supply data upon which they can claim an
increase Of salary very few willing t. furnish nfor
nation that will lead to reduction therefore recon-
mend that the salaries Of all Offices OF tess
Importance than presidential office. that Is t.
say all with salary of less than 1900 benenceiorth
adjusted by in The first instance 10 the quarterly
in the office OF the sixth auditor Th, action
will dispense Win nucn useless aDOF, prevent com
paint remove temptation Ia fraud and secure an adj
ju.tmcnt OF salaries upon tho basis OF actual receipts
whether more or less
POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS AND yELsGRAPHs.
The remainder OF the report Is devoted to long and
elaborate discussion and advocacy OF Post
once savings banks and TO renewal OF Mr.. CseswePs
former for the establishment OF postal
telegraph. At the conclusion there is attack upon
the Western Union Telegraph Company, ending
follows
The Western Union Company has always oontend,d for
high rates aud enforced tbem with strong baud. Whom
now associations have been formed for the purpose "
reducing rates the Western Union has nj once entered
the lists destroy its rivals, ana in pursuit OF victory
has not scrupIed 10 use anY device which
the powerful can employ against the weak. Fail
ing 10 vangush It's adversary IN the open Held
OF fair competition IL has resored to arce. and tr-
umphed by making gold It's weapon. Thus II has
Iuired by lease purchase lines OF the American Tee
graph Company, tho llli1ols and Mississippi Com
paby, the Chicago nEd Mississippi Company. and
the California State Company, and during the pass
year 1t has obtained control OF the International,
ocean. aud Pacific and Atlantic Telegraph Com.
panics nv buying up majority OF their stock.
its President mas attributed loss Of profits 10 reduo-
ton .es rendered necessary by the actions OF
petinz companies along their lines aud In other
sections, to j. similar reduction made in order u
competing extend still further, thus eyincing
settled purpOs reduce rates ouly that II might e1ter
inmate competing companies already organized, Or
which IL feared would be.
Daring seven years OF this enforced abstinence from
high dividends, II Is admitted In the aforementioned
report that the Company has realized net profits
immense amount Of s203l2dl8, and that after paying
out of such profits for vdends 10 stockholders 49,
for porestfon the COmpanys bonds, a2l6l9i for its
own stock, si,O5 iS3; FOR stock VI gold aud
stock company, fl,l73,jDo; for bonds Of Western
Union Company, redeemed aud Cancelled S)1iCT5; Tor
real estate exclusive OF Broadway and Deyst prop.
erty 500 for patent OF Page and duplex apparatus
S73758; sinking fund, S2i95b5; and other smaller
sums, ~ managed with the residue " effect such
extensions and Purchases rs increased its wires
from 1000 10000 miles. Alter this nd
Drable exposition OF what has been accom-
plished by "nci profits" 10 is 10 be regretted
ihal lhfre md not bee pLaeed by The side Of N