The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-30
The Postmaster Gsnsrni.s Report.

The Postmaster GenernFs Report.
The following is an abstract Of the Post
master General Jewoll's report taken from
an advance copy
The revenues for the year ending June
Both, 1874, were S24, 500, sos, and the ex-
penditures s32, 120, 414. The estimated ex-
penditures for the year ending June 30,
1876, are $50, 904,03i. Total invested rev.
enue, $50, las, 156--leaving deficiency, 10
be appropriated out of the general treasury
Of 37,s15,97s. These estimates do not in
clude the appropriations for steamship SER
vice and stamps, amounting to 81, 099, 800.
The use of the registered letter system is
steadily increasing. There has been
marked gaiu in the time of transporting
through mails. An average gain, from
New York TO San Francisco of five hours
and thirty two minutes a gain for mails
New Orleans Of two hours aud 81 minutes,
and, going north, of one hour and fifty
minutes, and perceptible gain in all
through mails in regularity and certainty.
The foreign mail system 10 in better condi-
ton than ever before.
The number of pOstonlces In operation
June 30, 1874, was 34,204. Total number
OF appointments during the year were
0,494. The results of the extensions of the
lcLteT carrier SIsltlll arc VI tUC llO6l RIAtl-
fying character There has been gaiu of
over 30 per cent, in the amount of fees re-
ceived from money orders. There has been
only one erroneous payment in 9,677 pay
ments, and only "a in all The increase in
| money exchanges with Great Britain and
and Switzerland has been very marked.
NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
BY an act OF congress, approved June
| 90, 1874. it is required that on and after
| Jan. 1, 1875, postage on newspapers and
| periodical publications, mailed from a
| known office Of publication or news agency
and addressed to regular subscribers or
news agents, shall be charged at the rate of
| two cents per pound, il issued weekly or
| oftcner, and at three cents per pound If is
sued less frequently than once week.
The act provides that matter shall be
weighed in bulk and prepaid with adhesive
stamps. to be specially devised for the pur-
pose The manner of applying stamps is
lc,t d,5cre,i1Aary with the department, and
system which it is hoped will work salts
| factorily has been devised for carrying the
law into effect.
The stamps are now in course of piepar-
alton, and will be ready at the time APP
| pointed for their use. 1t is expected that
| the revenues of the department from post
| ult Ou ljlliltu iildlltl Will DC luNlCtioth NY
| the enforcement of this act, notwithstand-
ing that the ra'es arc cheaper than before,
as now postage will be prepaid, while here
tofore much loss has been occasioned TO
the department on account Of the noncol-
lection of postage at the point of delivery.
THE MONEY ORDER System.
The money order hu.jrr,s Of this depart
| ment appears to be llpiuiy growing in pub
lie favor, and is, undoubtedly, very great
| accommodation To large number { per-
sons who are not within reach of banking
facilities, or who are unaccustomed to the
use of them. Yet see no reason why this
branch of the service should not be made
self-sustainiug. The apparent profits of
the money order system, during the last
year, arc about 5l05,000, while certain
expenses to the amount of 5lS2, 900, fol-
clerk hire and stationery in the postofficC
department, auditors Office and for money
order clerks in the postofilce, are moi
charged to the money order business, but
are pad out of appropriations or that
while the money order system appears tC
yield q revenue of :f10j,00 there is, in
fact, deficit of $4,000 Isuggest, there
fore, that the fees of money orders be in.
creased in accordance with the views OF
the superintendent submitted herewith, Oh
that the money order system shall, like any
other business, be made to defray all it:
own expenses
TRANSPORTATION OF MAILS.
The number and length of the mai
routes in the United States requires an ex
penditure for transportation which dwarfs
into significance the cost of similar service
in other countries. For the year ending
June 80, 1876, it is estimated that this item
alone will exceed $4,000, 900. The por
ton to be paid to railroads will amount tt
more than SS.000,000. Opinions kavt
differed widely as to the best method Of
determining the rightful rates of compen
saton to DO paid 10 the railroads for ser
vice, rendered to this department. Here
toforo their pay has been based on tht
weight of the mails with an additions
allowance on certain ;h0rouhgfares fo
providing postal cars.
At present tho matter is in a very un
satisfactory condition, and some equitable
mode of adjustment should be at one,
devised and sanctioned by law. Some o
the roads have represented to the depart
ment that the carrying of the mails wa
little or no object to them, because th,
express companies were willing TO pay
much more for the accommodation fur
nished than the department would allow.
On the other hand, representatives of thu
leading express companies have contendet
that the act which took effect July 1, 1874
permitting the transmission by mail o
packages of merchandise weighing not owe
four pounds, at the rate of one cent TO
each two ounces, is taking away the mos
profitable part of their business, and vii
soon render them unable to meet the hcav,
rentals demanded by the roads. Thus i
, | r1rosnptnJ ouriouq enpn,a1v--tha road
claiming that the government does not pa,
as much as the express companies are read,
TO pay, and the express companies claim
ing, on the other hand, that the law, effect
, ing such a diminution of the revenues, tina
they are unable to accedc to the demands O
the roads.
find no disposition on the part of AM
railroad or transportation company to dea
otherwise with the department than IN
spirit Of fairness and justice. | trust con
gross will adopt some equitable plan of al
justment which will not be burdensomc t
the government and which will be satisfac
tory to the companies. The act of Marcel
3, 1873, readiusting the pay of railroads oil
the basis OF the weight OF the mails carried
added much more largely than was antici
patcd TO the expenses of the department
The appropriation for that purpose hayin:
| become exhausted 1 have declined to maxi
further payments.
would suggest that the time has COM
when a resolute effort should be made t.
determine how far the post Office depart
ment can properly go in its efforts to &C
commodate the public without tre-passinl
unwarrantably upon the sphere of privat
enterprise. There must be a limit to gov
ornamental interference, and happily it bet
ter suits the genius of the American peopl
TO help themselves than TO depend upon tn
state.
THE FUNCTIONS OF rHR DEPARTMENT.,
To communicate intelligence and dis
seminate information are the primary func
tions of this department. Amy divergence