New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-12
THE POSTAL SERVICE.


PRoPRIAuoN BILL BEGUN-LARGE INCREASE IN
THE EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTaENT-No Salts
FACTORY EXPLANATION GIVEN OF THIS INCREASE
-IHE PACIFIC MAIL SUBSIDY In DANGER.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNR.I
WAsHINGroN Jan. 1.-THE Appropriations Com
mittee have begun preliminary work on the Post
Office bill and are diligently looking for leaks to
stop in that important branch of the public service
They are surprised, in comparing the present ex-
pepses of the department with those of previous
wears TO see how enormously they have grown. The
growth of the country does not fully account for
this increase, and the Committee do not seem
TO have found a satisfactory explanation. In 1906,
after the postal service had been restored in
the Sontb the total expenditures of the department
were $4,000 in 1873 they amounted to S9oS4.OOO
In seven years. therefore, the cost of the postal ser
vice was almost doubled. The opening of new post
routes in the West explains very small part OF
this increase. None of it can be accounted for ON
the score of high prices, because there has been
decline instead of advance in prices since 1866.
The true explanation is probably to be found partly
in the growing extravaganza that peTvades all de-
partments of the Government and largely in the
great increase of railways in the older States. as
well as in the West aud in the constant demand OF
the people for better mail facties-locaities that
weekly now insisting on daily service, and usually
getting it, under the liberal policy that prevails in
the department.
Possibly another cause of the rapid increase in the
cost of the postal service is the fact that the mails
are used for the transportation of packages to very
great extent. All kinds of small articles are put
into the mail, because 1t is cheaper than to send
them by express especially for long distances. 1t is
stated that large quantities of coin and bullion
sent by mail from San Francisco to NewYork. The
Government is thus made to do express business,
and the Post-Ofice Department is loaded with
function not properly belonging to it. 1t is curious
| fact that there only States where the
postal service pays expenses. These are New Hamp-
| shire Massach usetts, Rhode Island Connecticut
New-York, New-Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These
States yield surplus of over $250OOOO and all the
others create deficit of S65O0,O0. The salaries of
postmaster in the estimates for next year aggregate
SC5OOOO while the cost of transporting the mails is
| S16592OOO to which must be added Sl,32O,OOO for
rent and way post-office clerks $4,000 for route
agents, S643,OOO for mail messengers and $270 600
for local agents and mail route agents. all Of which
properly comes III the transportation account
II is not probable that any important saving
| can be effected in these items The item of
S2'VU'cC for mail carriers cannot we'll be cut down.
ibe Committee appear to think, however, that the
estimate Ot S3OO0 for clerks in post-ofices Is too
ngh' There is no limit fixed by law on the number
OF clerks that may be employed 1t is stated that
there are 4Vc ID the Boston Office and q much larger
number Ill the New-York office. 1t is suspected
that ned inquiry would discover a good many
sinecure places, filled by men crowded in by politi-
| cal influences. An important saving can be made in
another direction. The Pacific Mail Steamship
Company has failed to carry out the contract under
which II got the increased subsidy OF $4,000, and
stated 81 the department that there III no proba-