The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-03

] region OF country upon which they located
| for security against the encroachments of the
white man would meet with violent and de-
| termined resistance.
Postmaster Generals Report.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20.
The report of the Postmaster-G -Gcaeral is
completed.
The revenues for the year ending June 60
1874, we're $a4 500 ,56s, and the expenditure
$32 128, ALI. The estimated expenditures for
ths year ending June 30 1s76, are $50 e64 OSi;
total estimats,ir $29, 14s 80, leaving
deficiency to DC appropriated oea'of the gen.
eral treasury of s7,S15,s7S. These estimates
do not include appropriations for steamship
service and stamps, amounting to S2,O9S, 500.
The use OF the registered letter system is
steadily increasing. There has been marked
gain i'll the time OF transporting through mails
an average gain from New York to San Francisco
of Ave hours and thirty-two minutes, gain
for mails to. New Orleans Of two hours and
tifly-seven MINUTES, and going north of one
hour and fifty minutes, and pofccptible gain
on all through routes in regularity and Ger
tainty. The foreign mail system is in better
condition than ever before. The number of
postoffices in operation June 80, 1874, was
3a,24; total number OF appointments during
the year, 9,42S. The results of the extensions
Of the letter-carrier system are of the most
gratifying character There has been gain
Of over 80 per cent. in the amount Of fees re.
ceiyed rom tnoncj orders. tliete his been
| only one erroneous payment in 59,677 pay
ments, and only seventy -four in all. The in-
crease in money exchanges with Great Brit
ain and Switzerland has been very marked
NEWSPAPER rcsrAGE:
Ry an act of CopprpSS opproyad Tuna
1874, it is required that on and after the lst of
January, 1875, postage on newspapers and pc
rodical publications mailed from known
office Of publication or news agency, and ad-
dressed to regular subscribers or news agents,
shall be charged at the rate of two cents per
pound, If issued weekly or oftener; and at
three cents per pound if issued less frequent.
ly than once week. The act provides that
matter shall be weighed in bulk and prepaid
with adhesive stamps to be specially
devised fot the puip9se. The r.anttet
of applying stamps is left discretionary with
the department, and system which it is
hoped will work satisfactorily has been de-
viscd for carrying the law into effect. The
stamps are now in course of preparation, and
will be ready at the time appointed for their
use. 1t is expected that the revenues of the
department from postage on printed matter
will be increased by the enforcement of this
act. notwithstanding that rates are cheaper
while heretofore much loss has been ocea-
stoned to the department on account OF the
non-collcction Of postage at the point OF de
livery,
THE MONEY! ORDER sIsTEw
The money order business of this depart
ment appears to be rapidly growing in public
favor and is undoubtedly a very great ac-
corimodation to a large number of persons
who are not within reach 81 bsrising facilr
ties or who are unaccustOmcd to the use OF
them. Yet see no reason why this branch
of service should not be made sclf-sustaining.
The apparent profits Of the money-order
system during the last year are about
amount OF slS2,OO0 for clerk hire
and stationery in the postoilice Department,
Auditors Office; and for money order clerks
in the PUstoillcc art not charged To- the
money order business, but are paid out Of ap-
preparations; SO that, while the money order
system appears to yield revenue of Sl05,000,
there is in fact, a deficit of $4,000 l sug-
= .,.ei oaseu =. accoruaiice win srr, ,;ews II
the Superintendent, submitted herewith tsou
appendix), or that the money-order system
shall, like any other business, be made to de-
fray all its own expenses.
TRANSPORTATION OF MAILS.
The number and length of mail routes in
the United States require an expenditure for
transportation which dwarfs into insignifi-
cance The cost of similar service in ether
countries. For the year ending June 80, 1916,
it is estimated that this item alone will exceed
$4,000, 600 The portion to be paid to rail-
roads will amount to more than SS,OOO0OO.
Opinions have differed widely as to the best
method of determining the rightful rates of
compensation to be paid to the railroads for
services rendered to this department. Here
tofore their pay has been based on the
weight of mails, with an additional allow
ance on certain thoroughfares for providing
postal cars. AT present the matter is in a very
unsatisfactory condition, and some equitable
mode of adjustment should be at once devised
and sanctioned by law. Some of the roads
have represented to the department
that the carrying Of the mails was
little or no object to them, because
the express companies were willing to pay
much more for the accommodation furnished
than the department would allow. On the
other hand, representatives of the leading eX-
press companies have contended that the act
which took effect July |, 1874, permitting the
transmission by mail of packages OF mer-
chandise weig hing not over four pounds at
the rate of one cent for each two ounces is
taking away the most profitable part Of their
business, and will soon render them unable
to meet the heavy rentals demanded by the
roads Thus is presented curious anomaly,
the roads claiming that the Government does
not pay us much as the express companies
are ready to pay, and the express companies
claiming, on the other hand, that the law is
effecting such Il diminution of their revenues
that they are unable to accedc to the de-
mands of the roads. | find no disposi-
ton on the part Of any railroad or transporta-
ton company to deal otherwise with the de-
partmcnt than in spirit OF fairness and JUS
tice. | trust Congress will adopt some
equitable plan Of adjustment which will not
be burdensome to the Government, and which
act of March 3, 1873, readjusting the pay OF
railroads on the basis of the weight of the
mails carried, added much more largely than
was anticipated TO the expense OF the depart
ment. The appropriation for that purpose
having become exhausted, have declined to
make further payments. l would suggest
that the time has come when resoute effort
should be made to determine how far the
Postotiice Department can properly go in its
efforts to accommodate the public without
trespassing unwarrantably upon the sphere
of private enterprise. There must be a limit
to governmental interference, and happily it
better suits the genius of the American peo-
pie to help themselves than to depend on the
State
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
To communicate intelligence and dissent
nate information are primary functions OF this
department. Any divergence from the leglt-
mate sphere OF its operation tends to disturb
the first rule, that, in the ordinary branches
of life, the recipient Of a benefit is the proper
party to pay for it, since there isno escape
from the universal law that every service
must, in some way, be paid for by some one.
Moreover, in country of vast extent like this,
where most of the operations OF the depart
ment are carried on remote FROM the con-
trolling center, the disposition to engage
in internal enterprises, more or less for
eign to the theory of the system, will tend to
embarrassments whereby expedition would
be difficult. For years the franking privilege
was an incubus upon the department and an
obstacle to efficient postal reform. Its aboli
ton, for which we are largely indebted to the
resolution and wisdom Of my predecessor,
opens the way for other measures which have
yet to be inaugurated and pressed to a sue
cessful issue before the department can be
come self-sustaining. While do not fatter
myself that shall be able to accomplish this
most desirable end during the short period OF
my service, l propose to keep it steadily in
view and to direct my best efforts toward its
attainment.
For the first time in the course of a life de-
voted actively to business find myself in
charge Of an establishment the expenditures
of which largely exceed its rcceipts-a state
of affairs which strikes with great force a
mind more or less disciplined by that close
inspection of accounts enforced in mercan-
tile pursuits. In ordinary affairs there is but
| one end to this condition of affairs-bank.
ruptcy The deficiency of this department
has varied of late years from ID to
20 per cent, while from the best
data at my command have
been compelled to submit estimates
| for the year ending June 80, 1876, which will
show an expected excess Of the expenditures @