The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-12-09
Report of Postmaste General.

The Postmaster Generals report shows the
receipts of the department to be $27, AL, :
$50, and expenditures $33, GIL 300. The re-
ceipts exceed those of 1874 l l3100per cent,
and the expenditures 6-100. The actual
amount drawn from the Treasury was 81, :
Y16,329, or $543, 606 less than the previous
year. The recorded complaints Of missing
packages numbered 5,645, of which 1877
were registered letters containing bonds,
drafts, etc, amounting to %6,2l6, while the
unregistered letters containing valuable
contents amounted to $75,997. OF the for.
mer 1883 were satisfactorily accounted for,
OIL actually lost, and 683 remain under in.
vestigation. The arrests for violation OF
postal laws numbered 307, the greater por-
ton, however, were not connected with the
postal service. One hundred and seven con-
victions were had and 157 await trial. The
department is in correspondence with the
British Department on the subject of the
increase of United States territorial rates
on the British closed mails, transported by
rail between New York ana San Fran cisco,
the present rates fixed by the postal con-
vention of 1862 not paying the actual cost
of transportation. The report shows the
operations of the different bureaus of the
department concerning which much infor-
nation has already been published. The
Money Order Department, the annual trans
actions of which have reached about eighty
millions, shows an apparent profit OF $780,
600, though really in arrears more than that
if clerk hire and stationery required for the
business were charged directly to its ac-
count. The increase of rates on small or
ders made by authority of the last Congress,
will, 1t is believed. enable the bureau to
hereafter pay its own expenses. The fact
that but one American steamship line car
ries mails across the Atlantic, and none
to South America, is regarded as humilia-
ting to American pride. Postmaster Jewell
thinks, as a matter of national pride, as an
aid to the revival of American commerce,
and as a means of supplying an efficient
steam marine available for immediate use
by the government in case of war, provision
should be made for the transportation of our
mails on important ocean routes in steam
ships Differed and manned by our own citi-
zens, and sailing under our own flag. A
moderate compensation in excess of hostages
now allowed would enable the establish
ment and maintenance of American lines to
Europe and south America, and moderate
mail compensation for a line to Japan and
China will doubtless continue the mail
service to those countries in American ships
after the termination of abe existing subsidy
contract which will expire on the 3lst of
December, 1876.
think it is safe to say says the report,
that the sum of $4,000 per annum, now
granted as a subsidy to the Japan and China
line for single monthly service on that
route, would, in addition to the hostages on
mails conveyed, be quite sufficient, il judi
ciously apportioned between the respective
routes, to maintain an efficient mail service
by steamers sailing under our flag on all the
important ocean routes which should be &C.
cupied by lines of American steamers.
Jewell says the evil of straw-bidding,
which annually involves the department in
the loss of many hundreds OF thousands Of
dollars, can, in his judgment, be effectually
removed by such a change in the law as will
authorize the Postmaster General, on the
failure of any accepted bidder, to offer the
contract, as at present, to the next lowest
bidder on the list. If, In his judgment, the
bid be not too high, and if this next lowest
bidder declines to enter into the contract,
to be authorized to enter into contract with
person not a bidder at any price, not ex-
GLIDING said lowest bid.
The Postmaster General speaks of the rail-
way postal service and roads doing 1t, in
high terms, but thinks 1t more equitable to
pay companies by space instead of by
weight. This would increase the compensa-
ton of roads of the larger class, but reduce
it materially on many of the smaller and
weaker ones. The fastmail service is praised,
and the opinion expressed that at no distant
day the business of the department will be
so great as TO induce railroad companies to
run similar trains from New England to the
Gulf, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
1t is recommended that any person be per-
mitted, without additional charge, to write
a form of presentation in any book, PAM
phlet, magazine, periodical, or on any other
matter of the third class, and also that the
sender Of any package be permitted, with.
out additional charge, to write his or her
name and address on the outside thereof
with the word "from" above or preceding
the sane, so as to inform the person ad-
dressed of the name of the sender, and to
write briefly on any package the number and
name of articles inclosed. The sending OF
public documents through mails has not de-
layed the delivery of ordinary mails, or per-
ceptibly increased their cost. As TO transient
printed matter, the Postmaster General
says:
recommend that the postage or transient
newspapers and periodicals, books, printed
matter of all sorts, Autographs and maps,
sheet-music, photographs, and manuscripts
designed for publication, shall be reduced to
one cent for each two ounces, or fraction
thereof, which was the rate before the enact.
ment of the law advancing 1t during the
closing hours Of the last Congress.
Concerning newspaper postage he says
the new law which went into effect on the
LIST of January, 1875, from present indica-
tons will realize about $l,OOO,OOO for the
first calendar year. This is not material
variation from the average results of the old
law, though during the last year in which
this latter was in operation, the amount was
increased by the payment of postage on
newspapers circulating within the county Of
publication, a requirement that was discon-
tinued at the end of one year. While, there
fore, there has been no increase in the ag-
gregate receipts, there has been large net
gain by saving the commissions on collec-
tons allowed by the law, as under the pres
ent law the great bulk Of postage is paid at
large offices whose salaries are not affected
by this item. Under the odd law there was
no check to insure collections at the Office
of destination, and the consequence was
that much matter went unpaid, and 1t Is a
satisfaction that, under the present more
equitable mode, the universal collections
have made up for the reduction in rates.
The new system has worked so admirably,
and has given such general satisfaction, that
no change is deemed necessary.
IL is recommended that the compensation
OF Postmasters of the fourth class be based
upon the business Of their respective Offices,
rs determined by the cancellation of stamps,
the account to be duly sworn to for each
quarter, and returned to the Sixth Auditor.
There is great want of equity in the COM
peDsation Of Postmasters of the first second,
hpu tniru cinss. II Inc saiarles ~ smaller OF
fees are not excessive, those Of larger cities
are certainly too low. I find Postnasters,
as class, TO be efficient, capable, and atten.
tive beyond my expectations, and their
salaries should be proportlonate to their
duties. Cases are said to exist, however,
where few or no duties are actually per.
formed by Postmasters. A law compelling
Postmasters whose net income Is, say 81, 900
or more, to give their entire attention TO the
LII. ~ ~. IN fail -. L.
employ SEINE perton or persons TO perform
them, mt their own and not nc the govern
ment's expense, would be most undoubtedly
beneficial TO the service. In estimating the |
expected revenues for the year ending June
80, 1877, wishing to be on the safe side, esti. |
mates have been submitted which show an
expected deficiency Of 1918, 500, but II 10 |