Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-12-10
Abstract OF the Postmaster-G enerai's
Report.


The Postmaster Generals annual report shows
the receipts OF the department to be 327, AL $50
those Of 1874 / i3'iOO per cent, and the expendi.
lures 62-100 The actual amount drawn from the
Treasury wns S4i16 800, or t543,6O6 less than the
previous year. The recorded complaints of missing
letters number 6i5, Of which 67 were registered
letters tontainng bCnds, drafts, etc, amounting
to S62l6, while the Unregistered letters contained
yauables amounting TO $75,HT. or the fUrmef
l0S3 were satisfactorily accounted for, oil actually
lost and 6s3 remain under investigation Arrests
for violation Of the Postal laws numbered 3U7 the
greater portion not being connected with tbe
postal service. One hundred and seven cunvio-
lions were had and i57 await trial:
The department is in correspondence with the
British Department on the subject Of the increase
OF United States territorial rate British closed
mails transported between New York and San Fran
CISCO the present rates. fixed by the Postal Con-
yention Of 1852 not paying the actual cost Of trans
The report shows the operations Of the yarious
bureaus Of the department, concerning which
much information has already been published
The Money Order Department, the annual trans
actions OF which have reached about $50, 900, ,0O0
shows an apparent profit Of 600 though really
In arrears more than that II the clerk hire and sta
lor the nus business were charged dl-
smal orders made by authority Of the last Congress
Will II Is believed, enable the bureau 10 hereafter
pay its own expenses.
The fact that but one American steamship car.
ries mails across the Atlantic and none to South
America, is regarded as humiliating to American
| pride as an aid to the revival of American com
merce, and as q means Of supplying efficient
steam marine service for immediate use by the
government in case OF war, provision should be
made for the transportation of our mails on i'm
| portAnt ocean routes In steamships Oficered and
manned by our own citizens and sailing under our
| own nag. A moderate compensation in excess Of
| the postages now allowed would enable the esthb-
| lishnent 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 coun-
| tries in American ships after the termination Of
the existing subsidy, the contract for which
| will expire on the 31st of December, 1876.
| think it safe to say that the sum
TO tb J,pon Snd china line fap sugls Is
monthly service on that rCite would, in addition
to postages on mails be quite sufficient; judioiUus
| ly appOrtoned between the respective routes, to
maintain an efficient mail service by mail steam
ers sailing under our flag on all the important
ocean routes which should be occupied by lines Of
Mr. 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 etectually removed by such a change
in the law as will authorize the Postmaster Gcner-
al, on the failure of any accepted bidder to offer
contract as at present to the next lower bidder in
the list, II, in his judgment the bid be not too
high, and, II this next lowest biddet declines TO
enter into contract to be authorized TO enter in
TO contract with any person not bidder at any
| price not exceeding said next lowest bid.
| The POstmaster-General speaks OF the railway
postal service and roads doing it in high terms
but thinks il would be more equitable to pay com.
panies by space instead Of weight. This would in
crease the compensation Of the roads OF the larger
! class, but reduce it materially on many smaller
| and weaker ones. The fast-mail 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 At
lantic to the Pacific
1t is recommended that any person be permitted
without additional charge to write a form of pres
| entatiOn in any book pamphlet, magazine. period
ical or any other matter OF the third class and also
this; 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 preceding the same, so as to in
form the person addressed Of the name OF the
sender and TO write briefly on any package the
| number and name of articles inclOsed. The send
ing OF public documents through the mails has not
delayed the delivery Of ordinary mails or percepti-
As to the transient printed matter, the Post
master-General says: recommend that the
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 there
Of. which was the rate before the enactment 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 in
dcations will realize about 81 100000 for the first
calendar year This is not material yaria-
ton 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 circulat-
ing within the county Of publication, . require
ment that was discontinued at the end Of one
year. While therefore, there has been no increase
in the aggregate receipts there has been large
net gain by saving commissions on collections al
lowed by the old law as under the present law.
The great bulk Of postage Is paid at large Offices
whose salaries are not affected by this item. IN
der the old law there was no check to insure col
lectons at the once Of destination and the conse-
quence was much matter went unpaid, and 1t Is q
satisfaction that under the present more equitable
mode universal collections have made up for the
reductions in rates. The new system has worked
admirably, and has given such general satisiac-
ton, that no change is deemed necessary.
1t is recommended that the pay of Postm asters
OF the fourth class be based upon the business OF
their respective Offices as determined by the can
collation. 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
compensation Of Postmasters OF the first, second,
and third classes. IL the salaries at smaller Offices
not excessive those of the larger cities
tainly too low. find Postmasters as q class TO be
efficient, capable aud attentive beyond my expecta
tons, and their salaries should be proportionat'
to their duties. Cases are said to exist, however
where few or no duties are actually performed BY
the Postmaster law compelling Postmaeters
entire attention to the duties Of their Offices,
failing in this to employ some person or persons
to perform them at their own and not at the Gov
ernment's expense, would be, most undoubtedly
beneficial to the service"
In estimating the expected revenues for the year
ending June 30 1871 aud wishing TO be on the safe
side, the estimates have been submitted which
show an expected deficiency Of IS lSl 602 but 1t il
very much less than the estimates. Basing the est
mates OF the revenues at the smallest amount, anC
of the expenditures at the largest, an increase i,
10 S9-1OO against "a 65-lO6 whiN was the estimat,
Of the percentage OF the deficiency last year owe
that Of its predecessor.