New-York tribune., 1876-12-06

Of the net revenue reported by the Auditor as having
order business at postoces throughert the country.
10 hs snrpius Of net revenue from the domestic money
order business OF S324 81 shoull be added amount
OF not less than $4,000 being the estimated ne pro-
eeeds OF the business with fsregn countries
uuring ne s year. not yet ascertained by the Auditor
\ SALARIES or PosTMAsTERs.
lrenew the recommendation Of my predecessor in his
last annual report for change In the basis OF adjusting
the salaries OF psstmastes at fouFthcass Offices Prior
70 July 1874 the salaries based mainly upon the
amount OF stamps cancelled but since hen by acts of
June 70, 1874 and July II, 1875 commissions have
been allowed on the which derived mostly
rom the sale OF stamps That the change not
rect In principle must be apparent upon reflection, and
that has not been advantageous to the Department IS
demonstrated by experience The old plan was the more
eqaDc One Tor the reason tat the stamps Cancelled In
handling matter for mailing while the safe OF stamps is
no est OF the work required or the postmaster Under
statements of the amount Of stamps cancelled for xed
perDd and ths sales OF stamps shown in thu quarterly
aeec,ihcufrent operated as check upon these state
ments, as. under legitimate mode OF doing business,
there must ordinarily be near correspondence between
the amount Of staaips sold and tho amount cancccd
Under tho preseEt system, thore is nothing in . post
masters fetnns to detect improper sales Stamps can
DC furnished him to the extent justified by his bond aud
all that Is required of HIM account for the proceeds
10 Is not Obliged to state under oath otherwise in
what manner or 20 whom he disposed Of ther Praeti-
c1ly he has only the fear of removal, upon chadce
discovery. 10 prevent him from raversirg The country
seeking purchasers and Offering such liberal discounts
"a his own large commissions will alyurh
To show h9w great the nducenent Is, Il need only DO
mentioned that the ut an oeo must exceed 81 300
psT annum befos tho commissions fall below 30 per
cent Were tho ecnmission- uniform throughout, the
matter would regua5e itself one postmsster's gain
being anotheP's l0ss; but graded as they upon
seals. and stopping at Fixed point the Government Is
mail Office within the delivery OF Larger one Natu-
rally the abuse Is apt TO be in thls direction. Not only
do tle cities and large towns offer eater facilities for
The sao or exchange OF stamps. but in such places the
chances OF detection are greatly le.scned Win tao
nutaal mtefcst for concealnept betwcen buyer ana
Scr, detection Is likely 20 Ic the exception iran
the rule, Stamps are used largely a medium OF ex-
change In lieu Of cuFrcncv, and many the remit
ances made cf them 20 ths argo cities in payment oi
small bils. Notably IS t!s tho ease win newspaper
subscriptions aud orders for books. FOR whrh purposes
tacy very convenient and often solicited Not
only do publishers In ts procure stamps sufficient
for their postage, bat they have not infrequeniy
assrd the department 20 redeem slrplGs. P5stmaG-
er class. take the lead In getting up subscription
ciuN5 and when using STAMPS Tor p2Jnenf have the
double advantage Cf getting commission from the pub
Usher and from the Government In many eases
business men engaged IN The large cities reside IN conn
try placss the lines public travel. II s oBy nat
ui that In their de4rc % HeighOr they ShOud
the cuy. II Dot 1civ logevvr that they wOud carry
their letters to he mailed at the country pest office
lallroad Insurance ana oxircss c0np4n.ea ahh other
large corporations. vh1 bay,' n:any agents among the
country p"-Has;ers. may obtain rroIh ts sorrre tle
larga ainouiS OF stamps required fr use ~ ta.if gy
headquarters, md tins Indirectly but stem lticay
cortrtcte 70 their own revcnres And tavelinI cont
mercri agents may realize handsome pfcht ~ p'it-
chasing stamps nj lGrgo dihcOmt from courtrY post
masters, peraps in e1cEapge iOr goods and rcSelAiF;
them m TIE ciiies ~ smaller 0iacOEat nave piiOe
list Vt 30 Ctces hastily seicetrd, at which the az
err,to ccmpeusation fof tfe two Years ending lime 80
ls7i under the od law, was %l2l26 AMI tor the t"o
yea en,tng June 80, ls.S: undrr TIE new law law,
-iu5i 81 or an nycracS OF y = y = cafh G:ec niidcf
average increase Of ~ .O1> 81. OT Is r per cent
Nearly al OF LcSe ciecs when are but tepr, setaiNrs
NJ their kind, aTe located Ia clos" proximity 70 SOM
city, ard 'roh whnt has already hePn cxponed iAa lea-
FOR such large Increase VII he r'Fhy apparent
IL itas been irtGu.ntJ i1Uni tAs ah O't'.'lS PD,t
ter h1s neglected ~ refused 10 turn over 10 ~ ~
the nps remaining IA his hands. IierrirSt TO
account Tor them sot aud tLns SctunE ne e"innis
,nHs alV we'd b. Law. ~ aitcrWard 'e!luS rae stih
t. tho pubic hr would zlu receive the ca lainents
Of o." tihrr Who t!e rev pos hdStrr Wd1 .vhh .h
WORK. There IL ample evidence m the apartment 20
establish tho prevalence of The abuse IN i me ,a",
forms thar have brR suggested u D.. "a tieAt that W
abuse Il To D. prevented or tl-cEcd 10 any eNto.
must ho through the supply oi stampS blt iell - .
derlrtmcn. % know the precise FeiatV9 lnts % tl
3BOOOor more communities. fepIc-cEied Ivy - mlpy
P1stol'ic's. thrc;.gaoa ihr Iii,r s.Aies 20 Wau W. %
srIt., sutHr invest gaiiDu- t - irrnUloie ihc pun
~ br.ne tlr department mt0 dscrdt and IN Sfnt ~
Z. &C. fn rfn4ir b. rev aura ~ least unfortunate
tuii tnc pg,s.Dt ag usrcs upon ic "ti"El Elhe = con
i-,ifI a . un LAW o. b.nrss. lie Lsi'g Gri sale OK
,iaffus .horid he aged @ the lnl al pnn.f tA
i.ui d-i ply ngrct the recs ty 0i N eNlstAS -eih
order HsrI1h'ng sths ana .itih-- . 20 ti
favrd well authenticated violations 0f tnis "flet We
evil sfSn,s to 1e Goan@,l rsSlfi paGns Tie
two years Cujius Jlae 10. ls1l-ihc pSsl'i ciff
lai required 27j per cent ot tie snics o. camps 20
tie public o. p1y Tie c"u.i~laA'i'n nt I'.+tii-s' "
t' M , N required - iJ per cent ~ tr sas go pay
thc crrnirnsnton. Tgp lI''rr r1iio "olI fl'r o',n
J..
cier. o. tr IL O! January, I-55. n M ioit OF r't
in q,iI s,coutins, miiisf. Il2r 10 60 - -
a. ,ii ,, pa.tiua.icr, allowed % Te4 ht oi
"a, siucurt IN tir 81 r'nu'is1li"hi hut Sh ih'
.v,, .tril,- The offices of Cc'eTT re geo 'aiS t-
s.,i- r ,r -frth class c, ,n1 TOO nh '"He' " ~
l,rcG vi pa3Ic. D4, ay' manly t!,rt ,i sl. ar
.r,rI a h. -a rs-s. subject 80 ~, ct's44 -iPJ'i',
mont arii ~ which t5. lad ihrNlru.i, .eH HEL'r
r,.t.rt,.- Jniv Is.t Th- change tAa' ;ep.'ca tic
r,ua. ~ uiecs o Tie rcHlni 'rf- on ''""u .'f ''.
without i-n G-.Hg Pee i'f-'r on - .ht .''
cf,~f ,r-cl-us tNt cuiG jrUst tcl 90 'H'' - "a
of ,rr,. .in- the fic. q! srI'' 30 ]" f-"" ~ =
cratic item i.s b., 80 neoi unT bt iA'Hi"H.H ,... t-t
,1ot OF ,psta-- cuiIrclrd oH 'pl ,-I's matter "i'
.rg thc "a, hasi' ycar vas 5i."tf.lot -. , 81. ,
be -t,i, tna- for rte IL months enhs I'r' -
before hc change vito rcfr'are 10 49,, [ f
,,.,gr TO 4y to cpI1,,s.,i oii oi pIsnEt-itrN Ihis
Nas 10 The 'cy coninel ~ NJ OF , lt ny @ ~ - ta
aud b-iore pa. masters Ad iAGJ learned hJ" - '''
IN y,cS o, The facts. urgently recommend Tat thr
i.n u po.t mas!rrs OF the in Ga De h's'
uuJl uc buAnesa ~ their respective "Ih,,', ~ a
tlDcd rom sworn returns to thr aGdiiof o ''i' '""
cc!cd.
During thiast ascai year the lcss and Annoyance 10
the Dcparinen5 occ.usiosed BY tie vicious system oi
straw bids amos; wholly disappeared III al e'S'S
of failure by biitrTa tO execute contracts u'e' nc NV
aud by contractors perform scrvce N accorih'o WIZ
their contracts suits were promptly coun"nced on thei'
bonds AMI pressed to final Judgment The number oi
,7 WA less tha in any other year for long period
Of dime past aad tAe loss to tho Department recurring
therrfroai %s considerably decreased In faet IL may
be stated that tie failures greater IN nuhher OF
amount than wOud naturally occur uhncr t,'' n'' ,
stringent law that could be enacted by tho al q. IN IN
Law passed al the late session Of Congress r'iIilG '
stIruiies the boni. " bidders to make ,"Dih
nIsuts specifying the lncaJOn pl,r- ol ftcvid anu ,
bls yaigs above ncEn.Tancrs OF the real sH's o.Dsh
by them and IMPOSING pen1hes Tor hahIng !. ~ M 81
mrnts am confident the Departments WI! O~ IuIy po p
trced against ortnc-s b.dS; and tlie Oher pron'oIs
of fie law which direct the Postmaster Gen'i.,, w , -
f.if4 IN
formance OF service 90 contract Wifh any Pc ''n ~
"a bidder not, who viii p~riorln the stf'lco m tho 80
practice by which the star service mas 50 ohE s a.
thr ruercy OF combinations formed or cOrfpt a,,
eradication or tnc pTifli't