The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-21
WASHINGTON.
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.
wAsHlseros, May 20, 1877.

WASHINGTON, May 20, 1871
TEE CONSOLIDATION OF PENSION AGENCIES
EvrEcr UPON THE PENSIONERS.
In response to inquiries concerning the orcc OF some
objections which have been urged against tho conso-
dation Of the pension agencies the following Informal
lion has been obtained from the Interior Department
and other official sources, showing that The recent
order for while reducing the cost OF the
government OF paying the pensions. will not injur-
ousy Affect rather promote the personal interests
OF the pensioners.
AZ the law now stands each pcnsioner paid by the
check the pension agent drawn upon some govern
ment depository and mailed 70 him at his fost once
address delivered into his hand Il he chooses TO
call 1t the agency for II. At every payment
each psnsioner il required to execute
voucher acknowledging receipt OF the payment
and proving his identity by his own
anhdavit and the oath OF two Witnesses II the wit
pesses will 60 with pensionsr the pension agent
be administers the oath without charge. II they do
not 60 there, OF course the pcnsoner must pay the
lee OF the local magistrate which docs not usually
exceed twenty-five cents In each But lew pen
soners live so near agency TO AFFORD to take two
witnesses with them to the agency in order to save
tho magistrates foe, and IL is fact that many who
call IN person the agency for thoir checks execute
vouchers magistrate and takes them with them
Ohio and Illinois, and all the States west OF New York
und Pennsylvania, under the present arrangement
give opportunity for the greatest proportion OF
their pensioners to apply in person for
their pensions. and yet moro than
twelve per cent SO apply while in In
diana only i've per cent apply in person. These
estimates suppose that all apply in person who reside
at the seat the agencies while 1t is fact that many
OF receive their checks through the mail Under
the consolidation less than nineyve per cent OF
the pensioners viii receive their checks precisely
heretofore The agencies at the great cities, Boston,
NewYork, including Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Pitts
burg Washington. Detroit. Milwaukee, Louisville and
ST. Louis are left and these make more personal pay
ments than the other fortyscven agencies all together
An almost necessary evil Of the present extensive
establishment has been the issue Of many
checks upon some local national bank for
the collection Of which the pensioner has
too often been compelled 70 pay fec OF twenty-five
cents upward Under tho consolidation II s hoped
that this may be remedied TO very great extent by
making all checks payable at some one OF the great
commercial cities of the country The saving to the
pensioners body In this way will by far exceed
any additional expense which will DO incurred in the
payment magistrates fees upon the execution Of the
vouchers, and by issuing check which will be equal
20 cash in the hands OF the pensioner. The objection
that pensioners arc imposed upon by brokers and
s'scalpsrs" viii be entirely obvia.ed, for the checks
viii always be cashed by legitimate dealers in all parts
OF the country at their face, without discount.
THE REDEMPTION or FRACTIONAL CURRENCY.
On May "a, the express company will instruct their
agents that any person may send fractional currency
60 the Treasurer Of the United Stalss in OF $500
and upward, and receive returns therefor IN United
States subsidiary silver CON- at the expense
OF tho department On all shipments OF fractional
currency less $500, and returns therefor, the
express charges will not be paid by tho department.
National banks designated repositories havo been
ed TO redeem all fractional currency presented
to them.
FOR SUCCESSOR.
General Edward T. Bcale Minister TO Austria. who
accepted the office condition that he should bs
required remain there longer than year, asks
that his successor sha be named his landed
and other private demand bis personal aten-
zion. His record a. the stasc Departments 10 most
srcdtabi,uo him.
THE ILLEGITIMATE SALE OF POSTAGE STAMPS
TROUBLE CAUSED THE DEPARTMENT.
Ever since the new mode OF compcnsatipg postmas-
lers Of the fourth class by commissions the
Of sales OF stomps stamped envelopes and postal
cards adopted, II has been o sources Of endless
trouble to the Post ONCE Department. and has made
work Tor every special agent who could be spared to
look after the frauds which system makes easy of
preparation Hundreds OF postm astcrs have been
removed, and to make their punishment greater their
names havc been furnisned to the press for pubcn-
ton and yet strong Is the temptation that all the
efforts OF tho department have proved unequal the
suppression illegal traffic. and there but
one mode to put stop H. and that is BY tho repeal
OF the law ard return TO tho old plan OF adjusting
eaar les Oh the basis of the stamps &c., actually
ceed In the respective Offices AS illustration Of
the manner which the present law operates the io
loving facts will be suhicent:-
A special agent who has been eaynged in the South
west ior some past, sends to the department
affidavit made by merchant who engaged rcgu-
lar business In that locality. IN which he states that he
has received very large amounts Of postage stamps Of
the denomination OF cent two cents three cents,
six and ten ccuts from parties whose names
gwen, with the sums received from each There ure
some eight or ten names gwen, with the amounts re-
ceived, and dates &c Ono lrm alone, member OF
which postmaster, has paid him 81 3s9in stamps.
In every Gaze where stamps have been thus
used the party either postmaster
or member OF firm in which there
is a postmaster In some cases discount made
by the party dposing OF Thorn Of from hve 10 seven
per cent. Tho value OF tho stamps thus received by
this merchant rs over 81, 900, hich the govern
ment unlawiuliy made 10 py IN Increased salaries,
commission OF from Sl,20o TO $780, which COOS ino
the pockets OF these dishonest postmasters As gen
eral thing, local sympathy and The difficulty obtain
ing the necessary evidence mako efforts punish
the offender, beyond removal, fruitess; and even
when a made there is guarantees that the
new VIII trade stamps than his pre-.
deccssor notwithstanding the nopecssncss Of the
effort the dcparim cannot its efforts to sup
press The traffic. out from the nature OF tie is
PEELED to constantly pursue the offenders wherever
attention is called TO irregular sales
THE CHARGES AGAINST GOVERNOR POTTS, OF
MONTANA.
Mr.. H. Il. Fisk, chairman OF the Territorial Repub-
Iican Committee Of Montana after calling upon tho
President yesterday and learning IRON him personally
hat fhc INST Gov poitc bod
missed, replied to the action Of the President by
printed letter addressed TO him, which the charges
against Governor Potts are mphaticaiy reiterated
WANTON MURDER OF A NEGRO.