The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-16

ton hardly ever less than twelve hours
and generally twenty-four hours; books,
papers and packages passing over great
distances or circultOus routes would be
det4ined at more than one such office ln
very many cases, and there would be de-
lay in the immense number of transactions
which are initiated, conducted and con-
pleted by communications through the
mails. La his opinion it would cause a
shock to our postal system from which it
would not soon recover. The railway
companies which have been at the expense
of furnishing postal cars might be slow
to furnish US such conveniences the Sec
ond time, and there is no law to compel
them to do so. In relation to the reve-
nues OF the service the report says;
Time and again it has been shown
that matter of the second and third-class
does not pay its way through the mails,
and congress has been urged to increase the
rates of postage thereon The question has
been considered time and again by the ap-
propriate committees and discussed by
both branches OF congress and the results
have shown that it was not expected that
the department should be self sustaining,
but that deficiencies in its revenues should
be met by appropriations from the gener-
al treasury. The amount of matter sent
through the mails free is very large, add
ing greatly to our expenditures and giving
US no revenue. The franking privilege
has been restored to members and the
chief officers OF congress, SO as to allow
them to send free almost everything which
they were ever allowed to transmit
through the mails free, except letters.
Tons on tons of books, documents, deeds,
shrubs and the like are placed in the
mails free of charge On this score, now,
| respectfully but earnestly suggest that it
would be better policy to reduce the de-
! fcieucies Of the revenues Of the depart
ment by curtailipg or aholishiug the list
! Of free matter and by Increasing the rates
| of postage on merchandise, than by appro-
priating sums inadequate to an efficient,
prompt and fast transmission of mails
| The Postmaster General recommends that
suitable provision be made by law for de-
livering to the address, or in this country
! free OF customs duty on all newspapers and
other articles Of printed matter received
in the mails from foreign countries, when
dispatched in accordance with the condi-
tions prescribed hy the International Pos
| tai Union.
| The following reference is made to the
free delivery system: There is an urgent
need Of greater frequency in deliveries and
collections in several of the larger cities,
and iu view Of the large excess of postage
on local matter over the cost of service, due
mainly to the carriers delivery, "a wise policy
would seem to justify more liberal appropri-
ations for the purpose suggested above
aud al for the extension of the ser
vice TO other cities having population of
$4,000 entitliug them to it under the law.
La regard to the pay of carriers the post
master general. without repeating the ar
gument, renews his recommendation OF
last year for a material increase in theil
compensation. He again invites attention
to the subject of service rendered by the
> railroad companies in carrying between
stations and postofhees, and says it should
: either be made an element of the basis oi
. compensation, to be paid for according tt
the work done on each route, or the rail
; way company should be relieved from thi
e duty. Attention is again called to tht
unsufhcleDcy of the mpensation allowed
e under the Law for service on many shor
D routes. During the last session of congress
bills were presented TO amend the law
regulating compensation the railway com
panies carrying mails so as to base tht
rates of pay upon items of space, spec
;. and frequency. 1t is suggested that th
space to be paid for on each route shoul
7 be limited to a specified amount or certai
D weight of mails Otherwise the comper
q sation of all railroads and consequent
e the expenditure of more than 100000
e annually would be left to the discretio
Il of the postmaster general, and he think
/ it clear that that should not be done
: The other recommendations are that cor
's gress should authorize temporary cor
e tract for star mail service, to be made IL
II one year 10 case eff need without adver
e tisement, instesd of the six months perio
q to which, by the amended law, the de
&c partment is limited, and that he be authC
u rlzed to prescribe uniform to be worn b
'e all employees of the postal service, with
10 view to preventing their personation b
II unauthorized individuals.
st An examination of the pardon record
to-day shows that Edwin L. Martin cor
n gresham elect for Delaware, was pardon
er ed by President johnson, and thereby r
"a lieved from bis allegal disloyalty to clai
u a seat in congress by reason of convietiC
es of aiding and abettiug the rebellion.
The governor Of Montana, in his annu
report, submits the question whether ii
United States will permit the British go
II ernment to afford an asylum for our ho
is tile Indians and furnish them o safe pla
10 where they may recruit and replenish the
ay supply Of ammunition and again raid upt
of peaeeable citizens. IF the British COVER
a ment persists in doing SO, he recommen
de that for the safety of the people the teri
r. tory Indians be removed from the bord
or several hundred miles into the interit
or He recommends. also, in view OF the sU
r. rounding dangers. that the military
er tricts Of the Yellowstone and Montana
E. constituted department and placed und
all the command of Gen. Nelson a. Miles,
e. the support of whom thousands Of settle
a would rally.
Ie The receiver Of the German Natior
I'D Bank states that the liabilities are $29
RI 634; assets, 1924, $50. La addition t
We liabilities of the stock holders are estimat
rm at 100000.
on The two cases of the United Sta
against I'll. B. Clafin & Co.. for the alleg
reception, purchase and conceainent
large amounts of fraudulently import
IRE silk, came up in the supreme court to-di
lily The question involved is the liability
es, Clafiin & Co. in civil action brought
Ter recover the lines imposed by the acts
es- 1928 and 1866. IF the demurrers are s.
On tanned it will be decisive of class of mC
or less similar cases. If not the cause '