Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-12-06
TIE POSTOFTYCE DEPARTMENT.

Postmaster General Key, in his annual re-
port, places the whole expense of the posta
service at s36, 800, tho amount appropriated
for the current year being $33, 2256, 1913 The
net revenue for the year from the sale of post
stamps was SIG, S39 l1G, against $l5, ISL 1886
last year. Amount of stamps, stamped en-
voopes, etc, sold, $27, 375,593, against s25,
ioi.3l5 in 1877. Expended during the year for
mail transportation, sl9,444,179, against s19
$50, ,e23 the previous year. From the tables
showing the operation of the money order Of
fees it appears that the revenue from this
source for the year was $2G9,647, against
sos, las The previous year.
The Postmaster General devotes considera-
bic portion Of his report to the subject of the
present and prospective Deficiencies in the
amounts appropriated by Congress for salaries
of Postmasters and for railway TRANSFORMATION
In regard TO Po5tmasters' salaries, he says the
deficiencies OF prevention of them, SO far as
salaries and compensation of Postmasters are
concerned, are not and cannot be controlled by
the department. If the amount appropriated
by Congress for the purpose be not equal to the
there must be deficiency.
After describing the rates Of compensation
prescribed by law for railway mail service, the
Postmaster General says the appropriation
made by Congress at its last session was not
sufficient TO pay for the existing service on rail
roads, and should no additional appropriation
I've made for this service, he shall feel it his
duty under the law SO to curtail the service as
to fall within the appropriation, however much
he might consider the public interests injured
thereby. He is satisfied it would lead justly to
much complaint The mails would be detained
at offices of separation hardly ever less than
twelve hours. and generally twenty four hours
Books, papers, and packages passing over great
distances circuitous routes would be de-
tanned at more than one such Office in very
many cases, and there would be delay in an
immense number of transactions which are in
itiated, conducted. and completed by communi-
cations through the mails. In his opinion, it
would cause shock to our postal system from
which 1t would not soon recover. The railway
companies which have been at the expense of
furnishing postal cars might be slow to furnish
Ills such conveniences u second time, and there
is no law to compel them to do so.
In relation to the revenues of the service, the
report says: thine 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 time again by appro-
pirate committees, and discussed in both
branches of Congress-. and the results have
shown that it was not expected that the depart
ment should be self sustaining, but that the
deficiencies in its revenues should be met by
appropriations from the general treasury. The
amount Of matter sent through the mails free is
very large, adding greatly to our expenditure
and giving us no revenue
"The Thanking privilege has been restored to
members and the chief officers of Congress- 80
as to allow them to send free almost everything
which they were ever allowed to transmit
through the mails free. except letters. Tons
upon tons of books, documents, seeds, shrubs
and the like are placed in our mails free of
charge on this score. Now, most respectfully
ter policy to reduce the Deficiencies of the reve-
nues of the department by curtailing or abol-
ishing the list of free matter, and BY increas-
ing the rates of postage on merchandise, than
by appropriating sums inadequate to an eff
cient, prompt and fast transmission of the
mails"