West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-30

He is satisfied IL would lead Justly 20 much
complaint: mails would be detained AT
ofhces OF separation hardly less than twelve
hours, and generally twenty.four hours.
Books, papers and packages passing over
great distances or circuitous routes would
DC detained az more than one such Office, in
very many cases, and there would be delay
In an immense number OF transactions
which are initiated, conducted, and com.
Pleted by communications through the
mails.
In his opinion il would cause a shock to
our postal system from which il would not
soon recover. The railway companies which
nave been at the expense of furnishing
postal cars might be slow to furnish us such
conveniences second time, aud there is no
law To compel them 10 do So
In relation 10 the revenues of the service
the report says: thine and again il has
been shown that matter of second and third
class does not pay its way through the
mails, and Congress has been urged to in.
crease the rates OF postage thereon. The
question has been considered time and
again by appropriate committees, and dis.
cussed by both branches of Congress, and
result have shown that il was not expected
that the department should be self.
sustaining, but that deficiencies
in its revenues should be met by appropria.
tions from the general Treasury The
amount Of matter sent through the mails
free is very large, adding greatly to our ex-
penditureS, and giving us no revenue The
frankiug privilege has been restored TO
members and chief officers of Congress so as
TO allow them to send free almost every
thing which they were ever allowed 10
transmit through the mails free, except
letters. Tons upon tons of books, docu.
ments, seeds, shrubs, and the like, are
placed in our mails, free Of charge, on this
sore. Now, | most respectfully, but earn.
estly, suggest that itwould be better policy
TO reduce the deficiencies of the revenues OF
the department by curtailing or abolishing
the bulk of free matter, and by increasing
the rates OF postage on merchandise, than
by appropriating sums inadequate TO an
efficient prompt and fast transmission OF
mails"
The Postmasi ere eneral recommends that
suitable provision be made by law for de-
livery to addresses in this country free
from custom duty, Of all newspapers and
other articles of printed matter received in
the mails from foreign countries, when dis.
patched in accordance with the conditions
prescribed by the international Postal
Union"
The following reference is made to the
free delivery system. There is an urgent
need olgreater frequency in deliveries and
collections, in several of the larger cities
and in view of the large excess of postage
on local matter over the cost Of service, due
mainly to carriers delivery, n wise policy
would seem to Justify more liberal APP
propriations for the purpose suggested
above, and also for the extension Of the SER
vice to other cities having population of
thirty thousand, emitting them to it under
the law.
In regard to the pay of carriers, the Post
master-General, without repeating the
argument, renews his recommendation OF
last year for material increase in their
compensation. He again invites attention
to the subject of the service rendered
by railway companies in carrying
mails between stations and post
offices, and says it should either be made IN
element of the basis of compensation, to be
paid for according to the work done on each
route, or railway companies should be re-
heyed from this duty. Attention is again
called TO the insuficency OF compensation
allowed under the law for service on many
short routes. During the last session of
/ Congress bills were presented to amend the
law regulating compensation to railway
companies for carrying mails, so as to base
/ rates OF pay upon items of space speed and
/ frequency. IL is suggested that space to be
/ PAID Tor on each route should be linn
/ tied to specified amount or certain weight
! OF mails, otherwise compensation of all rail
I roads, and consequently expenditure of
more than ~ 100000 annually would be left
to the discretion OF the Postmaster General
ana he thinks 1t is clear this should not be
doue.
The other recommendations OF general in
/ terest made, are, in brief, that Congress
should authorize temporary contracts for
Star mail service to be made for one year,
in case of need, without advertisement, in.
| stead of six months period, to which, by
the amended law, the department s limited,
and that he be authorized to prescribe a
uniform to be worn by all employees OF the
postal service with view to preventing
personation by unauthorized individuals
lie also recommends the erection of new
Postoffice building for San Francisco, and
urges that accommodations be provided for
the Washington City Postoffice outside of
the department building, where all space is
greatly needed for general purposes, includ.
ing storage OF valuable records which are
now exposed to danger from fire.