The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-11-11
THE r. M. G.. TALKS,
And Tells About the Workings and
Prospects of the Mail Service.

w AsHlNGTON, NOV. Q.
Have you done anything on your annual
report to Congress?" was asked of Judge
Key this morning.
NO | have not touched it yet" an
swered the Postmaster General. II have
not got all the reports of my subordinates
yet"
DO you intend to recommend anything
important or novel this year%'
mo, my report will not be very import
ant this year. You know the session of
Congress will be short, and if should make
a number of recommendations some im-
pOrtant points might be omitted in legisla-
ton"
"What will you do about the Pacific Mail
subsidy The contract is about to expire,
is it not?"
'Oh, it has already expired but the com
pany is still carrying the mail. | think
they will have trouble in getting what they
already claim from the Government"
What do you intend to say in your re-
port about the Brazil Steamship Line
Nothing at all. l shallmake no recon-
mendations regarding the Pacific Mail or
Brazilian lines, and shall not allude to
them. Congress may do as it pleases, and
| shall carry out whatever law it passes.
Both lines continue to carry the mails?'
L eS, puI lley GAIL tlcH lOl IllO oNSoh
postage which is about two cents a letter.
None of the steamship lines get more now.
don't say anything as to the merits of the
Brazil and other American lines, but | am
in favor of encouraging American COM
merce in every legitimate way. 1t is some
advantage for the steamship lines to carry
the mails. The thing gives them certain
privileges and certain prestige. believe
they escape the payment otportage dues on
one thing and another Congress under
stands the subject, and no doubt those in
tereSted will bring it to the notice of the
two houses There is no occasion for me to
refer TO the subject"
'Do you intend to refer to any of the in
consstencies of the postal laws, such as
charging two cents postage on transient
newspaper and one cent on postal card OF
any length, and several other points to
which allusion has been made in the news
papersY
No. don't think any change is likely
to be made in this short session.
''How about the fast mail service%
''Well, am bothered good deal about
that" said the Postmaster General "Ihe
service is running beautifully now, and is
satisfactory to everyb body. There never was
as perfect a system as the one in use now,
and it never was operated better. And yet
we are running behind on it. Congress will
have to give more money or else the service
will have to be materially reduced and
crippled. am afraid | shall have to. take
off the distributing cars and go back 10 the
old system of distributing offices, which
will be unfortunate"
"How much more money will it take to
continue the service as now arranged for
another year?'
at will require nearly million dollars
more OF an appropriation"
"Why don't you call the attention of
Congress to this subject?'
"Oh, intend to. shall laysthe whole
thing before Congress and explain, as best
can, the importance of it; then l shall
leave the two houses to do as they please
When l have to cut down I shall try to
take off that which will be missed the
least"