The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-16

Three years ago The Sun exposed the
methods by which the Post Office Depart
ment was mismanagcd in the interest of
powerful Ring Of contractors. For a time
the public plundercrs and their official ac-
completes struggled against our efforts to
reform the abuses which had grown up dur
ing long series Of years but in due season
public opinion proved too strong 70 be- with
stood, and CREswELL who had been
tower Of strength behind the corruptiOnists.
was driven from office. and MARSHALL JEW
ELL became Postmastcr-Gcneral.
With a commendable purpose to do right
but without sufficient knowledge OF the i'll
tricatc details Of the postal service, and
lacking the force of character and courage
of the true reformer, Mr.. JEWELL adopted
halting, halfway measures. which simply
provoked the vengeance of the Ring, and
did not bring to his aid popular support
like that aroused by his holder and more
resolute colleague, Mr.. BRIsrow. But even
the abortivc efforts OF Mr.. JEWELL to reform
the Post Office Department told in a de-
cidcd reduction of the deficit for the fiscal
years ending June go 1875 and 1875. The
letting OF ls7i for the Territories, which
took place shortly after Mr.. JEWELL MS
sumed charge showed a very decided i'm
provement, simply because, by the reforms
he projected, straw bidding was to great
extent broken up. In other cases. where
investigation brought to light manifest in
stances Of exorbitant prices paid for service
wholly or in part useless. the contracts were
annulled and the routes arranged anew.
In the mean time, before Mr.. JEWELL was
forced to retire, an investigation was or
dered by the House of Representatives Of
the Forty-fourth Congress on the basis OF
the exposures made by THE SUN. Although
this inquiry was conducted with but little
ability, it resulted in some astounding dis
closures. The methods Of these powerful
Rings, operating in conjunction with officers
OF the department, were disclosed. 1t was
shown how BRADLEY BARLOW, the head OF
one OF these Rings, Systematically paid
large sums Of money to influence the action
| of the department and to prevent trouble
| some inquiries in regard to his practices in
manipulating the straw bids on his routes.
In defending the management OF the Post
Onice Department, the Republican minority
on the committee was compelled to bestow
fulsome praise ON the efforts of Mr.
reductions which he had effected were
pointed to with PRIDE and the claim was
vOlubly made that economy was being in
troduced in the postal service as rapidly as
circumstances would permit.
But the first session Of the Forty-fourth
! Congress was no sooner adjourned and til,
memorable Presidential campaign Of 1876
begun, than the Rings which had been tenn
porarily disturbed in their corrupt prac-
tices by JEwELL became all-powcrlul under
his successor JAMES n TYNER.
In another column will bc found the intro
ductOry article of series ON the manage,
mont of the Post Office Department. Then
purpose is TO demonstrate that with an Geo
nomical and efficient management Of that
department it IS possible to mako it self
supporting, or, If the peoples representa-
lives prefer, TO give the masses two-ccnt
postage without increasing the present an
null deficit.
In order to accomplish this it Ia proposed
first. to demonstrate that saving OF AZ
least Sl.O0O.O0O can be effected IN the sale o
stamps; secondly, thata reduction of ~ 600,
Oul in the cost Of Finland transportation
other than rail" can Ice made without Grip
ping the service and thirdly, that fully
SLsl),oO0 can be ravcdbya new arrangement
Of salaries on a gold basis. THIS will give Z
total saving Of Si,il0,O0o. The average de-
llcit during the past fcw years has beer
about Sj5Ol0O0 That this Sl,lOO,0Oo of cS
cess of deficit over the proposed savings cal
be made up by n sensible Encouragement q
existing contracts for railroad service, vii
also be shown.
To make clear how n saving Of sl,Go0,Ooi
can be effected in the cost of inland trans
portatlon other than rail-" number Of
steamboat and star routes will be ex-
amlncd, and their useless character or ex
cessive cost or both, made apparent TO al