New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-16
rnr prpnRr ON THE POsTAL SERVICE.
eFNFRAL KEY URGES VARIOUS IDEAS WITH REFER
EScr To IMPROVING THE SERVICE AND AVOID
ING DEFICIENCIES.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.l

ESCE TO IMPROVING THE SERVICE AND AVOID
ING DEFICIENCIES.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCHl
WASHINGTON, Nov. l5.-The annual report OF
Postmaster General Key is made public to-day
Considerable space is devoted to the subject oil the
present and prospective deficiencies III the amounts
appropriated by Congress for the salaries OF post
masters and for railway mail transportation Oh
the latter point, General Key says:
II was believed by the Department that IT wond no,
90 10 withdraw the service from such number OF
railroads would reduce the cost oil transportation
The only other metnod of reducing the expenses OF
This service would have been To discohunue lne ser
vice az carried aud conducted by our loStai-rar
system entirely, 10 such az extent as would DIIhS tne
expenditure WITHIN the appropriation TO nave auQL'cu
his course would have led TO great confusion ana dey
ana 10 great dissatisfaction ana complaint on me part
OF the public. 1t would nave carried Us Oack 10 tne ss
fem in vogue before postal cars were used Separation
Offices would have becu requiTcdon ne INES" IaIWays
at which the mail would have been stopped ana de,
POSTED for separation and Distribution, instead
Of having this separation ana 0isuIV tb dH9u9
trains AS IL now done Another difficulty IN the way OF
continuing such course u I4I Ho 1 os, fcas
lead 10 large increase Of force IN se OF te Ost "ro
as might be made offices Tor separation OF the mails, ana
no appropriation BY Congress had been mace or CON
] Lave delayed making such radical oranges III the
service would be required by reason OF the sum &prE
mi ted to tins branch Of the Postal Service until Con
C1ess could pc consulted on the subject.
service shall feel II my duty under the law 20 to cur
Tail the service % 10 fall vii in me appropriation how
injured thereby 1 am satisfied i would lead
Justly TO much complaint Mails would be
detained at offices. separation, hardly ever less
than twelve uOurs, and generally tWenly-tour
hours. Books papers and packages passing over
d,talned at than one such office III very many
cases and there would be de ay IN the immense number
Of transactions which initiated conducted and com
lleted by communications through the mails FOR THIS
cause business men would send lher messages by tee-
grapn instead Of the mails 10 gr, AT extent aud tie de-
lay In the TRANSMISSION OF the remitttncee OF business
wOud add largely 10 the sums thty pay 10y way on
interest and exchange In my opinion II would cause
shock to our postal system from which II would not
recover Railway companies when nave been at
furnish such cOnvenences second time ana there 10
no law 10 compel them to do So
Unless the rates of postage are increased, the
Postmaster General says that Deficiencies must IN
crease with business and If sums inadequate to
meet these deficiencies be appropriated by Congress.
the efficiency of the service must be crippled;
something might be done, however, in the way of
abolshing the frankng privilege. On this point
the report remarks
Tons upon tons Of books documents seeds, shrubs
and the Ike plac ia our malls, free Of
charge this score. The official letters OF
the Executive Department of the General Govern
ent tzer documents. free through the mails,
newspapers sent 10 subscribers residing the county
90 T Tee through lac mails l. costs the Depart
nent Just much per pound 10 send this free matter
through the nails II does that on which postage is
paid. A pound Of seeds or public documents, or "
speeches OF Members OF Congress. or OF reports
OF Departments costs Just as much rs pound
of letters which cents for every hall ounce has been
pald Now, most respectfully but earnestly suggest
that wound be better poll TO reduce the Deficiencies
OF the revenues OF the Department by CuTtdiling
ahOshng the list OF fee matter and by increasing
rates OF postage on merchandise, BY appropriapg
sums Inadequate 10 an Efficient prompt and fast trans
mission OF the mails.
The Postmaster General recommends that "suita-
able provision be made by law for the delivery to
addresses IN this country. free OF customs duty of
all newspapers and other articles of printed matter
received in the mails from foreign countries, when
dispatched IN accordance with the conditions pre-
scribed by the International Postal Union"
An extension of the free delivery system TO an
additional number of cities and an increase in the
frequency of deliveries in cities where the sys-
TEN is in force are recommended. With reference
TO the subject of the service rendered by railway
companies IN carrying the mails between stations
and post offices, the report says this service should
eiAer be made an element of the basis of cOmpen-
satiOn 10 be paid for each route, OF the railway
companies should be relieved from this duty, an
paid service being always of dissatisfaction.
Attention is again called ~ tue insufciency of the
compensation allowed under law foI service on
many short routes. Uniform suits for employees are