The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-16
WASHINGTON.
tro.,na..,sr.t .t,eneral,. Annaal Repor..

prospective deficiencies in the amounts
appropriated by Congress for salaries OF
postmasters and for railroad transporta-
ton OF mails. In regard to postmasters'
salaries he says: 'yThe deficiencies, or
prevention OF them, SO far rs the salaries
and compensation Of postmasters are con-
cerned, are not and cannot be controlled
by tho Department. II the amount ap-
propriatcd by Congress for the purpose
be not equal to the amount Of compensa-
ton, established by law there must be q
deficiency"
After describingthc rates Of compensa.
ton prescribed by law for the railroad mail
service, the Postmaster General says: "The
appropriation made by Congress at the
last session was not sufficient to pay for
the existing service on the railroads, and
should no additional appropriation be
made for this service, he shah feel 1t his
duty under the law so to curtail the SER
vice as to fall within the appropriation,
however much he might consider public
interests injured thereby. He is satisfied
that II would lead justly 10 much COM
plaint. The mails would be detained at
tho offices OF separation hardly ever less
than l9 hours and generally "a hours.
hooks, papers aud packages, passing over
ercat distances or ,circuitous routes
would be detained at more than one such
office in very many cases, and there would
be DELAYS in immense numbers. The tran
sactions which are initiated, conducted and
completed edbvcommunication through the
mails. In his opinion it would cause
shock to our postal system from which IT
would not soon recover. The railroad
companies which have been at an expense
furnishing postal cars, might be slow to
furnish US such conyeniences second
time, and there Is no law to compel them
to do so. In relation to the revenues OF
the service the report says, that time and
again II has been shown that matter OF
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 again by appropriate
committees, and has been discussed by
both branches OF Congress, and the results
lave shown that it was not expected that
the Department 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 expenditures and
giving us no revenue The iranking priv
ilego has been restored TO the members
and chief officers OF Congress, SO as to
allow them to send FREQ almost every
thing which they were ever allowed
to transmit through the mails free, except
letters, tons upon tons Of books, docu-
ments. seeds, shrubs and the like, which
are placed in our mails free OF charge on
this score. Now, most respectfully but
earnestly suggest that it would be better
policy to reduce the deficiencies OF revc-
nues OF the Department by curtailing or
tho lis. II FREQ matter and by in
creasing the rates OF postage on merchan-
disc than by the appropriation OF sums in
adequate TO an efficient, prompt and last
transmission OF the mails. -a
The Postmaster General recommends
that suitable provision be made by law for
delivery to addresses in this country, free
OF customs duty, 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 nr-
gent need OF "a greater frequency In the
deliveries and collections in several of the
larger cities, and in view OF large excess OF
the postage on local matter over the cost
OF the service, due mainly to the carriers
delivery, q awise policy would seem TO justly
a more liberal appropriation for the pur-
pose suggested above, and also for an OK
tension Of the service to other cities hav-
ing population Of $4,000, emitting them
to it by law. " ~,
In regard TO the pay OF the carriers he
reiterates his recommendation OF last year
for material increase in their compensa-
ton He again invites attention to
the subject OF the service rendered by the
railroad companies, in carrying the mails
between stations and postotiices, and says
il should either be made an element OF
the basis OF the compensation to he paid for
according to the work done on each route
or the railroads should be relieved from
this duty. ....
Attention Is again called to the INSULT
cheney OF the compensation allowed under
the law for the service OF many short routs.
During tho last session OF Congress bills
were introduced TO amend the law rcgula-
ting tho. compensation to the railroad
companies for carrying mails so as TO base
the rates OF pay on items OF space, speed
and frequency. 1t Is suggested that the
space to be paid for on each route to be
limited TO n specified amount or certain
weight OF mails; otherwise the compression
Of all tho railroads and consequently the
expenditure OF more than nine millions OF
dollars annually would be left to the dis
cretion OF the Postmaster General and he
thinks Il is clear that this should not be
done.
Tie other recommendations OF general
interest made are, in brief, that Congress
should authorize temporary contracts for
the "Star Mail Service" to be made foronc
year, in case OF need, without advertise
mont, instead OF six months, tho period TO
which, by the amended law Of the Depart
ment, it is limited, and that he be author
ized to prescribe uniform 10 be worn by
all employees OF tho postal service, with a
view to preventing their personation by
unauthorized persons.
He also recommends the erection Of a
new postofEice building for San Francisco,
and urges that accommodation be provided
for the Washington City postoffic0 outside
Of the Department building, where all the
space, is greatly needed for general pur-
poses, including storage Of valuable records.
which arc now exposed to danger from
fire. ~ = = ~ ea.
GOV. EMERY's ANNUAL REPORT.
Gov. Emery, OF Ufah, in his annual no.
port recommends that provision be made
Tor tho selection OF jurors in that territory
in precisely tho same manner as they are
selected in the States Of the Union. AS
matters now stand, ho says the peculiar
Legislation by Congress is so hampered by
territorial legislation as to render con-
viction in certain causes almost impossi-
ble. In the next placA he recommends