New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-20


ment in a letter to the Hon. Marshall Jewell, chair
man of the Republican National Committee and
formerly PostnasterGeneral contrasts forcibly the
extravaganza and ineficiency of Democratic control
of the Post Office with the economy and steady am
movement under Republican direction since 1851
He shows that during the past nineteen years oil
Republican administration sI1I.3Os.O6: have
been saved in the expenses OF the postal service
In addition, a reduction of postage has been secured
the system has been vastly developed. much new
matter has been admitted into the mails. and the
development has been made 10 confer many sub
stantial benefits upon the public.
THE STARTLING FACTS IN THE LETTER.
- In 1859 Democratic Postmaster-Generai
made following commentary on the mission oil the
Post Office Department, and the demorazed condition
into winch had been brought by Democratic admins
ton:
The Post Office Department in its ccaseless labors,
perva6es every chsnnc of and theatre
Of human enterprise. and while visiting. 1t does
kindly every freside minges with the throbbings of
almost every heart IN the land Naturally enough. such
savoriie With the Amerc1n people The country haT
constantly manifested the most intense solcltud11f
the OF its purity and the prosperity OF
administration aud II cannot now be disguised that the
guilty abuse of Its illustrations aud the reckless
waste OF Its hardearned revenues, connected WIN he
humiliations to which 1t has IN consequence been
exposed, have deeply and sadly impressed the pubic
mind.
Now that the Democratic party is again seeking res
toraon to the control of the Government, largely on
the protested need Of general and thorough reform
Of the civil service" Mr.. Hazsn says:
Iii proper the public service existed
In 1860 with the public service exists in 1880 1t
Is proper to inquire whether there is anything III the
past history Of Democratic admlnist alton TO justify a
belief would Improve the present methods OF
Repub lean administration IL is due to the country
that the inquiries should be made. to learn which OF
the parties may be the more safely Entrusted with
the direction Of its pubic affairs and III view OF the
allegation that the possession OF by
Republican has been long enough. ana has
already led guaritcs aud corrupiions II is due
to those who are or have been connected with Rpu9
administration that these Inquiries should be made
import lnce OF respective positions and length OF
service among others, vally interested ID these
inquiries. far at least, as they concern the admins
trauou OF the postal service.
In tie pursuit these Inquiries the annual Of
for profitable study and ref ction Official facts and
figures safe basis of nyestlgatio In the fnanels
EXHIBITS. the ana expenditures Tor the hsca
year enGing June 80, 1885, are approximate on me
basis auded accounts for the nine months end
ing Marca 81 the returns for the quarter ending June
80 being sui ia progress OF settlement by the Auditor
was an exceedingly favorable one the estimates Will
fail to do fun Justice the years business. In ike
the service the figures for 1879 viii be given wherever
1850 not yet ataiuable The figures Tor $50
however. VII IN ali cases show large increase over
hose for 1879.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TIE SERVICE.
In 500 The number o. postnasters IN the service was
os $50 against 429s9 1850. H. 1860 the number OF
mdes Of service performed was 74114,I1o against
l67 .432 sos III 1879.
The principal Innovations in the methods OF postal Gd
minstration under Republican rule tie Postal Car.
the Free livery, the Money Order, and the Registry
systes Inc Postal Car stem last year used on
80 roads. 1870 miles. and distributed
26is C6l $50 pieces o. mail By It's the
time OF transportation has been reduced about
fourth. The Free Delivery system was employed IN SS
ci.les and handled tOtal OF S09,s5i ,0G5 pieces
ofmat,er cost of less than one-tourh OF cent each
The Mony order business mas also grown to immense
proportions, the most striking instance Of Rrpubi
can success over Democratic ne0ieency is by the
following:
Although the registry system introduced
1855, allure. after hve years trial in Democratic
Die success All The more conspicuous as IA Re ublican
triumph. But read Tins from the report OF the
The Act of NJr,h g. 1855 providing for the regis
OF valuable letters posted for transmission In The
mails the Unite mas been IN operation
s Sie , aaDgootod the exeecmiIdns mat led 10
the adoption novel feature postal
Whether irGed precauti0n for The protection or
naiIy the detection OF depreaiions the
mails. tie law has proved failure This con- OF
thing, only mad an explanation III iho &c cor
respondent, have become convinced iegst.rng
Their Va table letters tAey have be, holding
ligh tor TIE deprciator instead of u kenhg MS way
embarrassing hun III the commission OF his crime In
this c0ny.cHOn July cOncur'
1ha subject OF espionage the mails by State au-
thortics treated the letter at considerable length
of $50 expressly forbade the detention
OF mai matter oiany kind by p0stmasters. nearly all
the Southern States enacted laws prohibiting Tie mail
ing pass through he mails of what they termed
fncendary Under these laws not ony books aud
papers were intercepted, hut ordinary pDstmasers
sumed the right violate the sanctity of private seal
they fiji In this state OF affairs the Dem
ocrauc Postmaster General acqueseed. and thus the
reader is prepared TO with such admissions his
part AZ the following regarding the dcpo able
state OF tie postal under Democratic man
agcmeut
In his feport 1854 pages 6 aud O. the Postmaster
General says:
The proper distribution otsm1il IN after
il subject great difficulty. Letters instead OF having
one, AT most two distributions have been distrib
point. The consequence has been that the distr
button and delivery commissions have almost consumed
Page i6: sui. such losses Dy depredation) are
Thcr aggregate amount Is large, and they
are Increasing with the extension OF It's mail ser
Coutras; closely the system @ described above with
The system az II exists to-day Indeed is satire
registry system of 1850 10 designate the sysem OF
ters mailed for the public only of every 6.70s
was lost were mostly by robbery by high
chargrabe - tne fault OF the postal employees . .
During 1879. the registered malls carried Tor the
Treasury Department 81 237 packages OF United states
bonds carrecy National bank notes. silver certificates
internal revenue stamps etc, etc. valued at oyei
reetS from the gry system IN 1sGo
S595714 80. a considerable share Of which was
From 1857 TO 1860 the receipts decreased 3O2 per
cent From 1877 to 1880 they increased o. per
the during the last year alone having been
nearly 80 per cent
REPUBLICAN EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY.
The following passages give a striking view Of tho
favor OF cheap and Trustworthy service that
have been introduced since 1850;
revenues IL may be mentioned, an instance OF
economy expenditures that for the year ending June