The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-12-02
Postmaster. General MaynardS Report.
wAsH1NoroN, November a

Postmaster General Maylard's Report.
WASHINGTON, November "a
THE annual report Of the POstmaster.Gen
eral is made public. It begins with the re-
mark by MIR. Maynard that as he took charge
of the Department only on the 18th of August
last he speaks of 1t historically and as he finds
It, with littlo reference to his own ADMINISTERS
ton, which did not commence until after the
expiration of the fiscal year, with whose trans
actions the present report IL chiefly CON
cerned.
Mr. Maynard says no has carefully reviewed
the estimates submitted BY Assistant Post;
masterGeneral Brady for the next fiscal
years mail transportation in all its branches,
and approves all of them, as being in accord.
ance with the probable requirements of the
service. An appropriation is recommended
for the continuance of the special mail facili-
ties OH railroads, such as extra trains with
mails only, and acceleration of regular trains
carrying mails. ETC.. which the people have en-.
joyed for several years past.
The report further says: 1T Is not doubted
that regular and frequent means Of mail
steamship communication with Mexican, Gem
trail American, South American and trans
Pacific ports would prove important auxilia-
ries to American commerce, and I think 1t
would be a wise measure OF public policy to
encourage by appropriate legislation the estab-
lishment by our citizens OF American lines of
steamers to such Of said ports as will in the
judgment of Congress promote our CONNER
cial interests. l think It would be q wise
measure to SO amend the general law on the
subject az to authorize the payment by the
Postmastet-G General of just and reasonable
compensation, within the prescribed maxi
mum limit, and commensurate with the i'm.
pOrtance of the services performed, to such
lines of American steamers as may be en-
ployed under contract by this Department in
transporting mails Of the United States to
Mexican, Central American, South Americas
and trans-Pacific ports.
1.-THE money-0rder system continues to grow
in popular favor. The Superintendent of the
system suggests plan for the reduction of
fees which seems to me entirely feasible, and
which is commended to the attention Of Con-
gross. Briefly stated. his plan is to reduce the
fee for money-orders not exceeding Is to five
cents, and to extend the maximum limit of an
order from $50 to $780, so that the increased
commissions received for large orders may
Offset the loss resulting from the reduced fee
for small orders"
Mr.. Maynard renews the recommendations
of his predecessor for legislative authority to
accept and to carry into effect the provisions
of an article Of the Universal Postal Union
Convention, concluded ut Paris June l, 1878,
respecting the payment of limited indemnity
for registered articles of the Postal
Union, the origin and address of
which may be lost or stolen during the trans
mission through the mails; and also for such
modification of the provisions of the act of
March 3, 1879, us will authorize the adoption
by the Secretary Of the Treasury and Post
masterGeneral of regulations providing for
delivt ~ by mail to addresses at offices Of dcs-
tination in the United States. subject to pay
ment of customs duties thereon, of any packet
Of dutiable mail matter received in the mails
from foreign countries. He is of the opinion
also that authority to transmit and deliver du-
table articles of mail matter to addresses
through the mail, subject TO the payment of
Gus. oms duties thereon, should not be re-
strictcd to such mail matter us Is now OK
changcablc in the Universal Postal Union
mails, but should embrace oil articles Of du-
table matter received in the mails from other
countries.
The Postmaster.General suggests the estab.
lshment of "pCstaisavings' system, and
also Of postal telegraphs, in this country in the
following terms: zone of my predecessors
some years since recommended the incorpo-
ration into the Department of q system of
postal savings. The subject has from time to
time occupied the attention of Congress. For
sew eral yC ans the system has been in opera
tion in he United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland and in Canada. When in London,
recently, her Majesty's Postmaster General
kindly gave me facilities for observing the
- 1t
that the postal-savings system had been re-
markably successful, and had constantly
grown in popular favor. As managed in that
country. it is the source of some profit to the
Government. In this country, incline to the
belief that the system would have advantages
even greater than in compact population
like that Of Great Britain. In by far the larger
portion of the United States there are no saw
ings repositories, and are not likely to be. To
the people of those parts the use of the post.
Office for this purpose would be a great boon.
1t would be IN additional advantage that de-
posits would be available Mt any depository
office in the United States-an important con-
sideration with people so migratory as ours.
1t is believed the system would interfere little
with the business of savings-banks, but would
absorb funds not now deposited in them. Nor
would the patronage of the Government be
sensibly increased, since the system would be
operated by persons already in the public serv-
ice, with no considerable addition to the num-
Der. Your attention and the attention of Con-
gross is respectfully invited to it.
"During my visit to the British Post-Office I
examined with much interest the system Of
telegraphy for several years past connected
with the postal service. This method of cor
is thought to have made great
advance since it was changed from the mar
agement of private corporations, responsible
to nobody-hardly to public opinion-and
placed under the control of the Government.
The business has increased many fold, the
cost of sendiug messages has been largely re-
ducsd, and tie service Is performed in localt
ties it would never have reached under the
pecuniary stimulus of private enterprise. At
the same time it yields a margin of profit to
the Royal Treasury. Is 1t not time for US to
renew the inquiry whether it is wise to leave
this important instrument of correspondence
in charge Of corporations whose primary OBJ
ject is gain to the managers and stockholders,
and the convenience of the public secondary
only?" .
Mr.. Maynard renews for the consideration
Of Congress the suggestion made by his prcde-
ccssor that the word " fraudulent" as oc-
ours in Sections 1893 and 4,O4l, Revised Stat
utes. preceding the word "lottely," should be
stricken out. He says: "That Congress,
while expressly for bidding the use of the oldi-
nary mail to all lottery companies, whether
or not, should intend to afford the
special security of the registry system aud
convenience and safety Of the money-order
system to persons engaged in employmcnts
declared by the Supreme Court Of the United
States to be 'demoralizing in their effects, no
matter how carefully regulated unless ex-
press proof of fraud can be made against such
Is not to be assumed. COngrt IS
will not Intentionally aid in demoralizing he
public by a1ording extraordinary postal facil-
tiles to persons or companies whose business
this result
He further says that the legal positions
taken by his predecessor concerning the pow
er of the Post-Ofiicc Department to exclude
lotteries from the use of the mails meet his ap-
prevail, and, under a recent decision of the
United States Supreme Court in the case of
Stone vs. the State of Mississippi, he has felt
It to be his official duty also to give full effect
TO the action of any State Legislature in its
effort to relieve tho public from the evil con-
scquencics Of pernicious legislation in the