The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-02

Y.
the accelefat;on of regular trains carrying mails
ETC., which the people have enjoyed for several
years past The report further says: 1T is
not doubted that regular and frequent means
of mail steamship communications with Mexi-
can, Central American, South American and
trans Paclhc ports, would prove important aux
illarles to American commerce, and
l think it would be wise
measure Of public policy to encourage by leg
lslation the establishment by our own oitizens
of American lines of steamers to such Of said
ports as will, in the judgment of Congress,
promste our commercial interests. think it
would be Wise measure to so amend the gem
eraf law on the subject "a to
authorize the payment by the postmaster
general of just and reasonable compen-
sation, within prescribed maximum limit,
commensurate with the importance of the SER
vices performed. to such line Of amended
steamers as may be employed under contract
with this deparsment in transporting mails of
the United States to Mexico Central America,
South America and trans-Pacifc points.
MONEY ORDERS.
The money order syste m continues to grow
in popular favor. The superintendent of the
money order system suggests a plan for the
reduction Of the fees which seems to me en-
tirely feasible and which il commended to the
attention Of Congress-. Briefly stated his plan
is to reduce the fee for money orders not ex-
ceeding five dollars to five cents and extend
the maximum limit of an order from $50 to
SlOO so that increased commissions received
for large orders may offset the loss resulting
from the reduced fee for small orders. The
money order business and operations of letter
carriers were reported in highly satisfactory
condition. tt5l@
Mr. Maynard 1enews the recommendations Of
his predecessor for legislative authority to &c
cept and to carry into effect the provisions of
apkS Ia 49, no r,vSr
vention concluded at Paris the first of June.
1878, respecting the payment of limited in
demnity for registered articles of the postal
union, the original address of which may be
loet or stolen during transmission through the
mails, and also for such modification Of the
provisions of the act of March Sd, 1870, a. will
authorize the adoption, by the secretary of
eral, of regulations providing for
delivery by mail to addresses at Offices of
destination in the United States, subject to
payment of customs duties thereon. anv
packet of dutiable mail matter received in the
mails from foreign countries. He is of opinion
also that authority to transmit and deliver
dutiable articles of mail matter to addresses
through the mails subject to the paymnet Of
customs duties thereon, should not be restrict
ed to such mail matter as is now exchangeabie
in the universal postal union mails, but should
embrace all articles of dutiable matter received
in its malls from other countries.
POSTAL SAVINGS BANK AND TELEGRAPH.
The postmaster general suggests the estab-
lishment of a ''postal savings" system and also
of postal telegraphs in the country, in the fol-
lowing terms rI a..
One of my predecessors some yeara since
recon- mended the incorporation into the de-
par: m mt of a System Of postal savings. The
subject hns from time to time occupied the at
tention of Congress for several years. The
RVatpm in ps:xo
and Ireland and Canada. When in London re-
Gently her msjestv's postmaster general
kindly gave me facilities for OBJ
serving the management of his department..
learned that the postal savings system had
been remarkably successful and had Constant
~ grown in public favor. As managed in
that country it is a source of some profit to the
government. In this countay 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
people of these parts the use of the postofice
for this purpose would be real boon. It
would be an additional advantage that depos-
it's would be available at any depository Office
alton with people 30 migratory a. ours.
1t IL 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
senaibly increased, since the system would be
operated by persons already in public service,
with no considerable addition to the number
Your attention and the attention of Congress
is respectfully invited to it.
During my visit to the British DOS tofice I
examined with much interest the system Of
telegrapby for several years past connected
respondence is thought to have made great
advance since it was changed from the manage
ment of a private corporation, responsible to
nobody, hardly to public opinion, and placed
under control of the government. The bust
ness has increased many fold. The cost of
the service is performed in localities which
would never be reached under the stimulus of
private enterprise. At the same time it
yields a margin of profit to the royal treasury.
This is not the time for US to renew the in
quiry whether it is wise to leave this important
instrument of correspondence in charge Of
corporations whose primary object is gain to
| the managers and stockholders, and conven.
ance of the public secondary only.
Mr.. Maynard renews, for the consideration
of Congress, the suggestion made by bis pre-
| decessor, that the word Fraudulent" a. it
occurs in sections S,429 and 4,04l, revised
statutes. preceding the word lottery" should
| while expressly forbidding the use Of
ordinary mails to all lottery companies, whether
fraudulent, or not, should intend to afford
special security of the registry system, end
| convenience and safety of the money order
! system to persons engaged in employments de-
clared by the supreme court of the United
States to be "demoralizing in their effect," no
! matter how carefully regulated.
Unless express proof of fraud can be made
| against such companies, itiis not to be assumed
Congress will Intentionally aid in demoraliz-
ing the public by afording extra ordinary
postal facilities to persons or companies whose
business accompany this result.
He further says that the legal positions taken
by his predecessor concerning the power of the
| postofice department to exclude lotteries from
the use of the mails meet his approval, and I'M
der 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 to give full effect to the action OF
any State legislature in its effort to relieve the
public from the evil consequences of pernicious
legislation in the past.
Before leaving the subject MIR. Maynard re-
news the Recommendation of Postmaster
General Key that newspapers containing lot
terry advertisements be deprived of the privi-
leges of the mails.
Attention is again called to suit brought by
Christopher @. Campbell against postmaster ut
New York, which is now pending upon appeA,
before the supreme court. Suit has recently
| been brOl,rht bv thu same nersOn aoainkt sev.