The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-02

wee was instituted by direction of the late
President, and Is still being prosecuted Inc
Postofiice Department has co-operated ana
will continue 10 cooperate with the Department
of Justice in this investigation. No one VINO
has not been directly concerned In the matter
can fully appreciate the magnitude OF the
undertaking, the mass Of record evidence ex-
amined, the difficulties OF a personal inyesti-
CATION in sparsely-settled territories and the re-
suits attained by the patient and intelligent
labors of the inspectors OF this department.
There can he no doubt, from the facts already
ascertained, that the existing statutes leave the
way open to great abuses, and that there IL
abundant ground for asking a judicial investi-
CATION of the transactions OF the last few
years.
The report then turns to the question OF a
reduction in the rates of postage, and says II
the recommendations for decrease in the cost
of railway service be successfully carried out
the reduction of letter postage from to cents
will be possible within three years. III believes
this reduction could be accomplished without
the proportionate diminution of receipts which
followed the adoption Of Scent postage IN
1851.
There we're 2, 915 new postofices established
during the year. and an equal number OF new
fostnlasters. The total number OF employees
in the department June 30, 1881, was 81, 444,
against 60 $50 June 80, 1880.
The report urges the extension OF the free
been found that the convenience of delivery
and deposit acts as an incentive TO letter
writing. There was an increase during the
year OF 81. 000, 900 in the number OF letters and
other articles of mail matter delivered and
collected by carriers.
Attention IL invited to the fact that, Of the
4,636 complaints OF registered letters and
packages as lost, rlied, tempered with and
detained, 2,575 were recovered or satisfactorily
accounted for, leaving only 2061 still under
investigation, or finally closed as lost including
losses by fire, highway robberies and other
thefts. by comparing this number, Z,UoI,
with the entire number of letters and packets
registered during the year, namely, $500, 900,
the certainty aud security OF the registered
mail is clearly demonstrated.
There were 16,5 62 ordinary letters reported
lost, of which IL, 10S were letters with valuable
Enclosures, and 4, 454 contents not specified. OF
this number 1877 were reported as being de-
hvered.
Three hundred and twenty-three robberies
Of postpffices were reported during the year,
and nnety-two offices were burned. Robberies
of mail stages on the highways numbered
eighty-six. One hundred and thirty-ive COM
plants of depredations were made by Postmas-
ters, of which nineteen were found TO have
been groundless. Eleven mails were reported
rs burned in mail cars, in railroad accidents or
in postoffices, aud slxty-fiye were reported as
lost by carriers by floods snow blockades or
from other causes.
In concluding his report Postmaster General
James has word TO say in favor OF civil-ser-
vice reform. He il convinced of the great
public benefit to be derived from conducting
the public business on business principles. The
public is best served by honest, experienced
and competent officers. and changes, there
fore, should be made carefully and only for
reasons affecting of1icia conduct.