The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-12-05

estimates are Ordinary revenue, $50, 93S,-
~; from money orders, net revenue. $685.
o-ei total estimated revenue, S5O,670 i5t;
total expenditures estimated, Si6.7illll:
estimated excess of revenue, 3Q29Oi5.
In the report OF First Assistant PastmaS.
ter-Gener9l Hatton it is shown esti-
mate for compensation of past
masters Is largely m excess Of the sum
appropriated or asked FOR during the cur.
rent year. The reason assigned is the sum
appropriated 5 wholly iuadquaje FOR pay at
poStmasters, which is imi'ri not by appro.
prlatlon oils bur by fixed statutes and to
theeNt'nt Of their legal compensate ons the
gross revenue, ut the postal service are not
only appropriated but hypothecated to
their payment
The postmasiergene culls some sta.
ties from the report of First Assistant
PoStmaSicr-iener1lH atton, and proceeds:
~ quite concur in the recommendation of
the hgSt assistant pOstmaster.geueral tor
reformation OF the bank agency; still more
cordially DO ! recommend suggestions of
that officer as TO general reorganization of
the shipping office. The able report
OF the first assistant postmaster.genera
calls attention to the difficulty experienced
IN ADJUSTING salaries to pOStmasters of the
first and third classes, and in making
allowances for office expenses to
those of the first two classes. He
does not eXaggerate these difficulties.
1t may well be doubted if he could exagger-
ate them. Necessity herself though admit
ted to be the mother of invention, could not
invent more combrous or complex method
of adjusting salaries. Speaking of clerk
hire, the report says Postmasters
are eager for large allowances; most impor.
tunate are apt to be best served. They ask
earliest and oftenest. They employ every
kind Of entreaty and offer every sort of in
tiuence, personal and political. A clerk
must act upon such case as the postmaster
presents; he has no means OF rebutting it.
1t is not surprising that recent inves-
tigation by the first assistant postmaster
general resulted in the reduction, at eight
offices of an amount in the aggregate of
$5i530. Congress should make one
more effort upon the postal
service system and deposits for
small sums. After the fullest
consideration have been able to give the
subject ofpostal telegraph, | am forced to
the conclusion that the time has come when
telegraph and postal service should be en-
braCed under one management" AT
ter assigning reasons for this con-
ClusiOn, the postmaster general continues:
at concerns the public deeply. People
] llNlNL pay lttN W II VI VIII 'sN Wv WI
new and on old capital. So it has hap
pened that one corporation which has built
the most miles of telegraph has been
the largest purchaser of telegraph prop.
erty, it must continue to be so, No matter
how rich company may be, it is powerless
to prevent organization Of new and com.
petiting enterprises. Its sole protection is
to buy when the new rival proves hurtful.
No matter how conservative or Just may
be the management of the purchasing
company, it will demand from the public
dividends on capital invested TO eXtinguish
a rival. The only security capital
can have against these recurring
raids is to surrender the business
to the government. The only protection
the public can have against the multiplied
exactons is for the government to assume
exclusive control over the transmission of
domestic messages by the electrical tele
graph, too terrible to be welded by Other
than representatives of the whole people.