Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-12-06
POSTAL MATTERS.
Annual Report Of the Postmaster Genera
and his Assistant

AsopOEt VI INC fO6tm08C0f General
and his Assistant.
Washington, Dec. 4-The report of
General Howe for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1889, shows the total
disbursements of the postal service dur
ing the year to be S40,482, ,O21; ordinary
receipts, 81 ,516y y642; receipts from money
orders, $780, ,767; excess Of receipts, ST.
294,388. For the first time in thirty.one
years the postal service is not burden
upon the treasury. In order to deter
mine the real cost of the postal service
for the past year there should be deduct
ed from the total disbursements $442,-
1856, which though paid ont last year,
was for services rendered the previous
year. To these should be added $685.
$50, estimated due for services rendered
last year. There should also be added
$ll70,l74 earned by railway COM
panies for the transporta-
ton of mails between the Missouri river
and the Pacific. The account thus
stated shows an excess of earnings of
but $330,050. The deficiency for the
previous fiscal year was S2,446,335. In
1850 the deficiency was more than SlO,-
OO,OOO. Some part of this great improve.
ment Il due to the wonderful growth and
prosperity of the country, but larger
part il due to the improved methods in
the administration of the service. The
heaviest item of expenditure is for the
transportation of mails on railroads. The
next heaviest is that for the pay of post
masters. These two items must swell
with the volume of business since the
rate of compensation is proportioned to
the amount of business done. The ex-
penditufe next in rank is for what is
known as the star service. That includes
all mail transportation not on railways,
nor on steamboats,. The amount and cost
of that service is left almost wholly to
arbitrary control of the department. For
the year ending June 3Oth, 1881, the ser.
vice covered 1857 ,296 miles of transpor-
tation at cost of S9,597 1856; for the
year ending June 30th, 1882, the same
service covered 79,924,6 miles, and the
cost was $5,553,849. The estimates for
1888 promise financial results still more
hattering than those realized during the
last fiscal year.
In the report of First Assistant Post.
master General Hatton it is shown that
the estimate for the compensation .o1
postmasters is largely in excess of that
appropriated or asked for during the
current year. The reason assigned ii
that the sum appropriated is wholly
inadequate. The pay of postma.ters is
Limited not by appropriation bills, but
by fixed statutes, and to the extent o1
their legal compensation. The gross
revenues of the postal service are not
only appropriated, but hypothecated tc
their payment. Postmasters collect the
postal revenues, and they are authorized
by law to deduct from the MONEYS il
their hands their legal compensations
They account to the treasury for the ex
cess only. If not dollar is eppropria
ted postmssters will receive their sala
ries all the same. It seems hardl,
practicable, therefore, to effect much ii
the interests of economy by applying
$8,0OO,O0O to pay postmasters while W.
place $4,000, 900 in their hands, out o
which they may help themselves to tn
full extent of their legal duties. Speak
ing OF clerk hire, the report says: Post
masters are eager for large allowance
and the most importunate are apt t
be the best served. They ask th
earliest and oftenest. The,
employ every kind Of entreaty and offe
every sort of influence, personal an
political. A clerk must act upon sue
case as the postmaster presents. He la
not the means of rebutting it. It is nc
surprising, therefore, that the recent il
vestlgation by the first assistant pos
master-general resulted in reduction q
eight offices, amounting in the aggregat
to S4.53O. Congress is invoked to mak
one more engraft upon the postal servic
1.-THE system of deposits for small sum
land "a Ia =. AZ II.
the postage on second class matter b
abolished. After the fullest considers
ton / have been able to give the subjec
of postal telegraph am forced to th
conclusion that the time has fully com
when the telegraph and postal servic
should be embraced under one manag,
| mont