Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-12-20
S144,553,5A
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Extracts from Postmaster-GeneralG resh-
ANS Report.

The revenues of the department for the
year amounted to S45, sos. 692, of which sil1.6l9
was the net revenue from tho money order
business. The expenditures of the year, not
including the amount credited to the Pacific
Railway Companies, was $42, roo The to-
tai estimated surplus of revenue over total
cost for the year was $l001 PSI. In addition
to these expenditures $466,243 was paid on ae-
eeep Si were per
than of the previous year. The increase IN
the item of pay to Postmasters was sl.35o.7l7
Id per cent. more than for the previous year.
The estimated total cost of railroad transpor-
tation for the year was S12,7l9.oo2 As COM
pared with the previous year there was a de-
crease in the expenditure for star service of
$40 ,939, or is per cent. The aggregate APP
preparations for the service of the year were
| and estimated liabilities. The receipts and
expenditures for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1885, are estimated as follows: Receipts
SAT, lO4 O7S: expenditures, exclusive of amounts
| to be credited to the Pacific Railroad Com
| panies, s5O.062. $780,
The total number of post-ofices is now A.
| S63, or 1,632 more than last year. OF these
| ,l43 are filed by the President. The total
number of departmental officers and employees
other officers and agents, 69,020, an increase
The star service shows cost of 81, T39, 47s,
with u, $685. 1872 miles of annual transportation,
against cost of S7,321 ,4s9 with 160.0,& miles
OF in 1851 being an lnerease o OF
dec0ase in cost.
Th0re has been satisfactory increase. OF
the money-order business. The 50th of last
June there were 5,927 mOney-Order offices in
| operation, which issued domestic orders
| amounting to $l17, 329, 406 and paid domestic
orders amounting to slla,344,' 81. The inter
national orders issued were ST., 49,, and in
| ternatiOnal orders paid $5,063, lS7.
The new postal notes are being extensively
employed. Those paid at the New York City
Post-otfice from September 3 TO October 20
numbered 1914 and amounted to SlO6,e5i;
The number of postage stamps, stamped en-
| yelOpeS and pOStal-cardS issued during the
year was l,S6i, 6s9. 669, and the value si2,9l0,-
stamps of Which there were issued 1,sla, 743,-
| 500, valued at $50, 3O7,1 79. The amounts of
| postage collected on second-claSs matter W as
| S1,5O5.117. OF this 264O per cent. was collected
at New York, S.31 per cent. at Chicago. $50
per cent. at Boston, and SO per cent. at Phil
| fOr-poStage matter, by which the addresses
are invited by Postmasters to remit the post
age and get the matter directly from the
| factorily at the free delivery office that it
has been extended to all the Presidential Of
! fees.
through the registered mails was IL, 5a4, 716, of
which 7,S49, S26 were domestic letters. The
countries, exclusive of Canada, was 2.5G990
pounds OF these, Al. 81 per cent. of the letters
and Abs per cent of the printed matter, sam
s.. OF PET Gent of the letters and 1880 of the
prints, etc.. to Germany. The cost of the
increase of SD, 354 over the preceding year.
There seems to be popular impression that
one cent copy is the uniform rate Tor all
newspapers. Many persons deposit In post
offices newspapers weighing more than two
ounces with q One-cent stamp on them. They
are not entitled tS be sent and; perhnps are
obviate this it is recommended that the rate
of postage on newspapers and periodicals sent
by Others than the publishers or news agents
be made one cent per three ounces.
The Postmaster-General is invested with
authority to issue an order forbidding the
Of orders n the delivery of
registered letters to any person whom he be.
lieves to be running a lottery scheme; His
conclusive, and his action is not subject to
judicial review. The power of Congress to
enact such laws cannot be doubted, and the
order in question is of binding force.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The impression widely prevails that our
means of telegraphic communication should
not be limited to such as are furnished by pri-
vate companies which enjoy a monopoly and
claim to be exempt from Government control
in their relations with the public. Several
substitutes for the present system have been
suggested: ID The acquisition and operation
The construction by the Government of lines
which it will operate in competition with ex-
listing companies: 81 The creation OF com,
supplied to the Capital of each State, and
other places having given number of inhab-
or the business of the country may hereafter
require them. The company, in conSidera.
ton of the special powers conferred by Con-
paid by stamps, to transmit messages at a
compensation to be paid by the United states
not to exceed ten per centum upon its author
expenses. The Government is obliged to
furnish at each station the requisite accom-
modations for the officers employed in the
transaction of business, and to assume the
duty of receiving messages and delivering
by mail or otherwise such as are transmitted.
I merely state in the most general form the
leading features of each of these plans; 1t
different. The first two contemplate that the
Government shall own and operate the lines,
including all the necessary apparatus; and
the third that company thall be employed to
perform the required service at stipulated
Compensation.
From the best consideration which I have
been enabled to bestow upon the subject, 1
has the constitutional power in providing for
the postal service of the country to avail it.
self of all the facilities devised by the invent
i've genius of modern times for transmitting
messages and intelligence, and that it has full
authority to adopt either OF the first two plans
which have mentioned.
The establishment and operation of postai
telegraph as monopoly or in competition
reduce wsiu rates, which are now exorbitant, and
protect the public against the abuses and
evils deemed to be inseparable from the serv-
expense must be incurred. But without dwell
ing upon that consideration it is clear that an
sarily move the employment Of multitude
of operators, messengers. mechanics and
patronage of the Government. An in
crease Of that patronage beyond what is in
dispensable to the public service is to be
deprecated and avoided and it is one of the
dangers which threaten the purity and dura-
ton of our institutions. In Europe the tele-
graph is under the control of the public au-
thorities. With US the Administration is the
Government in action, and may, for the time
being and for all practical purposes, be con-
sidered the Government itself In seasons Of
QYcitam2nt. and to some oXcH9lG at
other times, is there not ground for sericSs
exclusive control of the dominant party,
might be abused to promote partisan purposes
tionf but Elf 1t could be kepts entirely free
from such influence should hesitate to sane.
ton q measure providing that the United
States shall become-th the proprietor OF teie-
graph lines and operate them by its officers
and agents
have endeavored to maintain the author
ity of Congress to assume control of the tele-
graph because it has been and still is serious
" disputed. The existing companies operate
their lines solely for the purpose of making