The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-13
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Extracts from ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Gresh-
ANS Report.


The revenues of the department for the
year amounted 20 SIS. .6srs, of which s4ll,6l9
vas the net revenue from tbs money-order
business. The expenditures of the year. not
| including the amount credited to the Pacific
Railway COMPANIES was 200. The to-
tai estimated surplus of revenue over total
cost for the year was Sl001.sSl. In addition
10 these expenditures $500 was pand on ac-
count OF liabilities for presious years Inc
than of the previous year Inc increase IN
| the item OF pay TO PoStmasterS was Sl-S5o.III
10 per cent more than Tor tnS previous year.
The estimated total cost OF raiiroad Transport
tation for the year was SlS,tlS.ocz- As COM
| pared with the previous year there was de-
crease IN the expenditure rSa star service OF
preparations for the service OF the year were
SIS, 500 more than the total expenditures
and estimated liabilities. Inc receipts and
SO 1876. are estimated as foHows: Receipts,
S4l,lO4,OsS; expenditures. exclusive OF amounts
TO be credited 70 the Pacific Railroad Com
The total number of post-offices is now Az
I, S63, or l,6S2 more than last year. or these
SIS are filled by the PRESIDENT Inc totst
number of departmental ofhcers ana employees
| Is 15S, an increase of 81; OF Postmasters ana
other officers and agents, 6s,USO, an increase
of 3,243
The star service shows a cost of s;.739,47S
with -, 9qS, 7S2 miles or annual TRANSPORTATION,
against cost of s., 81, $50 with .o,O.O95 miles
OF transportation in lSeo oelng an an S as SI
decrease in cost.
There has been a satisfactory increase Of
june there were 5g,7 noney-order Offices in
operation, which issued domeSlc orders
amounting to sir, 81, 400 and paid domestic
orders amounting to $ll1,344, 81. Inc inter-
national orders issued were Sl,lII,SSs, ana III
| ternational orders paid $SOoS,Ioi
The new postal notes are being extensively
employed. Those paid at the New York City
lost Nnr
numbered 1854 and amounted TO $iU6,eo4.
The number of postage stamps, stamped en-
velopes and pOstalcards issued during the
year was 1851 ,6S9, $50, and the value $42,9lO-
3i9. The largest item was ordinary postage
stamps of which there were issued lra2, ga.
SO, valued at $50 ,l19. The amounts OF
| postage collected on secOnd-class matter was
$l,i05,l11. OF this $40 per cent. was collected
at New York, SIT per cent. at Chicago, $50
| per cent at Boston, and % per cent AT Pnl-
adephla The new mode or treating heid-
fOT-pOsJage matter. by which the addresses
are invited by POstmaSters to remit the post
age and get the matter directly from the
mailing-ofiice was found to work so salts
| factorily at the free delivery Office that Il
has been extended to all the Presidential Of
fees.
The number of letters and parcels sent
through the registered mails was 10 594, 7l6, of
| which 7,s49 SD were domestic letters. The
total weight of the mails sent to postal union
countries, exclusive of Canada, was $50
pounds. OF these. 4l.2 per cent of the letters
and 4l.35 per cent. of the printed matter, sam:
pies. etc. were sent to Great Britain; and
250l per cent. of the letters and IL. - of the
prints, etc.. to Germany. The cost of the
ocean transportation OF mails was SSIo,oS2, an
increase of $36,354 over the preceding year.
one cent a copy is the uniform rate for all
newspapers. Many persons deposit IN posi-
Offices newspapers weighing more tnan two
ounces with a One-cent stamp on them. They
are not entitled to be sent, and. perhaps. are
not. This creates dissatisfaction. In order 10
obviate this ii 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 torbiddlng the
payment of money orders or the delivery of
registered letters to any person whom he be-
heves to be running a lottery scheme. His
conclusive, and his action is not subject to
judicial review. The power or Congress 70
enact such laws cannot be doubted, and the
order in question Is of binding force
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
The impression widely prevails that ouI
means of telegraphic communication should
not be limited to such as are furnished BY prt-
vate companies which enjoy monopoly and
claim to be exempt from Government control
in their relations with the public. Several
substitutes for the present system have been
suggested: % The acquisition and operation
of the existing lines by the Government. c.
The construction by the Government OF lines
which it will operate in competition with ex-
listing companies. % The creation OF com
pany by which lines OF telegraph are to be
supplied to the Capital of eacn State, and
other places having given number OF inhab-
itantS, or where stations are now maintained
or the business of the country may hereafter
require them. The company, in CONSIDERS
ton of the special powers conferred By Con-
gress. is at certain reduced rates 10 be pre-
paid by stamps, to transmit messages at o
compensation TO be paid by the United States
not TO exceed ten per centum upon its author
lied capital stock over and above operating
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. IL
will be perceived that they are essentially
different. The first two contemplate that tina
Government shall own and operate the lines,
including all the necessary apparatus; and
the third that a company thall be employed to
perform the required service at a stipulated
compensation.
From the best consideration which have
been enabled to bestow upon the subject,
have reached the conclusion that Congress
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 IL has full
authority to adopt either of the first two plans
which have mentioned.
The establishment and operation of a postal
with private companies would, it Is insisted,
reduce rates, which are now exorbitant and
protect the public against the abuses and
evils deemed TO be inseparable from the serv-
ice as it exists. In either event an enormous
expense must be incurred. But without dwell
ing upon that consideration it is clear that an
efficient execution of either plan will neees-
sarily involve the employment of a multitude.
of operators messengers. mechanics and
laborers, and nd thus thu largely add to the he
crease of that patronage beyond what is in
dispensable to the public service is to be
deprecated and avoided, and it ia 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--
thOrties. 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
political excitement, and TO some extent at
other times, is there not ground for serious
apprehension that the telegraph under the
exclusive control CT the dominant party,
might be abused to promote partisan purposes
tfoni But if it could be kept entirely free
from such influence 1 should hesitate to sane
ton measure providing that the United
States shall become the proprietor of tele-
graph lines and operate them by its officers.
and agents
have endeavored to maintaia. the author
ity of Congress to assume control of the tele--
graph because il has been and skill is serious
ly disputed. Inc existing companies operate
their lines solaly for the purpose Of making
money, and while it is doubtless true that
their rates as 4 whole are. unreasonable, yet
in view of what has already been said do
not think ths evils complained of are so
grievOus as. 70 call for Congressional intar-
Vention.
Among the $4,000 postmastsrs. in
the Unitsd States, $4,000 year il the
highest salary, and Eve cents the low
est. There are forty-seven who receive
LII NJ III