The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-12-13
THE POSTOFFICE.
General Gresham's Report.

postmaster Oeneral Gresnams
The report of the Postmaster General is very
full and comprehensive He estimates the reve-
nue. OF the department for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1885, at $7 0407s, and its expenditures
at s5o962, 49, leaving deficiency to be supplied
out of the Treasury OF s2,95s.ll1 This def
cheney will be caused, it is thought, by the re-
duction of postage, but the report suggests that
figures are purely conjectural.
The free delivery system has been largely ex-
tended during the year, and Is now In operation
at 154 offices.
The total appropriation for this service was
s3,2O0,0OO, including a special appropriation OF
$4,000 to carry out the provisions of the act of
Aug. 2, 1882 an increase Of $4,000 over that OF
the preceding year. The total cost or the service
was s., 173 1886. 81, leaving unexpended balance
OF S26,66349 The increase of the cost over the
preceding year was S550,073.77.
The present status of the Star service shows
for 1888 cost of 81, 39i7S, with 77,99s,7S2 miles
OF annual transportation, against cost OF ST.
32l 49s. with 76.O7O,9 1896 miles OF annual transpor.
tation in 1880, being an increase from 1880 or
1927,787 miles of transportation and 81, 5S2,O2l
decrease in cost. This service is now all per-
formed under contracts made upon proposals
submitted in response to advertisements. An
interesting Statement, showing the development
and cost of the railroad service from it's COM
mencement until June 80, 1888. Is presented. 1t
is the general opinion that the rates of pay have
been greatly increased of late years; the fact Is
otherwise. The cost per mile of transportation
in 1854 IL A cents; in 1883, notwithstanding
the enormous increase in weight of mails and
the superior facilities provided for distribution,
the cost is 1915 cents per mile.
ey-order offices in operation, whose transactions
during the year, of domestic orders issued,
amounted to Sl17 1923 81, and of domestic or
ders paid and repaid to $117, 344 lS1.7S OF inter-
national orders issued to $7,77 1922 IL, and of in
ternational orders paid and repaid TO $685.
1s705; grand total in issues of sl2S O47 S2s,42'
and in payments and repayments of $12O,407-
468S3 The fees received in domestic orders
issued aggregated 81 10, 80, and on interna-
tonal orders S170, 23S S0-a total OF $l,272O6O90.
The gains were, in domestic transactions,
about 80 per cent and in international trans
actions from LIS TO over So per cent; In domes-
tic fees about AZ per cent, and in international
fees from SO TO over "a per cent.
The Postmaster Geeeral opposes the proposed
reduction OF postage on drop letters from cents
to /, on the ground tsat 1t would increase the
cost of the carriers service and lead TO clamOr
for its extension but he is in favor of increasing
the single rate limit on all letters from half
ounce to an ounce. He also recommends that
the rate of postage on transient newspapers and
periodicals be fixed at l cent for every three
ounces, instead of cent for every two ounces as
now.
On the subject of postal telegraphy. the
Postmaster General Is diffuse. He says:
From the best consideration which i 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 itself OF all the
facilities devised by the inventive genius OF
modern times for transmitting messages and
intelligence, and that 1t has full authority TO
adopt either Of the first two plans which L have
mentioned.
The establishment and operation of postal
telegraph as a monopoly, or in competition with
private companies, would, IL is insisted reduce
rates which are now exorbitant and protect the
public against the abuses and evils deemed TO
be inseparable from the service rs 1t exists. In
either event an enormous expense must be in
CURED. But without dwelling upon that consid-
Grafton, 1t IL clear that efficient execution or
either plan will necessarily involve the employ
ment OF n multitude Of operators, messengers,
mechanics, and laborers, and thus largely add
TO the patronage OF the Government An increase
Of that patronage beyond what is indisDensa-
BILE to the public service is TO be deprecated and
avoided, and IL IL one of the dangers which
threaten the purity and duration of our institu-
lions. In Europe the telegraph is under the con-
troll of the public authorities. With us, the adj
ministration is the Government in action, and
may, for the time being and Tor all practical
purposes, be considered 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 of the dominant party,
might be abused to promote partisan purposes
and perpetuate the power of the enthusiastically
Bat IL it could be kept entirely free from such
influence, / should hesitate to sanction meas
ure providing that tho United States shall be-
come the proprietor of telegraph lines, and oper-
| ate them by its officers and agents"