National Republican., 1883-04-14
TnE rAY or posrMAsrEns.
IL win be Considerably Cut Down by the
New Law and the Reduction OF Postage
How Uncle Sam will suffer.

IL will he Considerably Cut Down by the
New Law and the Reduction OF Postage
How Uncle Sam will suffer.
The new law for tho adjustment of the
salaries of postmasters-taken in'connection
with the forthcoming reduction of letter
postage from three to two cents-will effect a
material change in the pay of postmasters in
all small oficesIas well as in the amount Of
revenue derived from such offices by the gov
ernmont. II is estimated by those best quail
| fed to judge that under the new law and
upon the present volume of business the
aggregate revenue of the Postofiice depart
| ment from the sale of postage stamps
of all kinds will be reduced one-ffth, or
20 per cent. Upon the basis Of this estimate
the proportionate receipts of tho government
and the postmasters respectively in the
| smaller offices will be changed as follows: In
postofice where the annual revenue from
stamps amounts TO $50 the postmaster now
receives $50 and the government 500. Under
| the new law for q like amount of business the
postmaster will receive $40 and the govern
ment nothing.
Similar proportionate changes will be made
| in the receipts of the government and the
| postmasters, according to the amount of busi-
ness done, until offices are reached which
! have gross revenue from stamps Of $3.50 per
annum. In this class of offices pOstmasters
now receive $3.50 per annum, and the gov
ernment 800. Under the new law the former
will receive 500 and the latter nothing In
offices whore the revenue exceeds that of the
class last mentioned, the government begins
to derive revenue. For instances In post
office where the income from the sale of
stamps amounts TO $400 year, the postmaster
now receives $240 and the government
$160. Under the new law the post
master will receive St272 and the gov
ernment SiS. In q postoilice with
an annual revenue of 5000 the postmaster is
now paid $40, and the government receives
$500. Under the now law the postmaster will
receive S36S and the government SIP. An
Office with an annual revenue of $500 under
the present law pays the postmaster $40 and
the government $500. Under tho new law
the same office will pay the postmaster $46C
and the government $50.
In postoflices where the animal revenue
reaches VI 600 the pay of the postmaster under
the present and the new law is the same
$40 Ibut under the present law the govern
ment receives $500, while under the new law
it will get only 300.
In offices which have an annual income oi
$1,000, the new law will reduce the pay oi
postmasters from S6i0 to $500, and the re
ceipts of the government from $3.50 to $40.
In offices with an annual income of 81 600
the pay of postmasters will be reduced from
$500 to $3.50, and the receipts of the govern
ment from $500 TO $500.
In offices where the pay Of the postmaster
derived from the sale of stamps reaches $500
the income from the rent of boxes is usually
enough to make the compensation of thu
postmasters $1,000 per year, and when 4
reaches that amount the Office is placed In
the third class. The postmaster is then com,
missioned by the president with specified
salary, and his pay is no longer determined
by the amount of stamps which he cancels.