The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-12-10
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
A Gratifying Condition of Affairs
Shown i'm This Department.


ter general, which will be laid before you.
The postal revenue, whose rates of gain on
the rising prosperity OF 1882 and 1883 out
stripped the increasing expenses of our
growing service were checked by the reduce
ton in the rate Of letter postage, which took
effect with the beginning of October in the
latter year, and it diminished during the two
past fiscal years 81, 100, 600, in the proportion
Of 600 in 1854 to $500, 900 in 1885. Nat
ural growth and development have meantime
nciency In the revenue to meet tho expenses
of the department of &5.250,OO0 for
the year 1884, and eight and One-thrd
millions in the last fiscal year. The
anticipated and antural revival OF the
revenue has been oppressed and retarded by
the unfavOrable business condition Of the
country. of which the postal service is a
faithful calendar. The gratifying fact is
shown, however, by the report that our re-
turning prosperity is marked by gain Of
$3.50, 900 in the revenue Of the latter half OF
the last year over the corresponding period
OF the preceding year. The change in tho
weight of
TRST-CLASS MATTER,
which may be carried fora single rate of
postage from q half-ounce to an ounce, and
the reduction by 0ne-half of the rate Of news
paper postage, which under recent legislation
begun with the current year. will operate TO
restrain the augmentation of receipts, which
otherwise might have been expected. to such
. degree that the scale of expense may gain
upon the revenue and cause an increased de-
aciency to be shown at its close, yet. after no
long period OF reawakcned prosperity, by
proper economy it is confidently expected
that even the present low rates, now as favor
able as those of any country affords,
win be adequate to sustain the
system. The use of the postot1ice depart
ment is for the convenience and benefit Of
the people. and the method by which they
nh k1~s- Eel
public service so that it may be just and inn
partial is of less importance to them than the
means they provide for its maintenance, and
the due improvement of its agency so that
they may enjoy its highest usefulness. A
proper attention has been directed to the pre-
results appear from the report to have al
ready boon accomplished. l approve the
recommendation OF the postmaster general
to reduce the charges on
DOMESTIC MONEY ORDERS
of IS and less from to cents. This change
will materially aid those of our people, who,
most of all, avail themselves of this instru-
mentality, but to whom the element Of cheap
ness Is of the greatest Importance. With
this reQuisition the system would remain
self-supporting. The free-delivery system
has been established in additional cities dur
ing the year. and 178 now enjoy its con-
veniences. Experience has commended it to
largement of its facilities Is due to other CON-
munities. In the cities where it has been
established, taken together, the local postage
exceeds its maintenance by nearly 1,3O0, 600.
The limit to which this system is now confined
by law has been nearly reached, and the rea-
sons given justify the extension which is
proposed. It was decided, with my approoa-
ton. after q sufficient examination, to be iu-
expedient for the postof6ce department to
contract for carrying our mails under the adj
ditional authority given by the last congress.
The amount was Inadequate to pay all, within
the provision of the law, the full rate of 50
cents per mile and it would have been unjust
and unwise to have given to some and denied
it to others, nor could a contract have been
let under the law to all at rate to have
brought the aggregate
WITHIN THE APPROPRIATION.
without such practical arrangement Of terms
as would have violated it.. The rate of sea
and inland postage, which was preferred nm
der another statute, clearly appears to be q
fair compensation for the desired service,
being three times the price necessary to
secure transportation by other vessels upon
any route and much beyond the charges made
to private persons for services not less bur
densome. Some Of the steamship companies,
upon the refusal Of the postmaster general to
attempt by the means provided the distribu-
ton OF the sum appropriated as extra COM
pensation, withdrew the services of their
vessels and thereby occasioned slight incon-
venience. though no considerable in
jury. The mails have been dispatched
by other means. Whatever may be
thought of the policy of subsidies
OF lines Of public conveyance or travel, 1 am
satisfied that it should not be done under
cover of an expenditure incident to the ad-
ministration of department, nor should
there be any uncertainty as to the recipients
of the subsidy or any discretion left to an
executive officer as to its distribution. II
such gifts of public money are to be made
for the purpose of aiding any enterprise in
tho supposed interest of the public, cannot
but think that the amount to be paid. and
the beneficiary, might better be determined
by congress than in any other way.
THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
OF delegates from the postal union countries
convened at Lisbon in Portugal, in February
last, and, after a session of some weeks, the
delegates signed q convention amendatory of
the present postal union convention, in some
particulars designed to advance it's purposes.
This additional act has had my approval, and
will be laid before you with departmental re-
ports. approve the recommendation OF the
postmaster general that another assistant be
provided for his department.. invite your
consideration to the several other recon-
mendations contained in his report