The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-12-10
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
A Gratifying Condition of Affairs
Ah01En In This DE pm n mcmt.

The affairs Of the postal service are cx-
hibited by tho report Of the postmas-
ter general. which will be laid before yon.
The postal revenue. whose rates OF gain on
the rising prosperity of ISIS. aud 1858 out
stripped the increasing expenses OF our
growing service were checked by the reduce
fion III the rate of letter postage. which took
effect with the beginning of October in the
latter year. and il diminished during the two
past fiscal years rupt,. in the proportion
of ST.. "a. tiiu in 1854 TO 3D2a 900 in 1855. Nat
hral growth ard development have meantime
increased the expenditure. resulting III y de-
ficiency in thu revenue to meet the expenses
of the department OF Sa.soo,Ooo Tor
the year 1881. and eight and one-third
millions in the last fiscal year. The
anticipated and ansural revival of the
revenue has been oppressed and retarded by
the unfavorable business condition of the
country, of which the postal service IS q
faithful calendar. The gratifying fact Is
shown, however. by the report that our re-
turning prosperity is marked by gain OF
$3.50. 600 in the revenue of the latter half OF
the last year over the corresponding period
of the preceding year. The change in the
weight OF
FIRsT-CLASs MATTER,
which may be carried for a single rate or
postage from half-ounce to an ounce aud
the reduction by one-half of the rate of news
paper postage, which under recent legislation
begun with the current year, will operate 10
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-
ficiency to be shown ut its close, yet. after no
long period OF reawakencd prosperity, by
proper economy it is confidently expected
that even the present low rates. now as favor-
able Is those OF any country affords,
will be adequate to sustain the
system. The use of the pOstofiice depart
ment Is for the convenience and benefit Of
the people, and the method by which they
pay the charges of this useful arm Of their
public service SO that 1t 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-
| yention of waste or extravaganza. and good
/ results appear from the report TO have al
| ready been accomplished. ! approve the
recommendation OF tho postmaster general
| to reduce the charges on
/ DOMESTIC MONEY ORDERS
| Of IS and less from to scents. 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 reauisition the system would remain
/ self-supporting. The free-deivery system
/ has been established in additional cities dur.
/ ing the year. and lis now enjoy its con
| veniences Experience has commended it Il
| those who enjoy its benefits. and further en-
| largement of its facilities is due to other com
/ munitieS. In the cities where 1t has beer
established, taken together the local postage
| exceeds its maintenance by nearly Sl.30O.0O0
| The limit to which this system Is now confined
by law has been nearly reached, and tho rea
sons given justify the extension which ii
proposed. 1t was decided. with my appr0pa
ton, after 4 SUFFICIENT examination, to be in
| expedient for the postoifce department Il
contract for carrying our mails under the I'D.
| dtiOnal authority given by the last congress.
The amount was Inadequate to pay all. within
the provision of the law, the full rate of 81
cents per mile and 1t would hare been unjus
and unwise to have given to some and denied
IL ~ Others nor could a contract have beer
let under the law to all at . rate to hav,
brought the aggregate
WITHIN THE APPROPRIATION.
without such practical arrangement Of term
as would have violated it. The rate Of SCI
and inland POSTAGE which was preferred nm
der another statute, clearly appears to be
fair compensation for the desired service
being three times the price necessary t
secure transportation by other vessels upO
any route and much beyond the charges mad
to private persons for services not less bun
densome. Some of the steamship companies
upon the refusal OF the postmaster general {
attempt by the means provided the distribu
. ton of the sum appropriated as extra CON
|, / pe0S0t1On. WllnOreW the services Oh incl
J vessels and thereby occasioned slight incon
venience. though no considerable IL
jury. The mails have been dispatche
by other means. Whatever may b
thought Of the policy OF subsidie
OF lines Of public conveyance or travel, l NJ
satisfied that it should not be done unde
cover OF an expenditure incident to the al
ministration of department. nor shout
there be any uncertainty as to the recipien,
. of the subsidy or any discretion left to u
, executive officer rs to its distribution.
such gifts of public money are to be mad
. for the purpose OF aiding any enterprise i
, tue supposed interest of the public, cannt
: but think that the amount to be paid. an
the beneficiary. might better be determine
by congress than In any other way.
, THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
. OF delegates from the postal union countrie
convened at Lisbon in Portugal. in Fcbruar
last, and, after q session of some weeks, tn
delegates signed q convention amendatOry Q
the present postal union convention, in som
particulars designed to advance its purposes
This additional act has had my approval, an
will be laid before you with departmental re
ports. l approve the Recommendation OF tn
postmaster general that another assistant
provided for his department. l invite you
consideration to the several other recon
| in q narf