Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-12-11

The affairs of the postal service ara exhibited
bv tho report of the postmaster general which
will I've laid before YOU The postal revenue whose
ratr W gatn upon the rising prosperity Of 1881
aud 1859 outstrtppcd the increasing expenses Of
oar growing service, WIS checked by the rrduc
ton III the rate Cf letter postage, which took
effect with the beginning Of October IN the
latter case and it diminished during the two
rast fiscal years s.. NO in the proportion
"f $A2,O,@h III 1881, to S2N,tNO in 1885.
Natural growth and Development have mean
time Increased expenditures, resulting in de
tiCicUCN IN tn" revenue a. meet the expenses of
the department Of five and one fourth millions dol
lars Tor the year lSSl aud eight and Ouethtrd
million in the last fiscal wear Tho anticipated
GEa natural p'viVal Of tho revenue has been
oppressed and retarded by the untavorabe huSi.
ness condition of the country, Of which the postal
service IS useful calendar. The gratifying fact
is shown however Ivy tho report that our return
ug prosperity is marked Ivy a gain NJ SiSe.uOo IN
the revenue of tho latter half of last wear, over
the corresponding period OF the preceding year.
: The change in the weight Of first class matter,
Wht,-h may I've carried for single rate VI postage.
from half ounce 10 an ounce ard the reduction
hv one half Ot the rate of newspaper postage
which. under recent legislation, began with the
current year, will operate to restrain the aug
mvntatjOu uf the receipts. which otherwise might
have been expected 10 such degree that the
scale ui expense may gam upon the revenue aut
rlH>c an Increased deficiency 10 b" shown al Its
,iuSr Yet after no long period 81 reawakened
prosperity aud hy proper eCouomyi il is confident
W anticipated that even the present low rates,
nov rs favorable rs any country affords. will be
adequate 60 sustain the cost Of the service
The operation ~ the use ot the post Office de
partmeut is for the convenience and benefit NJ
the people and the method by which they pay
the charges OF = Is useful arm OF their public
service 50 that il may he just and impartial is ot
less Importance 10 them than the economical CN-
pcudtturcs that the means they provide for its
maintenance and the due improvement of its
agency, 81 that they may enjoy its highest use
tulnEsS. a proper attention has been directed to
the prevention OF waste or extravaganza and
good results appear from the report 10 have al
ready been accomplished.
| approve the Recommendation OF the post
master general to reduce the charges on domos-
tic money orders OF five dollars and less from
eight 10 live cents, This change will materially
aid those of our people who most OF all avail
themselves Of this fundamentally, but 20 whom
tho element OF cheapneSS is Of greatest import
Suce. With this regulation the system would
still remain self supporting The free delivery sys
tenn has been extended to seventy nine additional
cities during the year, and las now enjoy its con-
venIences. Experience has commended IL TO
those who enjoy its benefits, and further enlarge
ties.
In tho cities where It has been established,
taken together the local postage exceeds its
maintenance by nearly one million three hundred
thousand dollars The limits TO which this system
is now confined by law has been nearly reached
and the reasons given justify its extension which
Is proposed, 1t WAS decided with my approba-
ton after a sufficient examin ton, 10 be inexpe-
dent for the postofiice department to contract
fer carrying