Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-12-19

TEE POSTAL SERVICE.
CHEAP POSTAGE AND DULL TIMES

CHEAP POSTAGE AND DULL TIMES.
The affairs Of the postal service are exhibited
by the report Of the postmaster general. which
will be laid before you. The postal revenue,
whose rates of gain upon tho rising prosperity Of
1oe2 and 1883 outstripped the increasing sI-
ptnses of our growing service, war caerned ~
the reduction ia the rate OF letter postage, which
took effect with the beginning Of October III the
latter year, and II has diminished during the two
past fiscal years s., 19J,OD- IN the proportion oS
S2,21O,OO in 1884 to $4,000 in 1855. Natural
growth and development have meantime in
creased expenditures, resulting in a deficiency
in the revenue Of tn" department of S3,Eo.g0 for
the year 1874, and SS.233, 333 in the last fiscal year.
The anticipated ana natuia revival Of the rese-
nuo has been OBJ resscd and retarded by
THE U~NFAYORABLE BUSINESS CONDITION OF
Ii COUNTRY,
of which the postal service is Il faithful Indicator.
The gratifying fact is shown, however, by the re-
mort that our returning prosperity is marked by
a gain of S3-O.UO in tho revenue of the latter
half OF the last year over the corresponding
period of the preceding year. The change IN the
weight Of tTst-ciass matter, which may be car
ried Tor a single rate OF postage from a half
ornce 10 an ounce, and the reduction OF one
half of the rate Of newspaper postage, which an
der recent legislation began with the current
year, viii operate to restrain the augmentation
of receipts, which otherwise might have been e1-
pected, To such = degree that the scale OF eS expense
may gain upon the revenue and cause an In
creased deficiency TO be shown at it's close. Yet
after no long period of reawakcned prosperity:
by proper economy il is confidently anticipated
that even the present low rates, now az favorable
a. any country affords, will be adequate to sus-
tain the cost OF the service.
The operation Of the postotice department 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. go tlat 1t
be just and impartial, is Of less Importance TO
them than the economical expenditure of the
means they provide for Its maintenance and the
due Improvement of it's agencies SO that they
may enjoy its highest usefulness. A proper
attention las been directed To the prevention of
waste or extravaganza, and good results appear
from the report TO have already been accom-
plished.
| masteT-general to reduce the charges on domes-
tic money orders of s. and less from to 3 cents.
This change will materially aid those OF our peo-
pie who most of all avail themselves OF this
nstrumentality, but to whom the element of
cheapness is of the greatest Importance. With
this reduction the system would still remain
self supporting.
THE FREE DELIVERY SYSTEM
hre been extended 10 nineteen additional cities
during the yeai, and l8 now enjoy it's con-
veniences. Experience has commended II to
| those who enjoy its benefits and further enlarge
ment of its facilities is due 70 other. communi-
ties to which II Is adopted. In the cities where
it has been established, taken together, the loca!
postage exceeds its maintenance by nearly
$l.3lu,Uo. The limit to which this system IS
now confined by law has been nearly reached,
and the reasons, given justify its extension,
which IL proposed.
1t was decided, with my appreciation after a
sufficient examination, to be- ncxpedientf for the
postoiiice department to Contract for
CARRYING OUR FOREIGN NAILS
under the additional authority given by the last
| congress. The amount limited was inadequate
10 pay all within the pur'le@ OF the Law, the fuii
rate Of ~ cents per mile, and it would have been
unjust and unWlse to have gwen II 10 some anu
denied IL g. others. Nor could contracts have
been let under the law 10 I'll at a rate to have
brought tho aggregate within the appropria-
ton without such practical prcarrangemoA
of terms as would have %vioiated
it: The rate Of sea ana !niahd
ute. clearly appears ~ be "a fair compensation for
the desired service, being three times the price
necessary 10 secure transportation by other Vcs-
sells upon any route, ana much beyond The Charges
made to private persons To- 80, t.cts not less pur-
densome. Some of the slrUship companies,
upon the refusal oe the poeiIuastcr-:ener;l To at
| tempt by the means provided the distribution OF
the sum appropriated as extra conn e~hshtion,
withdrew the services Of their vessels and thereby
occasioncd slight Inconvenience. although no
considerable injury. The mails have been dis
patchedglby other means. Whatever may be
| thought OF
ii POLICY or SUBSTITUTING
| any line Of public CONVEYANCE or travel, j am
satisfied that il should not be done under cove
| OF an expenditure incident to the administrator
of a department. nor should there be any uncer-
tainty as to the recipients OF the subsidy or any
| discretion left To an executive officer as to it
distribution. LII such gifts OF public money ar
| prise in the supposed interest Of the public, ]
I cannot bat think that the amount To be paid anu
| the beneficiary might better DO determined b.
congress than any other way.
THE INTERNATIONAL CoNGRLss
of delegates from the postal union ~corntrie.
convened in Lisbon, in Portugal, In Fsbrusr.