Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-12-10
pOsTMAsrER eENERAEs REpoRr.

ed FOr-ReviVaI OF Business-Re-
view of the Steamship subsidy Dis
pute.
The annual report of the Postmaster
General for the year ending June 30.
1885, shows deficiency in the Post
Office account of little more than
IS Goo 600 The revenues have de-
creased So, GOO, 600 and the expendi-
lures increased $4,000, co., The chief
cause OF The decreased revenue Is the
reduction o. letter postage fron. 8 cents
TO :, but The report points out that
there is IN this result no warrant for
believing that the reduction was made
too soon. In fact. the falling off in
postage revenue during the past wear
was much less than during the wear
preceding. An analysis OF the receipts
makes 1t quite plain that the growth of
business under the chean rate has
reached the point If couniersct,or az
the falling off of revenue caused nv
the reduction. The general business
condition of the country bainp some
what unsatisfactory has also affec ed
the postal receipts The money order
and registered letter departments are
pointed out as excellent barometerg OF
business, the money order revenues
falling from 1919 geo IN 1884 to SlOO.-
900 IN 1855, and the decrease in the
number OF registered letters and par
GELS being 3 per cent, whereas there
had formerly been an increase each
year. During the last quarter az the
fiscal year there has, however been
gratifying growth in the receipts Of
the department-surely indlcatinr tho
revival of general business.
There are now in the country 81 252
Postotiices, OF which 2 1888 are Presi-
deAt!al. More new Offices were created
IN the Southern States than in any
other section, Virginia, cuuously
enough, requiring more than any
other state. La every state and terri
tory, saving Nevada, the number Of
offices increased during the wear.
These facts indicate that the SILVER
state is going down hill, while the old
Dominion, long out at the elbows. is
beginning to revive. The number OF
appointments Of Postmaslers during
the year was II, 2O3, less BY 2,69S than
during the year preceding. The de
crease arises from the fact that com
paratlvely few Offices were established
or appointments made during the IN
cumbency of Postmaster General Hat
ton, who left II TO the incoming adj
ministration TO hll vacancies TO the
number OF 1000 and upwards occur
ring during his period OF serve. The
number OF removals during the year
was $40, exceeding by 297 those made
IN the preceding twelve months.
The Postmaster General makes q
thorough review Of ms decision not To-
expend the appropriation Of $500 600,
commonly known as the subsidy"
The best reason for the decision was
the impossibIity OF applying the APP
preparation under the conditions
IN TIE law ipelf According 10 the
law none of the mooney could be paid
except to American contractors who
had only been successful in compeu-
live bidding, and yet only two routes
were sailed BY more than one con-
pany. To have solicited competition
would have been idle except upon
these two routes, as competition would
Lave been IDLE except up9n these two
routes, as competition was impossible.
The appropriation having been made,
OF course the steamship companies
were anxious 20 get it, and IT was IN
timated 10 the department that the
companies would make their bids in
such manner that the subsidy could
ee divided equlijbly between them.
But the Postmaster General could not
see it in that light. TIE law unmis-
faLalNlt ,sa,tttraA n
could not see the advantage OF bids
where there were no competitors. And
in the two cases where there was csfn-
petition, if the law were pursued and
contract awarded TO either OF lhe
companies on the trans Pacific route,
and another to either OF those plv-
ing between New York and Havana,
both public injury and private ialus-
tee would have been wrought be-
cause the public would have lost the
service of ore Comp any on each route
when 1t ought 10 eDJJy both, and
one company On each would have been
denied share OF the bounty 10 which
it was as well entitled as the other.
Tins constituted 10 itself SO grave an
| oil lection TO any employment OF the
authority of the act as 10 reader il az
doubtful expediency, proof OF which
/ lies IN the usases OF the transatlantic
carriage, where the best service is
gained by employing the swiftest ship
among those ready TO sail at any time
when mail is 10 be dispatched, 10
special contracts being made
ITO warrant such procedure, says
Mr.. Villas, "the act must be read 81 di-
recliug the department TO distribute
$500, 600 among American steamship
companies IN return for ;keir carrying
the mails in such manner as it might
deem fairest between them, and mcSt
iDgeniously evasige Of its written pur-
pose to secure competition and letting
of contracts to lowest bidders
The only other plan open to the
Postmaster General was to arbitrarily
distribute the subsidy among the COM
panles AS o gift OF extra mpensation-
] On this head Mr. Villas mi mis- Olsf hat