The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-06

ped the necessary expenses of oul
growing service, was checked by TIE
reduction in the rates of letter post
age, took effect with the beginning Of
the act in the latter year, and il
diminished during the two past fiscal
years $2,790,000 in about the pro.
portion of s2,270,OOO in 1884 to
S520,000 in 1885. Natural growth
and development having in the mean
time increased the expenditure, re,
sulang in a deficiency in the revenue
to meet the expenses of the depart,
nent of S5,225,00O for the year 1884.
end Ss,133,OO in the last fiscal year.
The anticipated and natural revival
pf the revenue has been oppressed
a1dretarded by the unfavorable busi-
ness condition of the country Of
Hieh the postal service is faithful
Indicator. The gratifying fact is
shown, however, by the report that
our returning prosperity is marked
by gain of $380,000 in the revenue
oftie latter half of the last year over
the corresponding period Of the pre-
cedirg year. The change in the
weigh of first class matter which.
may b carried for & single rate of
postae from a half ounce to an
ounce,and the reduction by one.half
of the rate Of newspaper postage.
which uder recent legislation begun
with tn current year, will operate to
restrainthe augmentation of receipts
which therwise might have been
to such degree that the
scale of expense may gain upon the
revenue nd cause an increased def.
cheney tooe shown at its close. Yet
after no Ing period of re-awakened
prosperity by proper economy it is
confdentL tLanticipated that even the
present lo7 rates now as favorable
as any coutry affords will be ade-
quate to astain the cost of the
service.
The opeltion of the Postofice
Department s for the convenience
and benefit # the people, and the
method by Wlch they pay the charges
Of this usefuhrm of this public SER
vice, SO that i.shall be just and i'm:
partial, is of lss Importance to them
than the ecoomical expenditure of
the means the provide for its main.
tenance and tl.due improvement of
its agencies, sfthat they may enjoy |
its highest useilness. A proper at
tention has bee directed to the pre-
vention of w.ster extravaganza. and |
good results aplar from the report
to have alreadyoeen accomplished.
: approve the Recommendation of the
Postmaster Genial to reduce the
charges on domesc money orders of
S. and less from cents to 5 cents. |
This change will internally aid those
of our people wholost of all avail |
themselves OF thifinstrumentality,
but to whom the ement of cheap
ness is of the greest Importance.
With this reduction e system would
still remain self-sup,rting.
The free delivery stem has been
extended to ninetn additional |
cities during the yea and 17S now
enjoy conveniences. xperience has
commended it to thoswho enjoy its
benefits, and further qRgement of
its facilities is due other commu-
mites to which it is adted. In the
cities where it has beeiestablished,
taken together with the, cal postage,
it exceeds its maintena e by nearly
$1,3O0,000. The limit which this
system is now confnedy law has
been nearly reached, anthe reasons
given justify its extensi, which is
proposed. It was decid, with my
aftGr a sufi.nt exami-
nation, to be inexpedit for the
Postoflce Department to ntract for
carrying our foreign mail1nder the
additional authority given the last
Congress. The amount lifted was
to pay all shin the
purview Of the Ian the 4 rate of
fifty cents per mile, and5 would
have been unjust and unwi to have
given it to some and desd it to
others. Nor could contr;s have
been let under the law toll at a
rate to have brought the $regate
within the appropriation whit such
practical pre-arrangement of rms as
would have violated it. Thate of
sea and inland postage, wi b was
proffered under another atute,
clearly appears to be fair open
cation for the desired seryicbeing
three times the price neceSy to
secure transportation by other ssels