The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-04

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E bur IL : also noticed that the narahei
Of actual losses Is less in proportion
( 70 the number OF complainis treated
( ssx thousand six hundred and eighty,
three cases related to Fegisterea m9fl
Z Slsa 20 orsliuarg mail, and SO 20 nis-
/ ceslaneous mad. Aet1Al loss vas Sus,
tzined in 7a7 eases relating 20 regis
( fsred matter.
Tables Of tests OF the eft 7iency 81
Fzil~ay posto9siee clerks under the
standard adopted prior to i>SS a7e
/ submitted, showing a marked ina
| prosemsot. the average per cent. ol
/ Increased efficiency Of ts>S over iSs7
/ by the resalssof tests submitted show.
/ ing $50 per cent. for iSss 10 sl.5e pei
cent in lSss.
The report submitted an el&herAs.
schedule Of railway mail connection.
/ IN the South and between the North
west and eoFath, showing a constantly
F.. Increasing business ssd the need oi
more attention and means for it, prop
er care, showing that the subject h2.
received marked consideration curing
the past fiscal year The postmaster
general snbEHits that appropriation
for special pay 20 railroads should be
better Distributed. or II ueei be in
creased If the policy OF special appEo-
priAiions for increase pay Is 10 be
continued. He calls attention - the
settled application OF such appFOpri8-
tons 10 the payment Ot one or two
lines of road, and the absence OF any
such means 10 secure by contract bet
ter connections between New York
and England ami with the new com
merciAl South. He states that by
special appropriations T. lev OF the
railroads the impression viii be given
that The department has the disburse-
meut OF : fund for all and disaiiection
i created by increased pay - some Tor
service no better or more needed, II 50
much. - that ON the lines OF Others
who receive no such special faEOrs.
Notwithstanding ab-enee Of any such
funds. he proceeds 20 sh0R. IN adioi-
ton 10 many special additions OF iul-
proved service upon shorter lines.
that mapy through fast mails have
been added by negotiation, and the
contracts for through fast mails East
are the first in the history OF the de-
paEtment.
Statistics are submitted contrasting
our service with that of Great Britain,
Germany and France, demonstrating
that in Cheapness OF postage, gross
revenue and expenditures. number OF
postoffices, extent of mail routes, mile
age OF mail service and volume o.
mail matter trans miited. the postal
system in the United States J. leading
the world. The average number OF
pieces OF mail matter TO each lnhabit-
ant OF the several countries named
taking last census as the basis orcslcu-
lation, is now about as follows: United
States, pieces per capita, Il; treat
Britain, 81 Germany, al; France g.
The total cost of foreign man service
was S490, OF. Of which sisi ,9l0 vas ioF
Transporting mails Of United States
origin. OF this amount there was paid
for Atlantic service S555-2oI; ioI
| trans Pacific service, 2,ts1. and to'
miscellaneous service sos. Tbs
trans Atlantic steamship service fol
l Europe has been invariably assigned
each month 10 the steamer which
made the fastest time ascertalned from
/ the average Of a number OF trips q
I reported by the steamship companies,
( The department during tue year has
negotiated postal convention between
/ the United States and Canada, which
went into operation IN March, lees
and makes virtually one postal terri
! tory OF the Unite states and canada
| Uniformity OF postage rates had al
ready been established, bat still there
was a restriction that no merchandlst 4
OF any kind should tie sent 10 canada
/ This restfic ion has been removed
and with the exception Of specially
prohibited articles, merchandise can
| be sent az fourth-eiass rate, OF postage
Parcel postage conventions were
| concluded during the fiscal ended June
! 50. issS. with the Barbados. the Ba-
| hamaS, British Honduras and Mexico
/ Parcel postage conventions are nos
| pending with all Central and South
! American states. and VIII doubtless
prove of great benefit 20 American
commerce and industry. In eonnec'
| ton with the foreign mail ser
vice, and pecially our mean,
/ of communication with south and
I Central America and Mexico, tht
/ postmaster general vigorously reas
| serts his views against making the
7 postal administration dlshuFser %
subsidies, and he demonstrates how
! inh is opinion, such functions hamper
the mad service, and hints that II tht
policy Of substituting American nne'
Tor the protection OF commerce bs
adopted the appropriation VII u
voted directly % the owners
II the correspondence OF the country
Is TO continue To be under the caafgs
and protection Of the government the
vast and increasing voiHme conducted
by teIegraphY and the rlght OF th,
present nody Of the people 10 lie aiiord
el facilities for the bet and quickest
transmission al rates within ths
means OF ali viii pres thl'
I Sapjeet upou the attention.
/ az congress with more and more ur-
cency. The chief difficulties in the
~ay are the great cost OF tne pre- enl
methods ana the absence Of safeguard
which. ACCORDING 70 the theory OF ta'
/ ureseEis nail service, should protect
privacy of correspondence. have
siyen the subject much con ider4
riou and | believe the inventive
Genius OF this country has rea1iee
. stage in discovery Ia eieciEa,
science when these ps0t,isms skoasa
/ be- solved The sui et l.
+ OF 20 great Importance 20 the ieoIA'
that | believe a. Opportunity sho4it
be given ior pgeSefsailon Aau eA&ls.li4
{ atiSn Of inventions NhiCA have bse1
iniofmap4Iy presented e. cominliiees y
congress, the GrpA. tIs4saI aha The plD
lie. and that = siiulalvus saoui9 =
given TO inventors - turn thelr atieis
ton 70 improvement oi tue oI
methods. recommend the Appoint
usent of a commission ct etns kFts n
and disinterested men, iearis-u y
science. ah1 may examine IuyenIloil
aad invite Others who shAl t'e author
lei TO erect short experimental D. z
ana y ho shall repegt 10 ihe pre- i.-ea
! or 10 coEgress tie result OI theif a..
vestlgatlons-
I have had the honor 10 recommen'
the revision of the law regulating ih
COMPENSATION OF fUurih-ciass post
masters. by which the compensation
shall be permitted which Tas iuteace
! hy the act OF congress nxiuE the siaal
ard. Through ali the redn flOus OF fs1si
!. ase rates the amount ofpostssge receive
! nas furnished the standard OF GOA
uensatlOn 10 those officials. i ur
number 54s7#. There has been no n
adjustment of compensation IA isai
, n,ony with the reaact2un ot po.taS
: rates Increased labor has bseu rs
! uosed bY increased business FesGiill
: from lover postage, which 81 the saHi
! time has reduced the compensation
2 The afien ion OF congress = rssi i'sss
ed 70 the recommends loB Of Tie M
I assistant postmaster general regzr,- if
+ classification and salaries OF The c3ers
; attached TO the larger po-to4Hes
' -. aHas4n r.