Milford chronicle., 1888-12-07

are made BY contract anu ahoot SoiH iHA'ee's.S4-.
As the expenditures on this account exceed
an average OF S2,00O,OO0 annually, it is cyl
dent that an important Improvement in the
system has been inaugurated and substantial
economies introduced
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report Of the postmaster general shows
A marked increase Of business in every branch
Of the postal service.
The number Of postofiices on July /, 1855
was 81, ,376, an increase Of 6, l24 in three years
aud Of 22i9 for the last fiscal year. The
latter mentioned increase Is classified as fol-
lows:
New England states. s.....-....-...-.-........- 3
Middle states. tot
Southern states and Indian territory l4il Lew
The states and territories Of the Pacific coast. l90
| The ten states and territories Of the west and
northwest 80
/ District Of Columbia ...-.-.......-.-.-'.-'.-
Total ................. .aais
Free delivery offices have increased from
| ls9 in the fiscal year ended June 50, 1887, to
| S5s in the year ended June 80, lsSS-
In the railway mail service there has been
an increase in one year of lGS routes, and in
the number Of miles Travelled per annum an
increase OF IS, ,795, ,917. As. The estimated in
crease Of railroad service for the year was
I 5000 mikes, but the amount OF new railroad
service actually put on was IL, 764. 80 miles.
The volume Of business in the money order
division, including transactions in postal
notes, reached the sum Of upwards Of Sl43,-
OOO,OO for the year.
During the past year parcel post conven-
hssas have been concluded with Barbados,
.ha Hehsmas. British Honduras and Mexico,
naa are now under negotiation with all ~
Central and South American states. The In
crease ofecorrespondence with foreign coun-
tries during the past three years is graft
flying, and is especially notable and ex-
septional with the Central and South
American states and with Mexico. As
! ths greater part Of mail matter ex'
changed with these countries is commercial
in its character, this increase is evidencs Of
the improved business relations with them
The practical operation of the parcel posi-
conventions, so far as negotiated, has served
to fulfill the most favorable predictions as K
their benefits. In January last a general
postal convention was negotiated with the
Dominion of Canada, which went into opera
tion on March 1, and which practically
makes one postal territory of the United
States and Canada. Under it merchandise
parcels may now be transmitted through the
mails at fourth class rates OF postage.
1t is not possible here to touch even the
| AcaAAuE ntdus DL Ele kE1eAl HooetNA S0Ne-A--7A-
ment, to illustrate the enormous and rapid
growth Of its business and the needs for legis
lative readjustment Of much Of its machinery
that it has outgrown. For these and valu
able recommendations of the postmaster gen
eral attention is earnestly invited to his re
port.
A department whose revenues have IN
creased from s19, ~, 900 in 1870 to s52 200, ,OO
in 1883, despite reductions Of postage, which
have enormously reduced rates Of revenue
while greatly increasing its business, de
mands the careful consideration of the con
gress as 10 all matters suggested by thos
familiar with its operations, and which ar
calculated to increase its efficiency and use
fulness.
GOVERNMENT PosTOFFTCE BUILDINGS.
A bin, proposed by the postmaster general
was introduced at the last session of the con
gress, by which a uniform standard IN Tn
amount of gross receipts would fix the righ
Of a community to public building TO
erected by the government for posUolnce puI
poses 1t was demonstrated that, aside iron
the public convenience and the promotion o
harmony among citizens-invariably dis
turbed BY change of leasings and Of site
was a measure Of the highest economy and o
sound business Judgment. 1t was found tina
the government was paying in rents at the rat
of to 10 per cent. per annum on what tn
cost of such public buildings would be.
! very great advantage resulting from such
law would be the prevention of a large mum
Der of bills, constantly introduced for tn
erection of public buildings at places, and in
volving expenditures not justified by publ
necessity. 1 trust that this measure will be
come law at the present session OF congress;
OF the total number of posmasters, 54,o1
are of the fourth class These, of course, TT
ceive no allowances whatever for expenses L
the service, and their compensation IS hXe
by percentages on receipts at their respectiv
Offices This rate of compensation may hav
4 been, and probably was, at some time, just
= but the standard has remained unchange
through the several reductions in the rates @
postage. Such reductions have necessaril
cut down the compensation of these Officials
while it undoubtedly increased the bushes
performed by them. Simple justice require
attention to this subject, to the end tina
fourth class postmasters may receive at leas
an equivalent to that which the law itself, fi1
ing the rate. intended for them.
Another class of postal employees who's
o condition seems to demand legislation is tina
ossclerls in postoffices; and call especial al
tention to the repeated recommendations c
: the postmaster general for their classifics
ton. Proper legislation Of this characte
/ / for the relief of carriers in the free deliver
service has been frequent. Provision is mad
for their promotion; for substitutes Tor theI
i on vacation; for substitutes for holidays, an
; limiting their hours of labor. Seven millio
Il dollars has been appropriated for the eurrer
Z year to provide for them, though the tots
> number of offices where they are employed
! but 35S for the past fiscal year, with an est
l, mated increase for the current year Of bu
q 40, while the total appropriation for all clerl
D in offices throughout the United States
e s., ,OOO
II RELATIONS WITH RAILROADS
y The legislation affecting the relations {
d the government with railroads is in need {
y revision While, for the most part, the raj
road companies throughout the country hay
y cordially co-operated with the postofice d'
d partment in rendering excellent service, yt
b under the law as it stands, while the con
II pensation to them for carrying the mails
y limited and regulated, aud although railroad
20 are made post roads by law, there is no al
J. thoritv reposed anywhere TO compel tn
ic owner Of a railroad to take and carry I'll
b United States mails The only alternativ
le provided by act of congress in case of refus;
d is for the p0stmater general to send ma
1e forward by pony express. This Is but a
II illustration of i'll fitting legislation, reasons
n BILE and proper at the time of its enactmen
N but long since outgrOwn and requiring rea'
justment.
1t is gratifying to note from the CAREFUL
y prepared statistics accompanying the pos
1t master generals report that, notwithstant
es ing the great expansion Of the service Il
If rate of expenditure has been lessened, an
lie efficiency has been improved in every branel
T. that fraud and crime have been decrease
l. that losses from the mails have reduced
= and that the number of complaints Of IL
p service made to postmasters and to the d
N partment are far less than ever before.
n DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
d The transactions of the department {
u Justice for the fiscal year ended June 8