Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-11-30

curtdlllnent al open purchases WHICH, III tnc
years 1854 and lSSj, Amounted to over ~
per cent. Of all the purchases of the depart
mcnt. to the loss Of IL per cent, that at
at the present about ~ per cent of the total
departmental purchases are made by con
tract, and alter competition. As the cX-
ptnditnreS on account exceed an average of
S2,NO,OO annually, it is evident that an
important improvement in the system has
been inaugurated and substantial econ"-
mics been introduced.
THE POSrOrFICES.
ne report Of the postmaster general
sh a marked decrease IF business i'll
cN branch of the postal service. The
MN. n of postofiices on July |, lSSS, was
"a. an increase If 6l2I in three years,
and 12l9 for the last fiscal year The lat
ter III, toned increase is classified Us fol
| lows: =, England states ,, Middle states
| Isl, Sol aeru states |. Indian territory HOG.
the stat and territories of the Pacific
coast 1910, the ten states and territories of
the West and Northwest 10, district "f Col
umbia |; total 22l9.
| Free delivery offices have increased from
lS9 in the fiscal year ending June ~, lSSS.
In the railway mail service there has been
AN increase i'll one year of It's routes, and III
the number If miles travelled per annnm an
increase of l'D,9l5.Ill. The estimated in
crease of railroad servicehor the year is 600
1
ally put on was l.215, 40 miles.
| In January last n general postal conven-
ton was negotiated with the Dominion of
| Canada, which went into operation on
March |, and which practically makes one
postal territory Of the United States and
Canada. Under il merchandise may be
| transmitted through the mails al the fourth
| class rate of postage.
1t is not possibe here Ia touch even the
leading heads of the great postal establish
ment. or to illustrate the forms and rapid
growth Of its business and the needs of leg
| islatiyc adjustment of much Of its machin-
cry that it has ontgrown. Attention il in
vited To the thorough and valuable recon-
mendations of the postmaster-general. \
department whose revenue have increased
from Sl9,712W0 in 1870, 10 So, 700,UOO in
1855, despite the reductions ri postage
which have forced rednced rates If revenue
while greatly increasing the business.
demands the careful consideration of the
congress Us 10 all matters suggested by those
familiar with its operations, and which are
calculated IA increase its efficiency and use
fulncs>.
| LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED.
a bill proposed by the postmaster general
was introduced at the last session Of the con-
gress, by which a uniform standard in the
amount Of gross receipts which fix the right
of community 10 a public building Ia he
erected by the government for postotfce
purposes. 1t was demonstrated that. aside
from the public convenience and the pro-
motion Of harmony among citizens invari-
ably disturbed by change Of leasings and
Site il was measure of the highest econ
omy and of sound business Judgment. IL
was found that the government was paying
in rents at the rate of from seven to eight
per cent. per annum on what the cost ot
nch pnbic bnilding would be. \ very
great advantage resulting from such a law
would be the prevention Of a large number
. Of bills constantly introduced for the cree
r ton of public buildings at places and in
volving an expenditure not justified by
pnblic necessity. l trust that this measur,
will tecome law AT the present session o'
congNss OF the total number of post
masters, 81, S7i are Of the fonrth class. Thes,
, Of course, receive no allowances whatever fol
. expenses in the service, and their compen
sation is fixed by percentage on the receipts
, Of their respective offices. This rate Of com
pensation may have been and probably wa
. at some time just. hut the standard has re
, manned unchanged through the several re
, ductions in the rates of postage. Snch re-
dnctions have necessarily cnt down tn,
compensation of these officials, while il un
doubleday increased the business performed
r by them. Simple justice requires attention
To the subject, to the end that fonrth- clas
postmasters may receive an equivalent t,
that which the law in fixing the rate in
tended for them.
= Another class of postal employees who's,
condition seems tn demand legislation i
that of clerks in the postotlice, and | cal
especial attention to the repeated recon-
mendations OF the postmaster general 70
. their classification. Proper legislation u
p this character for the relief of the carrier
. in the free delivery service has been fire.
quent. Provision is made for their promo
ton, substitutes for holidays and Iimitn,
their honrs Of labor. Seven million dollar
has been appropriated for the current yea
, | to provide for them, though the total nnm
ber Of offices where they are employed i
bnt 35S for the past fiscal year. with an es
: innate increase for the current year of bu
forty, while the total appropriation for al
!; the clerks in the offices throughout tn,
United States is $5,950,00O.
II THE MAILS AND THE RAILROADS..
e The legislation affecting the relations o
I the government with the railroads is in
D need of revision. While, for the most part
: the railroad companies throughout tn,
country have cordially co-operated with III,
4 pOstofiice department in rendering excel
!. lent service, yet nnder the law as it stands
e while the compensation to them is limite,
: and regulated, although the railroads ar,
r made post roads by law, there is no author
' ity reposed anywhere to compel the owne
: of a railroad to take and carry the Unite,
States mail. The only alternative provided
: by act of congress, in the case Of refusal. il
$ for the postmaster-g general TO send the mai
. forward by pony express. This is but an il
/ lustration of ill-fitting legislation, reason
e able and proper at the time of its enact
z ment, bnt long since outgrown and requir
e ing readjnstment.
fl 1t is gratifying To note, from the CAREFUL,
prepared statistics accompanying the post
n master-g generals report, that notwithstand
ing the great expansion of the service, tn
D rate of expenditures has been lessened an,
Q the efficiency has been improved in ever,
\ branch: that fraud and crime have de
creased that losses from the mails hav
been reduced, and that the number Of com
plants Of the service made to postmaster
t and to the department are far less thai
Y ever before.
G PENSIONS.
i. The number of pensioners added to tn
v roll during the fiscal year ended June 81
!. 1883, is 60. 252. An increase of pensions ha
v been granted in A. l6 cases. The name
J. Of Ii, 40 pensioners were dropped from tn,
' rolls during the year, for varions causes, an,
' at the close Of the year the number of per
3 sons Of all classes receiving pensions wer'
49,, 557. OF these there were S06 survivor
| Il. "A 6 II