Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-03-14
THE. NORTHWEST
SPEECH OF
HON. GEORGE Il. SENEY.
oFoHIo,
In the House of Representatives, Sat
urday, February o, 1880,
On the bill (H. r. s31o) to provide for postofice
buildings.
Mr.. Seney said:

Mr. Seney SalQ:
Mr.. SPEAKER: The bill before the House
proposes to set apart a small portion of the
postal revenues each year for several years for
the purpose of constructing a postofiice
building in each of the cities and towns of
the United States at which the gross postal
receipts for the two preceding years exceed
$4,000 annually. The amount set apart for
this year is $2,0O0,000. The maximum cost
of building the bill fixes at $4,000 and the
minimum cost at $4,000. Subject to these
limitations, the bill provides that where the
gross postal receipts at city for each of the
two preceding years exceed S25, 900 the cost
shall not be more than 5000: where they
are more than $4,000 and less than $25,000
the cost is limited to $4,000, and where such
receipts are $1,000 and less than $780, the
cost shall not exceed $4,000.
In addition to the cost of building tho
bill authorizes an expenditure not exceeding
$4,000 for the purchase of building site.-
These buildings are to be fire proof and con-
structed under the direction of the Post
master General, and according to plans to be
approved by him and the Secretaries of the
Treasury and the Interior. Provision is
made in the bill by which donations for a site
or for building may be received by the
Government. ...
This bill, Mr.. Speaker, would be more sat
isfactory to me if it fixed the maximum cost
of building at $4,000 and the minimum
cost ut $4,000, and authorized $1,000 to be
spent, if necessary. in procuring site; and
it would be still more satisfactory if it WAS so
changed as to make it possible for all of these
buildings to be up and occupied within the
next three years.
When this measure was under debate at the
last session it was said that $4,000 would not
buy desirable site. nor would $25,OOO put
upa suitable building in the larger cities for
which this bill provides. This may be true,
yet it is no reason why $50 900, or 1926, 900, or
$4,000 should not be expended for postoffice
buildings in cities of less size. For these
larger cities, if $30,000be insufficient, an ad-
d1tional sum may be appropriated at any
time by special bill.
The larger cities referred to, no doubt, are
those at which the gross postal receipts ex-
ceed $25,0OO annually. We have forty-fve
of these cities, and if the sum of $1,350,O00
will not provide them with postoffice build
ings, certainly $4,000, 900 will, and this would
make the average cost less than $4,000 each
"a sum, it is to be observed, much less than
that which is ordinarily appropriated by
special bill for postofice building.
1t was said, also, in the course of that de-
bate, that while a building constructed as
this bill provides might serve all present de-
mands the subsequent growth of a town or
city might require larger and more costly
structure. This objection is we'll met by that
part of the bill which provides that the build
ing shall be so constructed that additions or
extensions may be made from time to time
without injury to the harmony of the design
or the usefulness of the constructed portion,
The gentleman from Arkansas Mr.. Rog-
ersl in his remarks objects to the bill becom-
ing law, because Judge Story said ffty-five
years ago that the postoflice department of
the Government is susceptible of abuse and
IN bad hands, might corrupt the people and
PROSTATE their. liberties. My honorable
friend seems to fear that the discretionary
power given to the Postmaster-Generalm might
beused by that high officer to control cleo
tions and corrupt the ballot box. We have
had since the organization of the Govern
ment thirty-four Postmaster Generals, and
beg to inquire which one of the number used
his high trust for such purposes?
Since the days of Judge Story the postal
business of our country has increased many
fold, and proportionably have increased the
powers of the head of that Department of the
Government. When the distinguished jurist
referred to by my friend expressed his fears
respecting the power exercised by the Post
naster-General, the postoffice department
was in its infancy. Then we had $3.50 post
offices; now they number 57,375. The reve-
nues of that department in 1880 were $1,850,
583; at the close of the last fiscal year they
were $52,605, 176. Then our population was
less than 1900, 600: now it exceeds 5S, ,0OO O0O
In Judge Story's day the postal service
employed, perhaps, 10,000;in our day it en-
ploys 1854. Where there was one pound OF
matter transmitted through our mails fifty
years ago there are now transmitted thous-
ands of pounds. Judge Story paid the Gov
ernment from 8 to % cents, according to the
distance, for carrying letter: now the sum
paidis cents for any distance, and it is to
be hoped that before long the charge will be
reduced to cent. Fifty years ago our mails
were carried on horseback or in wagons
travelling at rate of to miles an hour
row. they are transported through the conn.
tryby steam at a rate of speed little less thar
mile minute.
In 1S30our postoffices were places to ,e
ceive and discharge mail: in 1889 they art
used fot,the additional purpose of issuing ant
paying money orders and postal notes. Ii
other words, the postoffice of fifty years ago
was postofiice and nothing more; to-day /
is postoffice. abank, and an express offic
combined. During the fiscal year endin,
June 30, 1883, the postmasters OF the Unite,
States issued 6 666S, ,OO6 postal-notes, amount
ing to $12, l34, ,459, and during the same peri
cd they issued 1855, ,207 money-orders, aggre
eating $119, 9,649,064, for payment in thi
country, and 759,636 money orders, aggre
eating 81 ,293, 800, for payment in foreigl
countries, and 236, ,992 money orders, aggre
eating 81, 100, ,675,were drawn abroad for pay
ment atspostofices in the United States.
1t isestImated shat during the past tisca
year nearly 372, 500, 600 sparcels Of merchan
disc we're transmitted through the mails
Wonderfully great has been the growth 20
our postal system during tho past fifty years
and althopah every. year of this period he
.addtdae The powers -efnt|'e Postmaster Ger