The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-23
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
The Tale Told by Postal Receipt

The Tale Told by Postal Receipts
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journals
The Democratic papers and party per-
sist in keeping prominently before the
country the fact that their theories of the
tariff question are the only ones which can
bring prosperity and plenty to our people.
AS the thermometer correctly indicates the
temperature either in winter or summer,
So take it, our postal service with equal
exactness indicates the trade conditions
and intelligence of the different sections
of our country. Not long since l came into
possession of few facts relating to the re-
ceipts of the postal service in the trade
centers of our land, which seem to me
to be one of the most pointed
object lessons that ever came under my
personal observation. The salaries of all
presidential postoflices for this year were
recently adjusted on the basis of the gross
receipts of these Offices for the fiscal year
ending March 81, 1889. These receipts are
as follows for the year:
Grossreceipts of all presidential post
Gross re of ali presidential post
Territories -. .........-.. 32,77s.s3l
Territories ..:.::..... :.....:...... s,569,s5s
Gross receipts of all presidential post
offices in States lately in rebellion. 3,346,552
Add TO this sum the receipts in States
of Delaware and Kentucky and
Territory of Arizona. .-.---.------- 640,84S
And we have total from these
states and Territories, for the year
ending March 81, 1889, Of 1887. 400
While.the gross receipts from the same
sources for that year in one Republican
State-Illinois-were$ So. 992, III, an excess of
s4,77l over and above the gross receipts of
all the presidential postoftices in the States
formulated that can add force to this state
ment. The figures quoted are official and
are the best possible data from which to
learn the volume of trade transacted. and
are also the best index of the energy and
intelligence of the different sections of our
country. /, therefore, respectfully submit
that. when from this official source we
learn that one Republican State-Illinois-
exceeds in gross receipts from presidential
pOstOffices the gross receipts from the same
source of all the South, it follows that the
leaders of that section know but very little
about the volume of trade transacted in the
great industrial section of the Union or what
causes influence 1T either for good or evil.
The sum S32. 779 1891, the gross receipts of
the presidential -pOstotfices in the Repub-
lican States and Territories VS.. the sum of
SS,569.959, the gross receipts of the presi-
Dental postoffices. in the Democratic
States and Territories of the Union for the
fiscal year ending March 81, 1889. tells the
whole story of the volume of business
transacted and of the enterprise and intel
igence of the people of these sections In
language so plain that no man, woman or
child can fail to understand it, The Re-
publican party stands for progress in every
avenue of our civilization, while the Dem
ocratic party, with its face to the rear,
stands across every highway of progress,
and expends its force in advocating meas
ures replete with the errors growing out of
the passions and prejudices of the past.
j. Il. CHEADLE.
FRANKFORT, Ind, July %.