Year: 1874

should be made to determine how far the
Postoffice Department can properly go in its
efforts to accommodate the public without
trespassing unwarrantably upon the sphere of
private enterprise. There must be a limit to
governmental interference, and happily it
better suits the genius of the American peo-
pie to help themselves than to depend on the
State.


THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT.


To communicate intelligence and dissent
nate information are primary functions of this
department. Any divergence from the legiti-
mate sphere of its operation tends to disturb
the first rule, that in the ordinary branches of
life the recipient of a benefit is the proper
party to pay for it, since there is no escape
from the universal law that every service
must in some way be paid for by some one.
Moreover in country of vast extent like this,
where most of the operations of the depart
ment are carried on remote from the con-
trolling center, the disposition to engage in
internal enterprises more or less foreign to
the theory of the system will tend to embar-
easements whereby expedition would be
difficult. For years the franking privilege
was an incubus on the department and an
obstacle to efficient postal reform. Its abo-
lition, for which we are largely indebted to
the resolution and wisdom of my predecessor,
opens the way for other measures, which
have yet to be inaugurated and pressed to
successful issue before the department can
become self-sustaining. While do not fatter
myself that shall be able to accomplish this
most desirable end during the short period of
my service, propose to keep it steadily in
view and to direct my best efforts to its at
tainmerIt.


For the first time in the course of life de-
voted actively to business / find myself in
charge of an establishment the expenditures
of which largely exceed its receipts-a state
of affairs which strikes with great force
mind more or less disciplined by that close
inspection of accounts enforced in mercantile
pursuits. In ordinary affairs there is but
one end to this condition of atfairs-bank-
ruptcy The deficiency of this department
has varied of late years from Is TO 20 per cent,
while from the best data at my command l
have been compelled to submit estimates for
the year ending June 80, 1876, which will
show an expected excess of the expenditures
over receipts of nearly $S,000,000, or about 20
per cent. of the entire revenue of the depart
ment. How far tie American people will be
willing to go in this direction remains to be
and enforcing q policy of economy which,
while properly guarding the revenues of the
department, shall also afford to the new and
growing patrons of our country the mail facili-
ties to which the enterprise of the people en-
title them, are few or small, but in some way
they can and must be surmounted. / deem it
suitable to say here that propose to guard
with strict vigilance the expenditures of this
department, sanctioning no outlay which can
be avoided without detriment to the service,
and so to conduct its affairs generally that
the interests of the public shall be paramount
to those of any individual, corporation or
party. Very respectfully, your obedlent SER
want, MARSHALL JEWELL,