of transient printed matter. In view of the certain collections of postages, prepayment on printed matter is more important than upon letters. If it seemed to Congress practicable to combine the proper postage tariff with the internal tax upon newspapers, so as to leave them to pass free through the mails, this plan might prove satisfactory to publishers and just to the revenue of the department. If publishers would find it consistent with their interest to require the annual postal charge to be added to the price of publication, and collected therewith, they prepaying the postage upon their circulation, this would also remedy the evil. But with or without such change in legislation, I recommend a great reduction in the variety of rates on printed matter for domestic circulation, abolishing all distinction of rates based on different distances of transportation, adopting decimal rates conforming to the coinage of this country, instead of the fractional rates now prevailing, and equalizing the charges now varied according to distance. I propose to submit to Congress the draft of a bill for that purpose as soon as the details are settled. TRANSIENT MAIL MATTER. In further approximation to uniformity, I recommend that the postage upon transient newspapers and other printed matter, whether destined inland or abroad, be made uniform, except where fixed by conventional stipulations with foreign countries, and extended to cover all transient printed matter up to the standard weight of ounces, except circulars, adding one rate for each additional ounces, or fraction thereof, embracing manuscript copy and corrected proofs passing between publishers and authors, prepayment being required in all cases; and that circulars not exceeding three in number, and not exceeding the standard weight, pass at the same rate, with the right in the Postmaster General to provide by regulation a less rate for their delivery within the postal district where mailed, or through the mails, when deposited in large packages for that purpose. UNPAID LETTERS, ETC. To prevent injurious delays from the accidental omission of prepayment by stamps upon letters, the Postmaster General should be authorized to provide by regulation for forwarding unpaid letters, the rate in such cases being double the prepaid rate. The extra charge for forwarding a letter to its ultimate destination, following the party addressed, should be abolished. In the draft of a bill which I propose to submit, as above mentioned, these recommendations will appear with precision in extent and in rates. UNIFORM DOMESTIC LETTER RATE. I also recommend that all distinctions of rates of domestic letter postages based upon distances, as now to California and the Pacific coast, be abolished, so that the three cent single rate on mail letters shall be uniform within the United States, when prepaid. ABOLITION OF CARRIER'S FEE-TWO CENTS ON DROP LETTERS. I also recommend the abolition of the one cent carrier's fee for the delivery and collection of letters in cities, and in lieu of that annoying and dilatory tariff on delivered and collected letters, that the charge upon local (or drop) letters be made uniform at the prepaid rate of two cents; and that all prepaid mail and local letters shall be delivered and collected without charge by the carriers, they being paid by salaries. This will prepay and transfer the carrier's charge from mail to local letters in effect, greatly accelerate deliveries, and promote the public convenience. It may not be expedient at once to abolish box deliveries, but there is no reason apparent to me why the general delivery should not be at once universally made by carriers in cities and towns where they are employed. FRANKING PRIVILEGE. I renew the recommendation made last year, that the franking privilege of postmasters be abolished, except for correspondence between them and other officers of the department, upon official business. It should be abolished, also, as to the correspondence of all persons addressed to the several departments and executive officers of gov ernment, except upon official correspondence, addressed by an officer of the government. Both these privileges, as they now exist, have been much abused, and have no proper place in a correct postal system. POST OFFICE ACCOUNTS AND SALARIES TO POSTMASTERS. The system of adjusting post office accounts and postmasters' pay, by commissions, varying upon different classes of mail matter, is no longer of utility commensurate with its labor and its cost. I am satisfied that the blanks and the clerical service consumed by this system contribute largely to swell expenditures and contribute nothing at all to efficiency or to revenue. SALARIES TO POSTMASTERS. The data that system has furnished up to this time will afford the basis for ascertaining the proper salaries to be assigned to at least four-fifths of the. offices of the country, and the rule for adjusting the remainder, whose revenues and business may be too variable for pre cise compensation. Here their utility terminates. Our system in this particular should be radically changed; and I hope the change may be authorized by law. It will produce economy, facility, and simplicity. WAY-BILLS. I propose, also, a partial change in the mode of mailing letters, involving the disuse of way-bills in part, which, if successful, will largely reduce the consumption, and consequently the expense, of blanks, wrapping-paper, and twine. POSTAL MAPS. I have ordered the topographer of the department to prepare a set of postal maps, by States or groups of States, designed to show all the permanent postal routes, postal distances, and post offices thereon, in the United States, and embracing other statistical information. Their utility to the department and to the public will be great; and I ask authority from Congress to copyright them in the name of the Postmaster General, to put them on sale at a moderate price, to be regulated by him, and to pass the proceeds of sales to the credit of the post office revenue. As they will be published in series, and the proceeds of sale will go for reimbursement, no other appropriation will be needed than that allowed for miscellaneous pay ments. BOOK OF POST OFFICES AND REGULATIONS. I have postponed the publication of the list of post offices in the United States, heretofore made biennially, with a view to change the form and diminish the frequency of publication. It is now in the press. The laws and regulations will be separately published after the expiration of this Congress in a revised form. These works are frequently sought for by the public, and frequently lost by postmasters to whom they have been delivered. In one case there shoulp be authority to sell; and in the other to charge the value against the postmaster in his accounts, and to charge him also in case of any second delivery of the book to him. INCOMPETENT POSTAL OFFICERS. It is my purpose to adhere firmly to my determination to displace incompetency and indifference wherever found in official position under my control, without any discrimination in favor of appointments which. I may myself have made under misinformation of facts. The postal business must be conducted, if successful, upon the same principles which control the operations of the upright and sagacious man of business. The department should adhere to those officers who have administrative talents and are faithful to its interests; and should remove those who take no interest in the efficiency of its service. The number of its appointed officers and employés is so great, and dispersed over so large a territory, that the Postmaster General must always depend upon the co-operation of the public, and particularly of the official advisers of the department, in order to secure this result. I take pleasure in acknowledging the active co-operation I have received, in all efforts for improvement, from the present intelligent and efficient postmasters at Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, as well as the aid derived from the investigations and representations of Mr. Pliny Miles and the Hon. John Hutchins. I have the honor to be, &c., &c., your obedient servant, The PRESIDENT. M. BLAIR, Postmaster General. |