The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-17

the power to contract, proposed as the whole sub
jecl will be under the control of Congress after the
contract shall be made.
The propriety ofths measure has, in general terms,
been treated of in my Official report to the Chief Ma
gslrate at the commencement Of the present session
and the difficulties which have experienced in max
ing temporary contracts with many OF the companies
since the date Of that report, have confirmed me ia
the opinions therein expressed
Unless this other mode be adopted by Con
gres, to relieve the Department from the immense tax
which railroad transportation imposes upon its
nues, cannot anticipate the day when the rates Of
postage may be reduced mail facilities extended 10
the Increasing wants of the distant the less
favored, portions of the Union.
When the community shall have been accustomed
to the rapid and beneficial mode of railroad transpoIa
ton Of the mail they will consent to renquish il
and requires great forecast to that these comp
MES acting wholly independent of,he General Govern.
ment, and influenced all corporations are by nte-
rest, will upon every renewal of contract with them
exact the highest sum in the capacity Of the Depart
ment to pay. The increase of mail matter multi
plica'ion Of Post Offices, made necessary to meet the
public wants, the huctuaon in the prices OF labor
and property, will be the apology for such demands.
These and other considerations connected with the
nature Of the service, such having the power
to regulate the arrival and departure Of the mails
the power to exclude all mail matter carried by ndi-
viduals; the power to order express in cases of
public emergency, have convinced me that it is not
only the duty, but the interest Of the Government to
make with these companies at least some of
them at this time, permanent contracts Allow me
respectfully to suggest, or rather repeat an idea
which submitted when was honored with per-
sonal interview with the committee, and that is this
that contract for perpetual transportation will cost
the Government no more than one for thirty years,
consequently the bill looks to that kind of contract
though it may authorize for shorter period
have taken the liberty to submit, for the consider
alton of the committee, two other bills which though
not very long or complex are Of immense Importance
to the administration Of this Department. The one
proposes to change the rates of postage to make
them conform to the Federal coin
The rates now charged are cents, 10 cents, IL l-2
cents Is "a cents, and 25 cents, for single letters
1t is proposed to charge and 10 cents, 20 and IS
cents This is, in fact an important reduction upon
all rates of postage below Is "a cents 1t propos-
ed to charge letters, paying Is ga cents, %
cents and reduce the rate of IL 2 to 10 and to s.
This is great a reduction as | think it would be
safe to make at this time, Should it result in
ducton of revenue, nevertheless the public convent
ence would be 50 much promoted and the actual labor
of keeping the accounts of Postmasters would be
much reduced and smplifed by it, that respectfully
urge its favorable consideration by the committee.
The other bill is designed to reach the evil and re-
lieve the Department from the burden Or in other
words, to indemnify it for the expense of transport
ing these immense mammoth sheets assuming the
name and appearance of newspapers, but which, in
fact are in most cases reprint of books. have
adopted the principle of charging newspapers by the
square inch. would suggest the largest size news
paper printed in the United States as the size which
is to pay the rate of postage now charged upon news
papers by the law of 1925
All sizes above are required to pay one cent for
every five square inches that size.
refer the committee to my Annual Report upon
this subject. have in my possession much valuable
information collected from the Postmasters which
tends to show that these large newspapers sent by
mail not to subscribers but to booksellers and shop
keepers, TO be sold upon commission for the of
the publishers and sent at cost less than it would
cost to send merchandise the same distance by the
cheapest mode of transportation. These packages
sometimes SO overload the mails that it is found i'm
possible to transport the mail regularly upon many of
the important routes
The committee, beg, will excuse me for yolun-
teerng these two last bills upon their consideration
1t not done in spirit of dictation, influenced by
desire to interfere with the business of the commit
tee but from hope that the subject brought thus to
their immediate attention will that considera-
ton which is due to it.
With great respect
Your obedient servant,
c. A. WICKLIFFE.