The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-25
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

Among the many evidences Of the astonsh-
ing increase of population and spread Of inn
provement in our country, the vast accumulation
of business in the Post Office Department is
perhaps one of the most striking. Fifty years
since, the whole. number of post, Offices in the
United States did not exceed seventy FIVE The
number of miles of post road was then 1875;
the revenue $37,936; and the expenditures
1872, no. In the year 1910, the number of post
offices in the United States was 13,4S9; the
number OF miles Of post road was 1885, 1870; the
gross annual revenue $4,539,2 and the ex-
pendiures $4,759,1l0. Whilst such rapid in
crease is without precedent in the history of the
world, and is calculated to excite establishment
in the mind of even ain American, accustomed
as he is TO witness the almost miraculous
changes that take place in the new world,
II cannot fail TO suggest some faint idea of the
labor that deyolves on the individual entrusted
with the management of so vast machine. 1t
must also be borne in mind that, unlike the 9th
er branches OF the public service this Depart
ment, according 10 the plan of its original pro-
prietors was intended to defrav its own expen-
ses-a principle that should never b. abandoned
lnasmuch as it serves stimulus 10 cXerton
and places the transportation OF the mails on an
independent footing. As might reasonably be
supposed, there is variety of causes that 90 to
affect the revenue, arising from the postage Of
letters among which the most important, per
haps, is the establishment of more rapid modes
Of conveyance by steamboats, and railroads
However advantageous these Improvements
may be to the public in other points OF view,
they certainly interfere most materially with the
income Of this Department, by enabling passeh-
gers to carry letters free OF postage To prevent
this would seem to be an object of primary mo-
men, and the question at once arises, how is it
to be done2 1t can only be effected by making
the mail routes the shortest as well as the most
expeditions. BY the shortest, we do not apply
the term TO distance, as the crow flies, inasmuch
as experience has shown that, sometimes, "he
furMest ray round is the shortest pa! there"
but to facility and rapidity in passing between
points distant from each other. The purpose
for which the Post Office Department was nst
tuted being the rapid and certain circulation oil
intelligence of all kinds, it is necessary and pro-
per, OH the part of the Government to see that
the channels selected shall be such as to insure
that object; otherwise its right to levy postage
is imperfect. Having reference to this the Post
master General, in his annual report, with clear
sghtedness and forecast that do him great ere
dit, proposes that the Government shall make
investments in the stocks of railroad and other
companies owning Improvements on the routes
by which the mail should pass, to an extent
equal to the sum the interest of which will be
equal to the amount demanded by such compa-
MES for its transportation of the mail. The eff
feet of this proposition, if adopted, will be, in
remuneration, which at present is liable to every
within, on the part of corporations, dictated by
circumstances, and in the second, TO preclude
the possibility OF anticipation by private expresses.
VI The legality OF these expresses, it Is not our
intention here to speak we will only remark
that, if the power Of prevention does not exist
under the law, as il stands, the sooner The
deficiency is corrected, the better The
adoption Of the suggestion of the Postmas-
ter General, would at once prevent any
material interference by private conveyance,
as it would place at the disposition OF the
Government the very channels of communica
ton, advantage Of which is now taken in an
ticipating the Post Office transportation. There
would be- for instance, no advantage in running
| private express between any two points If the
| general mail were carried as quickly, and other