New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-12-11

|
10th June, 1871, was 3,173l36.
The number Of letters mailed for one week
preceding Oath April, 1912, was 3,929,5l3.
| This shows an increase Of less than D fold
upon the letters posted under the old system, In
stead of five fold, as estimated by Mr.. r. Hill, and
| the other advocates Of the system.
It's not for me to say whether three years is
sufficient length Of time to ascertain the maxi
mum increase of letters under the operation OF
the penny system. 1t is doubtless as long pc
rod as was contemplated by the committee,
when il, their opinion, the increase Of the num-
Der Of letters would Improve the Post Office
revenue"
The annual cost Of management Of The Post
Office under the old systeul-say for the year
preceding the 9Th of January, le39-was 49,
| 296,1S6
Annual cost for the year preceding 9Th janua
ry 1910, 50, 633,595.
Cost of management for the year preceding 9th
January, 1871 81, 2l,650.
Cost OF management for the year preceding 9Th
January, 1912, 81, 503,2l1.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9Th JAN
uary, 1889, under the old rates of postage, was
ST. ,262, 1874.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9th jan
uary, 1910, under the old rates, except for one
month the 4drate was in operation, ST. AIS, 662
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9th jan
uary, lS4l, under the penny rate, ST., 444499.
Gross revenue for one year preceding 9TH jan
uary, 1912, $7,178,592.
The amount Of net revenue paid into the Trea-
sury for the year preceding 9TH January, 1889,
$7,965,64S.
Do. do. 9Th January, 1910, ;s7,842,067.
Do. do. 9Th January 1871, So, 322370.
Do do. 5th January, 1912, s2,675,380.
In this statement Of net revenue is included the
sum of f45, l56, for the year 1889, charged to
the Government for postage.
In 1910, do f44,27S
In 1871, DO 190,7
In 1912, do. fll3,256.
There has been an increase OF letters, but not
to one half the extent anticipated, and an m
creased charge for the management greater than
WAS estimated.
Instead of an increase of revenue to the Crown,
as was predicted by the committee, there was
loss of S5,290,260.
The system of penny postage in England, so
far as revenue is concerned has resulted in loss
of near twothirds the revenue under the old sys
tenn. and in an increase Of cost Of management
equal to 80 per cent.
These facts will serve to show that the tax, III
tho shape of postage, upon the English cores
pondcncc has been lessened-that the postage
upon newspapers is paid in the shape of stamp
duty, higher than the postage paid on newspapers
in the United States-that the correspondence
through the mail has been increased and that the
revenue derived to the crown has been greatly
lessened, And they further prove, that the
income of the British Post Office is still greater
than its cost of management. Two other facts
should not be overlooked in the comparison OF
the revenue of the British Post Office under the
old and new rates of postage. The first is, that
not only all foreign and colonial letters which are
delivered i'll England but those which pass
through England, in their transit to and from
other countries, are subjected to heavy postage
The second, that by law the transpol tatlon OF let
tiers by private conveyance, except where the car
rier shall himself deliver the letter to the person
addressed, is prohibited by severe penalties
If the British Crown lid not need the revenue,
or if it did, and the subject was willing to be
taxed in the form of stamp duty or excise equal
to the reduction of the rate of postage, as more
equal and less burdensome, no one will question
this right, and the justice of yielding to the de-
mand to have the postage reduced.
II the Post Office Department of the United
States yielded revenue over its expenses, or If
the charge of it's management was paid from the
general Treasury, no one would doubt the pro-
priety and Justice of a reduction.
1t is a question for Congress and the people to
settle, whether they will SO far change the laws
of the United States concerning the Post thce
Department as to direct its expenses to be paid
out of the Treasury.
The number OF chargcablc letters delivered
which annually pass through the Post Office OF
the United States, has heretofore been estimated
at24, SOY 1894 The number of similar letters an
nually posted in England, under the old rates of
postage, was estimated by the Committee Of Par
lament at II 100000
The number, under the penny rate, of like let
ters may be estimated at 2O4,33l,676
With view to put Congress in possession OF
correct information upon this subject, have DR.
rccted an accurate account to be kept at each
Post Office of the United States during the month
of, October of the number of letters under each
rate OF postage, the number of free letters, and by
what official franked, the number of newspapers,
pamphlets, &c. These returns not quite COM
pletc I hope to have them ready by the lst jan
uary, to be furnished to Congress if required
The questions connected with this subject, it
occurs TO me, which will be the duty Of the Rep
rcsentatives of the people to SETTLE are, whether
the present amount of mail service is greater than
the country requires? If not greater, can it be
performed at less expense Whether at the
same or less expense, shall it be paid out of the
Treasury or by the postage on mali matter!
If Congress enter upon the question of reduc-
ton of postage on the British principle, the in
formation of the number Of letters posted which
he will have ready by the LIST of Januaryis deemed
important.
The question of reduction Of postage is left to
to Congress without any recommendation from
the Post Master, but If the reduction should not
be made he recommends, as he has formerly done,
that the present rates of postage be so changed as
70 correspond with the coins of the United States.