The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-01-11
THE MAILs--REDUcED POSTAGE.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
From the New York Tribune.


From the New York Tribune.
The Postmaster General admits that his
affairs are In bad W During the last ifs
cal year, his receipt ave fallen off more than
$250,00O. This Iear be it remembered, is
one of decided lprovement in business and
increased diffusion ofintelIigence. Congress
was in session but three months, and proba-
bly, sent out not one-fouth the average num-
Der of political documents and spe eches to
eatup the revenue of the Department by
the Postmasters' charges of two cents on
each for the delivery of free letters There
will be few years in twenty more favorable to
the Department than this. Yet its Revenue
falls off quarter of million, amounting 20
but 1895, 925.while the expenditures we.s
$4,374: 4l3-showing deficite of about,
$4,000, Thus, then, the p NJ General
with an increase of Mail transportation, post
offices, population, wealth, intelligence,
Understanding which should increase
postage but additional wisdom at head quar-
ters-6nds his revenue falling off and his
Department running in debt Is it not evil
dent that something must be done?
But what? Mr.. Wicklife is fierce fa
more compulson-more penalties The
People are doing their own business cheap
er than the Government will do it for them,
and they must be published for their contn-
macy. A law empowering the Department to
break open the trunks passing on the
highways oftravel, con6scate the contents and
imprison the owner Of each one in which
letter orroll ofnewspapers shall be found
this appears to be the sort of legislation
the 2. NJ. General desires. But in the first
place no Congress will venture to enact any
such law; secondly, no sue could be en-
forced; thirdly, it would not increase The post
Office revenue if it were, 1t would only
lead the horse 10 the water-n.aking him
drink is something beyond the power of
Congresses or the wit of Postmaster Gen
erals. No penalty against carrying a, letter
for friend will make men write and mail
letters when they deem the postage SO high
as to overbalance the inducement to write,
OF when they have no money to pay with
The remedy for the evil which Mr.. Wickliffe
feels and deplores lies in a direct opposite d.
recfion.
And now to the other matter the FEAST
billy OF radical Reduction of Postage. Mr..
Wickliie most unfairly assumes It as in
controvertible that TO reduce postage to low
rates isto throw the Department on the treas
ury for its maintenance. We say, not So
Itmay need little aid for time, but will
soon recover itself. Now to the facts.
Great Britain has population of which a
proportion far below that of our own people
can write or even read. Her people are
less enserprising and enquiring than our own
her members of the same family are not
scattered over the land as ours are; they do
not read fourth as many newpap~7, com
paratively as ours do. She, up tc 500 ex-
acted rates of postage high than o; own
ssfs S---s e-' two rss1fIus
been charged for the conveyance ezany let
Ter from point to point within thu United
Kingdom. This reduction took effect Jan
10th, 1910; consequently, We have since had
less than four years. trial of the cheap sys-
tenn. What have been tire results??
] The number Of letters now mailed and
paid in Great Britain and Ireland is more
than twice and half what it was three and
half years ago, under the high rates, though
great part of the number then sent were
ranked and paid no postage.
2 The Revenue, which for the las, yea
. of the old system was less than Eleven anC
IIalf Million of Dollars, fell, on the reduc
ton, to less than Six and half Millions, ano
rose the next year to over Seven Millions
Thus in the very second year of the reduc.
ed rates the postage reached two-thirds tht
highest previous aggregate, and is still in
creasing.
3. Even al the penny rate the British pos
Office paid all its own expenses the seconC
year of that rate and more than Two and
) Half Millions surplus into the Treasury Al
t this lime, be il remembred, it was carryin,
all Newspapers for nothing at all-the Rev
enue from that source being called Staml
Duty and paid directly into the Treasury
: leaving the post Office ,to carry and distri
' butte them absolutely for nothing.
Such are the data from which the Post
master General draws the inference that an
: sweeping reduction of postage in this coun
: try will throw the Department permanent
i on the Treasury for support. confess sac
7 deduction from such premises is to me nj
y terly unaceountable.
t, suppose ought TO be grateful TO the E
t NJ. General for the picay une Reform he ha
d recommended. Viewing the whole ground
e however, my gratitude is exceedingly hon
/ eopathic in quantity.
: Can. it be possible that Congress will b
governed by this report2 | trust not.
H. G.