The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-12-04
isefaly not so that the expenditure be properly


ment, Il its uncert ain demands are to be met BY
annual appropriate ons from the Treasury, would
generate abuse an extravaganza both in the ap
preparing and d. sbursing power The limit OF ap-
preparation would be regulated alone by The lmagi'
nary wants Ia The various SECTIONS OF the Union,
edcn s-cuon vieng with the other TO obtain the
Greatest possible ainoult 10 be expen'ed within It's
limits.
Upon the most mature and deliberate rehec ion,
am SAT-. he'd II would BE- uuwsc To abandon the
pfiuciplr OF requiring the Department 10 sustain It's
own expenses. An adherence 10 TINS princip'e 10
not al war with prudent ana Discreet reform La
the rates OF postage.
Public opinlon seems to demand reduction IN
the rates of letter postage. But SO Tar as nave
been enabled 10 understand that pubic opinion, II
Is based upon the necessity and proprieiy oil ad-
herring this vital principle, and sustained oy Inc
argument that a reduction OF postage weud be
followed by az increase OF mail matter, producing
amount sufficient TO sustain The Department IN
all OF lis egItlmdtc expenditures.
| am sustained in the expression oil this opinion,
not only from the ordinary channels OF public IN
formation, but by tue judgment oil the very lntei-
gent and highly respectable Chamber OF Commerce
OF The ely OF New York, expressed III their let
ter TO the Department, copy OF which and the re-
ply 10 II, accompanies This report
la the views which nave heretofore expressed
upon the subject ut the reduction OF postage, and
particularly la my report TO the Senate on the h
OF January, 1913, recommending reduction to
the rates of fvc and ten cents uJoa The condl-
tloas therein stated, have abstalned from RECON-
mendng the adoption OF the postal arrangements
nov IN operation In England, because l was sails
fled that system would not yield the amount OF re-
venue necessary for the service of the Department,
and IN many OF It's features II was unsulted To the
United States.
Prior TO the reduction Of postage in England, the
Post Office Department yielded q revenue TO the
Crown, over and above Its whole expenses, VI
about 81 100000 1t was just if not wise policy In
the Eagiisn Government To release this amount OF
net revenue from postage, operating as severe tax
on the correspondence OF the country, IT Its Ex-
chequer could sustain it, or the subject was willing
10 have that Exchequer replenlshed by the substl-
tuition OF other! such as excise upon paper, &c
Tue mode of managing and conducting tine Post
Offices the Kingdom OF Great Britain, lsnot only
different from, but much less expensive than, that
In the United states.
In England, the Postmaster and his clerks, II
any, are paid an annual salary or stipend Ia this
country, Postmasters and their clerks are paid by
commis the amount OF postage collected.
Post Offices in England managed by Post
masters VINO consider themselves amply compen.
stated by salaries much less in amount than would
comm and the services of competent Postmasters IN
the Uuited States.
II the same mode and ratio OF compromising Post
masters were adopted in England which has been
adopted in the United States, ii might be wellques-
toned whether the amount OF Post Office revenue
IN England would equal the expenses OF the SER
vice.
am convinced upon a most thorough examina-
ton the habits condition, and business OF the
people OF the two cOuntrles-the circumscrlbed
limits and dense population OF the one, the extern
boundaries and sparse population OF the other
that nothing like the same ra,lo OF increase OF the
correspondence IN this country would follow the
like reduction OF postage as has taken place IN En-
gland.
II may be asked, what is the nature and charac-
ter OF the reduction OF postage which It Is deemed
BY the Department prudent and safe at this time to
be adopted
The answer to this inquiry will depend mainly upon
the tact how Congress will settle the question now moot
Depar Shall il, heretofore, be required TO sus
tain its IT. shall it be thrown as an annual charge upon
If the Department is to be lett to lean its
Sources prepared to recommend reduction OF letter
fore recommended by me 10 report to tho Senate Of the
United States of the 3h of January lsa3 upon the terms
and conditions indicated in that report TO winch respect
fully ask leave 10 refer you
IL previous reports have had the honor to express
the President Of the United sstes and through him to
Congress- the opinion II unjust that the whole ex
pense of transporting the public correspondence OF the
Government should be charged upon the business and
friendly letters Of the citizen; also to urge the necessity
Of repeating modify ing the ranking privilege. These
opinions remain unchanged.
/ slso suggested the mode by which the Government
should compsnsat, the Department Tor the transmission
AM delivery OF is public correspondence and the frank
ed letters Of public unconarss That mode was the
SUMPTION the Government OF the amount paid by the
Department for lad transportation either by the pu
chase Of the right permanently or by annual appropris
tions.
This portion Of expenditure for transportation being
fixed, nearly SO, and of to be
say increased under the Influences Of local feelings or
Jealousy not unrequently inv.ked in Legislation Oh sub
jscts affecting interests, would not greatly exceed
If all the course time. the amount Of postage
when should be charged upon the and legal
ly iranksd letters OF public officers.
BY existing laws, all railroads, when completed are
declared TO mail routes and are from necessity adopt
ed ny the Department the OF transporting the
mail There no danger that they will be unns c.ssary
multiplied BY Congress. az Is too often the case OF ord
1t hoaght then, by the undersigned, that sound
public pocy dictated the popriey OF making permanent,
obliged to employ II Is only in this mode that the
Department ever hope control the hours OF depar
wnnout which power it is utterly impractcabe, at all
times to give continuous and regular transit Of the
pubic mail.
The reasons which prompted that Recommendation. in
dependent Of the question of reduction OF postage with
which was connected have been strengthened by sub.
srquent erisnce the making and executing d !.
forming contracts for transporting the mail with Rail
road Companies
The amount paid for railroad transportation and
trans orstion by STEAMBOATS, forming essential Connect
ing liaks in railroad lines is $3.50 500 per annnm.
ment of this amount. either by permanent coatrscss
with the companies or BY annual appropriation from
public correspondence OF the Government, &c.-pro.
tect the Department against the abuses Of the frank
ing privilege, and the nroads upon its revenue
by private posts the rates OF postage may
safety reduced to ve and cents, which will
yield sufficient revenue to deray the remaining ex
penses OF the Department and allow its gradual extern
sion as the demands Of the community may require.
H. upon fair experiment, based on the reduction pro-
posea was ascsItsiaed further reauoaon coasd os
SERVICE that reduction could hereafter be ordered BY Con-
gress.
Il Is believed the mode here proposed by which the
Government shall Contribute s fair proportion OF the
penses OF the spartmen preferable 10 the which has
been elsewhere gesed OF requiring
be kept with each Department and the postage to be paid
Of their contingent iund. Is more simple less com
pex and possesses advantage OF certainty by which
the Department at all times will be enabled to regulate
its for the remainder of the in each
year
The only evil likely to follow fom reduction Of the
postage the terms proposed (parcuary the frank
lug privilege be taken from Deputy PJstmasters) which
present me- aud which think It my duty 10
state will be the fculty OF obtaining competent men
to cha the duties OF Posmasters the smaller Post
Off ;es winch though not productive IA themselves, are
useful to the country and be well dispensed with
Whether il shall DO the pleasure OF Congress to reduce
the OF postage permit them 10 remain as they
are Is duty which cannot omit again TO recon.
mend fur her legislation BY Congress- in order to protect
the Department IN the rcse OF its legitimate functions
spirit. generated by the condition Of the country at
war with the observance OF exsng laws, has deed the