Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-10


/ upon the subject OF the reduction OF postage, an
particularly in my report 10 The Senate on The Oh
| OF January, 1913 recommending reduction !
the two rates ui i've and ten cents, upon TIE con
diiiopS therein stated, have abs,ained from &c
conmendine the adoption Of The postal arrange
ments now in operation in England, because
was satisfied that system would not yield 'G
! amount of revenue necessary Tor the service G
! the department, and in many OF lis features
was nnsuilcd to he United States.
! Prior 10 The reduction OF postage in England
! The Post Office Department yielded revenue Il
The Crown. over and above lis whole expenses
Of about $7,000000. 1t was just il mol WIS
policy in the English government to release III
amount OF net revenue from postage, oPcrat'n!
as Il >evere tax or The correspondence al The conh
try, if its exchequer could sustain H. or The snijec
was willing 10 have that eXclequer replenishe'
hy the substitution of other taxes, such as eXcls
upon paper, &c.
The mode Of managing and conducting In
post Offices in the kingdom Of Great Britain Is no
only different from. but much less expensive, tiai
thai in tie United States.
In England. the postmaster and his clerks, j
any, are paid an annual salary or stipend. IL
this country, postmas'ers and their clerks arr
paid hy commission on the amount oil postage
collected.
Post offices in England are managed BY post
masters who consider themselves amply compen
stated by salaries much less III amount than wouie
command The services OF competent postmaster
in the United States.
Ifthe same mode and ratio of comnenSatins
postmaslers were adopted in England which I'd:
been adopted in The United States, IL might b
well questioned whether Inc amount OF post ohio,
revenue in England would equal the expenses
the service.
am convinced uron most thorough exam
ination into Ire habits, condition, and bushes:
Of The reope q. The two ccuniIic>--the cIrcun>cfI
bed limits and dense population OF The one, The eS
ensive boundaries and sparse population oi The
olher-,hat nothing like The SANE ratio OF increase
OF the correspondence in this country would io!
low the like reduction Of postage IS has takcr
place in England.
|, may he asked. what is the nature and char
ac,cr OF the reduction OF postage which ii IS deem
cd by the Department prudent and safe al his time
10 he adopted
The answer 10 this inquiry will dcrend aainly
upon the fact how Congress will settle he queS
ton now moo,ed, Is 10 the best mode al d"!rayihe
the expenses of the department. Shall H. as here
ivfocc, lie required 10 sustain Itself, or >haH
I've thrown - an annual charge upon The Ic-sr-
ry
1.-THE Department is 10 be left TO lean Oh lis cwr
resources, AIN prepared 10 recommend rednc'
ton Of letter postage 10 ii:e aud ten ccnts he
single letter, as heretofore recommended by M
in a repor, 10 the Senate of the United States Q!
the 9th January, 1913, upon the terms and conci
tons indicated in ihat report 10 which respect
fully ask leave 10 refer voa.
In previous reports. | have ha he honor i
express 10 the President of The United States, and
through him 10 Congress the opinion that i, was
"a ~, u.lso a p>r q
the public correspondence Of the Government
should he charged upon the business AMI friendly
letters of the citizen also, 10 ur-e the uece sly
ot repeating or modifying the ranking pf:vl'cge
These opinions remain unchanged
also suoges;edlhe mode bv which the Govern
men, should compensate the Department! for Tie
transmission and delivery OF It's public cores
3ondeace, and The ranked letters oil public fame
lions ries. That mode Was the assumption, b.
the Government, Of the amount paid b. The De
partner, for railroad transportation, either BY iae
purchase al the right, permanently, or b. annual
appropriations
This portion of expenditure for transportation
Icing fixed or nearly -, and not OF character
10 be unnecessarily increased under The influences
Of local feelings or iealoiisv, not unireqncni!y in
vohcd in legislation on subjects affecting local
Interests would noi greatly exceed, il al all. in
shout! he charged upon the Government and IT,
gay ranked letters Of public officers
BIZ existing laws, all railroads when COM
p!cted are declared TO be mail rouies AMI are,
from necessity. adopted by the Department, Is the
means ottranspor,ing the mail. There is no dan
ger that they will he unnecessarily multiplied ny
Congress, as is too often the case OF ordinary
mail routes
Il was thought then, by the undersigned. tia, a
sound public policy dictated the proprety OF max
IN. permanent contracts with such OF the rail-
roads as the Government, was Obliged 10 employ
II is only in this mode, that the Department can
eyer bono ID. control Iho hours &c departure otfi
arliga! oil the cars from and 10 given points, with
on. which power il is utterly impracicab'e al all
!incs 10 give . continuous and reeula. transit 81
tie piislic mail.
The reasons which prompted that recommends
ton. iniepcnden, oi the question oil reduction
Of pos,a.c with which il was connected, nave
been strength, ned hy subsequent experience, IN
making. and executing, and performing contracts
Tor transporting the mail with railroad compa
mics.
The amount now paid for railroad ;ranspofta
ton and transportation by steamboats, io!nin" eS-
>cn,ial connecting links in railroad lines is 100
500 per annu:n.
II Congress will relieve the Department from
the paymcn, OF this amount, either by permanent
contracts with The companies, or By annual ap
preparation from the Treasury, as corsiceIa
lion for transporting the public correspondence O
The Government, &c, protect the Depalmen
against the abuses OF The Thanking privilege, ans
the inroads upon lis revenue ~ private cXpFc>>e:
or posts the rates OF postage may sa!civ be re
tuced 10 five and ten cents which rates Will vielt
a sufficient revenue TO delray the remaining cx
pcuscs of the Department, and allow It's gradua
extension as the demands Of the community ma!
require
If. upon fair experiment, based on the reduc
ton proposed, il was ascerlained further reduc
| ton could be made, ami produce revenue egna
10 the wants Of The service, that reduction coult
hereafter he ordered by Congress.
1t is believed the mode here proposed, By which
the Government shall contribute is fair proper
ton 10 the expenses Of The Department, is prefer
able 10 that which has been elsewhere suggested
viz of requiring accounts 10 be KEEP; with e1c'
Departments, anu the postage 10 be paid ont OF ti.ei
contingent fund. Its more simple, less complex
and possesses the advantage Of certainty, b,
which the Department, al all times, will lie cna
bed to regulate lis engagements for the remain
der of the service in each veal
The only evil likely 10 follow from reduction
of the postage on the terms proposed, tpaTtc
IL if the franking privilege be taken hom u
deputy postmas!crs,) which al present occurs Il
me. aud which think it my duty 10 state, will b:
the difficulty of obtaining competent me-: % dis
charge the duties OF posimasters in the smalle
post offices, which, though no, productive in Them
selves, are useful 10 the country, and cannot b.
we'll dispensed with.
Whether il shall be the pleasure of Congress
10 reduce The rates Of postage, or 10 permit them
TO remain as they now are, il is duly which
( caultI, omit again 10 recommend further leGi>ia
ton By Cong rcss, in order TO protect The depart
mcn in the exercise of its legitimate functions
y spirit, generated 5y the condition of ths coun
try, at war with The observance of existing laws
/ has llefied the power Of the General Governmea
I over The subject Of post offices and post roads.
The laws heretofore enacted 10 restrain The es
I adjustment of private mails or posts, have Iee'
/ found inadequate 10 deter the lawless and IRE
sponsib!e from openly or ooverily embarh;n2 il
the business of transporting letters over ard upol
mail routes.
The extent Of loss 10 the revenue ofthe dcpar;
menl arising from This cause alone, canno, be- &C
/ cnraIslv slated 4 n estimate @. the amount & r