Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-07-05

country would be, probably, for the Postmaster
General to cause an engraved stamp to be made OF
some device, and with superiority of execution
not easily inflated and representing the new rate
of postage, five cents, from which impressions
should be distributed to the deputy postmaster in
the capital of each State-each such deputy post
master to be accountable to the Postmaster General
for the amount of the stamps which he should re-
ceive. This arrangement would reduce the num-
Der of accounting postmasers at the General Post
Office to twenty-six. Let these twenty-six post
masters distribute these stamps among the postmas-
tiers of the different county towns within their re-
spechve States, and these again distribute them
among the offices in each county the accountability
always being from the person receiving the stamp to
the person from whom he Immediately received it,
The compensation to be, in every case, commits
sion upon the amount of stamps used and accounted
for, which will always be in proportion to the bus-
ness Of each Office A settlement with the County,
State, and General Post Offices to be made every
three months.
Under our new Post Office system single letter
transmitted not exceeding three hundred miles would
be subject to stamp; that distance to tho
and double and treble letters in proportion all let
tiers not prepaid in every to be charged double
the price OF the required stamps. The punishment
of forgery to attach to all persons found guilty of
initiating the Post Office stamp or of using any im
tation, knowing il to be such.
This prepaid system and use of stamps has work
ed and is working exceedingly well in England for
the increase in nett revenue during the year 1874
was larger than il had been for any year since 1915
excepting 1925, when it was 492 900, and 1896
when it 96l 900; last year il was nearly
100000, about 100000. The penny postage
system was introduced into England in Is4O, and
Its regularly increased productveness is shown as
follows
In s4o the nett revenue Of the Post Office was f495 9l4
ls4l ........... ......-.-.............. 564,4o7
1912 ( Tin round numbers) 900, 900
ls43 s4a 7a7
1874. no os1
Since 1910, also, the expenses of the Department
have materially increased, principally through the
substitution of railways for other conveyances This
increase in the year 1912 amounted TO 9222 900,
or about 81 100000; and last year it was increas
ed $4,000 more. If the expenses of the English
post ofhce had not from this cause been increased
the nett revenue last year would have been g95O.
OOO. Now, IN 1899, under the old rates of post
age, the nett revenue was FL $50, 000 the average
rate OF postage at that time might fairly be taken Al
Cd. diminishing it to Id. therefore, il the business
had remained the same, would have reduced the
nett revenue TO g275,000; but instead of that il
would have risen (but for increased expenses) to
$4,000, being increase Of nearly $50 Der cent
oi41 10 oSh 6ohiS vi bose uiulnpudHuN increasing.
Now, we probably cannot expect to increase in any
thing equal to this ratio: the sparseness of inhab
tants in great part of the country, the greater
length of mail transit and the higher prices we are
compelled to pay for many things, will operate
against this result. But if we cannot acquire the
same revenue by absolute increase of business, we
may go far 10 produce the same results by diDai-
mutton oferpenses. And the adoption of the stamp
and the prepaid system will here aid us most
materially.
The number of post Offices in the United States
In June, 1914, more than fourteen thousand.
with each of whom the General Post Office has to
open an account, and not only to keep this account
but also TO examine the various monthly or quarter
ly returns and statements, compare them with the
connecting Offices, ascertain differences make cor
rechons &C., causing an almost infnity of labor
and great amount OF expenses. Now, nearly all
this might be avoided by the adoption of the stamp
and the prepaid system. The General Post Office
would then have only to settle the stamp account
with the deputy postmasters at the State capitals
and receive from them either the stamps furnished
TO them or the value of them these would have 10
settle with the postmasters OF the respective county
capitals, and they again with the posmasters with
IN each county. The whole would be the simplest
process possible, in which there would not be either
difficulty or delay, risk or expense The Postmas-
ter General could draw for the payment of contrac
TORS DC. upon the postmasters at the State capitals.
and they again could facilitate the operations Of the
holders OF the drafts by drawing upon any and every
portion OF their respective States. There would be
no confusion, no intricacy Of accounts each one
would pay the drafts rightfulIy and properly made
upon him, and produce these drafts as vouchers in
the settlement of his stamp account at the stated
interval with the person from whom he received his
stamps. II is true that there would be- at first, q
number of letters transmitted not prepaid, upon
which double postage would have to be charged
and there might ai,cays remain a fer of these upor
which money would have to be received, but they
would not occasion much il any difficulty under the
mode Of accounting which has been described. We
do not perceive any but trifing difficulties in the
working of this plan, and see many most materia
advantages as regards economy, simplicity, ant
ready accountability. We have given only the out
line: any practical man, with little experience
fill up the details.
The simplicity Of our new post Office law ha,
been much impaired by the retention Of the frank
ing privilege by members Of Congress and others
upon what principle of fairness or equity is no
easily discovered And the transmission OF docu
ments by mail free Of postage is another feature