American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-12-14
ONDAY MORNING, DECEMBER "A, 1876.

we nave already gwen lne StatlSllcal pOTtlOT
of this report, and now suhjoin brief abstract
of some of the changes proposed in the pre-
sent postage law.
The gross income under the cheap postage
system, Tor the year ending June 30Lh, IS4S
was So, 4S7, 1893 IS. The average yearly IN
come Tor nrne years, ending June 80, lS45
was s4,364 825 G5-making the receipts un
der the new law less by S857 ,425 80 than un
der the old law. This dImnuton is traced il
part to other causes than the reduction O
postage, and for the remedy of these it is re.
commended:
That the law be 80 amended as TO make the
single letter weigh one quarter instead of the
halt ounce, except IN the case OF a letter weigh
ing less than half an ounce and written upon
a single sheet of paper.
That the same power be given to the Post
Office Department to prevent a violation of its
revenue laws, as is now given to the SecIeta'
ry of the Treasury against smugglers.
That all letters passing over mail routes,
which relate to the cargo, be free, when they
are unseaIcd, and subject 10 the inspection OF
post-otfice agents, lien fraud is Suspected
And that the postage OH newspapers De SO ad-
justed as TO approach more nearly the cost OF
transportation and delivery, and be made more
equal aud just, as between the publishers
This may beaccomplished without any material
interference with the policy of disseminating
intelligence among the people by their general
circulation.
The low hostages on papers, without regard
TO size, weight, or the distance to he taken,
operate unfairly between the publishers them
selves, by enabling those papers published III
large commercial cities to compete with the
village press for circulation in tIeiI respective
localities, whilst the sending papers free for 80
miles from the place OF publication, cOunteracts
to some extent this advantage like I'M
Just to the other, and both unjust 10 the COM
nunity, as the burden Of both is thrown upon
the treasury,
As an act Of justice between the publishers
themselves, the rates OF postage should DO re-
guated according TO the SIZE or weight OF the
paper, and the distance to be carried TeseTVlng
the right to them Of taking their own papers
over mail routes out Of the mails; and as an act
OF Justice to the community, these rates should
be so high as to cover any deficiency which the
reduced rates Of postage on letters may make,
80 as TO render the income Of the department
equal to its expenditures.
Transient newspapers, or those sent by 9TH
ers than the publishers to the subscribers, as
they are usually sent in lieu of letters, should
DO rated higher than other newspapers
All printed matter passing through the mails
should be prepaid, and all letters be prepaid,
or rated with double postage. Some such
amendments Of the late law are believed to be
necessary to give the cheap. postage system a
fair trial by securing TO the department its lC-
gtImate revenues; and if adopted by Congress
it is confidently believed, from tho reductions
which have been made in the two sections all
ready let TO contract, and anticipated savings
in the other two branches of tho service, that
there will be no need of calling upon the trea-
sury for further aid, after the lst Of July, IS4S,
when the whole service will be placed under
the new law.
An increase of the salaries of deputy post
masters is recommended, az they get a per
centage on the receipts, which are greatly re-
duced under the present law--for instance the
receipts in l845 at New York were S294, 5ll,
and in 1916, but : 80 69l; and at Baltimore in
1916, SS4 $50, and IN 1916, sac, 033.
He calls the attention Of Congress to the fact
that private express is run between Mont
,mery (Ala.) and Mobile, on the arrival at
the former place Of news 10y the steamers.
The contractors for The transportation Of the
mails between New York and Bremen, by ocean
steamers, are rapidly progressing with the con-
structon of the first vessel, and but little doubt
is entertained that the service will be commen
ced early in the spring.
It's proposed also to extend the line of foreign
mails TO other places
On the subject of the telegraph the Post
master General recommends, for conclusive
reasons, that the lines Of telegraph should bt
owned and controlled by the Government, ant
it is to be hoped that Congress will approx,
this recommendation as no doubt nine tenths o
the people will
Under the authority given at the last session
Of Congress, an arrangement has been mad,
with Messrs Vail and Rogers, the principal of
fcers having charge of the line between BaIti
more and Washington,by which it will be KEEP
up until the fourth of March next, for its pro
fits, and without any further calls upon tn
Treasury.
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