The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-25

been followed by an increased number Of letters
have before me a memorandum on this subject
derived from source which is entitled TO- and will,
am sure, receive from the other side Of this House
no mean respect and consideration. Ii is a memo
randum kindly and courteously furnished me, on
the effects Of reduced postage, by the honorable SEN
ator from Rhode lsland-hlmself one of the most
able and distinguished advocates of the tariff Of
1912. He says that, under the former law, our
average rate Of postage equal TO IA cents mills
Under the present law, cents 3 mills. He est
mates that at this rate the profits over expenses will
be 500 900.
He however thinks S cents will be the best rate
Of postage, and will give revenue enough 10 defray
all expenses.
In England he says, the rate of postage under the
old law averaged per letter % cents BY the new
law all letters now pay cents and at this low rate
the profits are three or four millions.
Here, Mr. President is a reduction in one
from ~ cents 10 cents; in another from IA cents
and mills to cents And at that rate the gentle.
man from Rhode Island expects, by an increase Of
letters TO pay all the expenses Of the department.
This is his testimony in favor of still greater re-
duction Of postage on the principle that reduction
Of the rate must Of necessity be followed by an in
crease Of letters and consequent increase OF reye-
nue.. And yet that honorable gentleman will con-
tend, as stIenuously as any man on this floor, that
If we reduce the tariff one-tenh Of that amount, we
will have vast falling off in the revenue. If he
will concede TO me, in relation to the revenue, one
hundredth part of what he claims in relation TO
postage, we shall have amount Of revenue suf-
hcient to corrupt both the government and the peo-
pie. May Heaven, in It's mercy, save us from such
redundancy of revenue.
But il we could find in our financial history any
series Of years during which rate Of duty
ponding to that fixed by this bill had been in ope-
ration, we might obtain the basis Of toleraby ac-
curate calculation Of what we may expect under It's
operation. But it 30 happens, that with so much
vigilance has the protective policy been guarded that
we cannot find such basis low. The last five
years Of the compromise act are the five lowest
years that be found, and yet will take them as
the basis Of calculation-a basis very much against
me, because the duties were much higher than they
will be for the next five years. The net average i'm
portations for 1897 1888, 1885, ls40 and ls4l, wal
sne hundred and fourteen millions. Now, II upor
these predicate calculation for l647'48'4 80
and 81, and increase the amount by the barely pro
gressve increase Of population, leaving out any al
lowance for the admission Of Texas, or the reduc
ton of the British tariff, the average Of the next v'
years will be one hundred and ifty-four millions
which, under the rates Of this bill, will give us al
average revenue Of thrtythree millions of dol
lars
| In every aspect in which | have examined Thu
question: am convinced this bill will give an in
crease Of revenue; and though have not been ab'
to sustain this proposition with all the data which
| could with more time have procured from tn
Treasury Department, stake myself on the gene
raj result and thank the Senate for their patient at
tention