Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1848-12-21

:gence among the peorp. Of 50 much importance
was well regulated system esteemed by those who fra
med the constitution ot the United States that even the
States were not permitted to have control it.
lest the diversity Of lei satior should destroy its unor-
mly and regularity and impair lis usefulness. 1t nay
indeed be questioned whether free government over
such extensive territories those Of the Cnied States
could he maintained without IT, The perfection of every
such system consists in the cheapnes speed and secu-
rlty with which communications are inierchanged be
tween different and distant portions Of the community or
between different nations
Whatever may be the system adopted. the means for
It's support must be paid in some way by tax on the
people for whose benefit it established IN the United
States, upon this point there has been little or no diver
sy ofopnion. hat should be collected Of those who
enjoy the benefits of the system by charge on the mat
Ter conveyed in the mails. obviously just scarce
y 70 have been questioned It does not either just
or far that h0Se whose condition in life does enable
them To participate in lis advantages should be called
by other modes of taxation to contribute to lis support
The revenues, arising from it, have heretofore been
applied TO any other purpose. except for short time du
rlng the war of 1872; have the revenues derived
from other been applied to its use, except aid
N the effort recently made for its improvement 1t has
been made 10 depend upon Itself aud thereby giving
the government the best security for the faithful admins
traon offs finances. Perhaps other could be
adopted more equitable and just.
large number Of people have little or connexion
with the mail system. To subject that class to share
the burden If its support By direct vr by imposts
levied upon the necessaCs Of life, would meet. it IS be
ieved. the Appreciation Of but few disinteested citizens
If this be the correct principle Of which the undersigned
has doubt. every letter package conveyed in the
mails should pay just and fair proportion Of its anspor
taon and other expenses. attending the delivery. There
should be no exception Any departure fr,m ii would
necessarily increase the amount to others who tax
ed tor Its maintenance. If the government does not
seek revenue from it other than that necessary for
tie support Of the system, higher charge should be
made than the cost OF transportation and The expenses
tending the delivery Of each letter package.
1t IS difficult If not lmnOs~ibe. to ascertain with
degree OF accuracy tie actual of each letter pack
age conveyed in the mails. in country like ours, ex-
tending from the Atlantic the Pacific, end from the
Lakes TO the Gulf portion Of it covered with cities
and villages, demanding daily and double daily mails
with every facility for speed and cheap transpotatons
Others sparsely populated, without any Improvements
Whatever, scarcely requiring week y mai-the cost
Of transportation must necessary vary and change Of
ten as new contracts have to be made In two
tons OF the country probably mail routes would
the cost Of the transportation be the short time
since the mail transported daily route,
eny four miles, in ur horse post coaches the Of
five cents per On other similar service
Will cost II m fifty to two thousand dollars. In all such
the Of each letter or package depend in
some degree upon the amount paid the contractors The
contract changes every four years. and The price Tor the
service depends upon considerations connected with rav
Ell over the route the chances Of competition, the cost Of
supplies, Sc, as well as upon the distance
The expense Of receiving. forwarding, and delivery
VIII slightly increase the cost OF each according The
distance is conveyed tile number Of persons through
whose hands II must pass but neither Of these all
of them together, will more affect the Of each than
the number conveyed in the mails and that depends in
great degree upon the rate Of postage.
If. however, the cost Of each could be easily and
curatry asceralnei its want Of uniformity would prevent
lis adoption as the rate
In asceriaining standard by which the rates are to be
adjusted the cost different in the several
tons of the Union, the distance be conveyed the ex
pense in the oices Of receiving forwarding and delivery
too minute and important 10 deserve much c0nsi-
deraiiOn.
The best and the only practicable criterion will be the
expense OF the whole sysem compared with the revenue,
and the adoption Of such rate experience shows be
enough TO make the the other approaching as
nearly possible to cost
Prior to the passage of the of 1915. the rates of
postage on letters adjusted according the number
of pieces. making each one a single letter. and different
sums paid according to the distance they conveyed
as 4 that was the prncp!e element in estimating the
This principle entirely abandoned by the act of
l645, though much smpfed and improved while
charging by the piece is entirely surrendered, and the
more just and equitable mode by weight substituted Ex
perlence proved that the rates prior to the passage Of
that act were to high for the purpose Of revenue For
series Of years prior to that time the expenditures regular
y exceed the income exhibiting annual average def
cheney of about 1928 900 for the eight years preceding
The passage Of he act,
These Deficiencies occurred while the transportation grad
uaIly diminished within the last four five years about
twelve thousand miles in extent; that the light
of postage had been continued, the service must have
been greatly diminished or large sums ofmoney drawn
annually from the Treasury for its use.
This result may be annually attributed TO two causes:
First, the multiplication Of railroads and steamboat lines
augmented the expense of mail transportation from 0i>
l23 in 1883 to SSf3 430 he 30th ofJune SlJ more
than double the former mail whilst individuals the
expense OF transportation diminished than half.
Second the high rates of postage and the reduced fare
for travel enabled the expresses TO enter into compeii
lion nh the department by conveying letters Of The
mails This business extensively carried on, not
outstanding the severe penalties Of the law, and the
energetic and determined effects Of the department
force them.
The act Of 1915 reduced the rates of postage more
than one half substituted tile half for single let
ter, in Leu of the sirgle piece Of paper
At the close If the first year. 30th June, S46, the de
fcency proved much less than was expected, only a.
mounting TO S97 099 and the end of the second year
only to S25 447 while, at the end Of the third wear
there found surplus of SIP 232 beyond the proper
expenses of that year notwithstanding the great
crease in the service in each Of the years This was
caused not only by increase Of the revenue, but bv
red con Of the expenditures nearly equallng the in
crease. That however, exceeded the expectation of the
h fri nds of the act.
The increased business in the offices and the improve
ment o. the revenue under the present rates uf psage
lead 10 the conclusion that the rate NAV be dis
pensed with at the close Of the present yea such other
notifications Of that act, as have been suggested in my
former reports should be adopted. In my last annual
report an estimate made of the paying letters which
passed through the mails for the year ending the 30h
June, S. This founded upon the revenues Of the
preceding year and the October returns If 1915 which
hail .op Mo e,