Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-05
Si,3!7,63S

Si,3l763S
II the ten-cent rdle be deducted one lourln is
taken from the leller postage bou. the amount
oil newspaper postage, which mus, t. supplied in
some other way. With The surplus on hand Al
The close Ct The present year, which is estimated
al about Si5O,OOO, he expenditures Tor the nex
year may be met by inc probable increase arising
IRON The reduction; but reduce il te TWO or three
cents, and the newspapers 10 one c,Ii and under
and the treasury alone must supply the defc.
We are not opposed 10 cheap hostages. We
wish them so low, aud only SO low, as 10 make
The revenue cover The expendi,nr; but il VIC be
wrong, ard The business increases, ard The reye-
nnes continue 10 increase, and shall leave another
surplus, then there will be no ohect1a 70 a fur.
lher reduction 10 two or three cents. But with
Inc present cebi arising out oi the ..lexican war,
which should be paid a! The earliest possible mo
men, il would seem 10 be lnainiss 10 ha2 RI The
chance Of throwing upon the lrc.sury million
or two more each year.
IL The course proposed By The POSTMASTER &C.
neral upon The passage oiihe actoi lSi5-lhal OF
reducing gradually, at The end d the first year,
10 ID cents; at The end OF the second year 10 10
GEMS; and a the end Of the Sd year To cents
had been adu2cd-l The whole wishes OF The PEG
from the treasury about 100000, which has
been paid 10 try tie experiment
IL seems 10 US laat il woul hs wise IN Con.
sIess to adop! this pIan now ONE down to I'VE
one. If the expenses can be paid bSTgis ., even
Fsstinn lentc (has,cn slowly onu "r,.iyJ
Of many things that are dreamed Of IN our PM
losophy."
But there is another point q view, in WHEN a
too sudden reduction of pos'ages would operate
most unjasy. N thought appears 10 DC 'aReh
OF The .n;eress Of the poor posunas.e's, 10 con-
uec,ion with he proposed reduction q poStases'
although their income al all except M very
large offices, is now 30 small lhai they car win
difficulty support themselves. The lneV'ta''e
result OF The PASSAGE OF law ioi rejucihs me
rates OF postage, ia accordance with The demands
OF he bills before Congress, without some rioV'-
sion for The protection ot The Interests OF post
masters in connection with the new rates, "'!i "
10 drive thousands from their stations, ahu en-
barrass and cripple he energies OF The Dtpaf-
mint. Il Congress would grant IN allowance 70
postmasterS for clerk hire and Office fenI al ON
ces. cut oil the commissions OF which tnsse e8-
penscs are now taken, lney might struggle OF
long under The low poslages commended Tor pr',
without some such provision, the labor Of ihese
Offices canno, be carried on, and The consequence
will be, Inc resignation Ct faithful and competent
posmas!crs and confusion and inethcrncy u
the Department.
The increase ct correspondence under Inc ex
listing rates OF postage has mol been snlhcieh'' !"
The middle grades d Offices, whose pophau2'
and business hare mol been rapidly on ne 1nfreHse
10 come any thing rear making NJ Tor the o'm'
mutton OF postage occasioncd ~ the reduction o
rates unde. the law Of 1915. is owing muci
more 10 increase Of population and business thai
oil correspondence, resulting rom The lower rale
Of postage, lha! The post Offices IN some sec'ion
Of The country have sustained themselves unae
the reduced rates OF postage. This The tables Q
the Department, exhibiting the comparative re
ceipls OF the post Offices OF the country, Clear
| demonstrate.
These suggestions we are induced y ihro'
Out, by a desire TO do justice 10 all sections OF IN
country, and 10 add efficiency and value to IN
Post Office Department, in whose prosperity
| I'D