The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-28

/ &c, pOaI-
age should only be such will pay the expense of
the care conveyance, and delivery of the matter
which the postage is laid. These views are in no
way incompatible, and may both he successfully
regarded, provided a reasonable compensation be
made TO the Department for the service il performs
by those for whose benefit such service is required
Ii must be quite obvious that there be prac-
ticabe method of ascertaining the expense of mail
service each particular letter paper, il fuc-
tuates with the cost in each different section of the
country; but what is the proper proportion of each
class of service may be settled with good degree
of Justice, if when ascertaned IL is To bear its fair
proportion, and that only.
The classes of service now required three; the
care transportation and delivery, LIST Of letters, ID
Of newspapers and pamphlets, 3D., matter carried
without compensation. 1t is by postage on the two
first classes of service that the whole expenses OF the
Department are now sustained
The whole number of letters charged with post
! age passing through the mails the past year, reck
oned On the postage received, agreeably To basis
heretofore approved, amounted to sixty two mil
lions On all these letters hepostage collected was
| $3,SS2, 1862; on newspapers and pamphlets $ol9,-
| Ii is well known that the postage the newspa-
pers and pamphlets, in proportion To their weight
and numbers, is in very great degree less than
! the letter postage; that they do not pay their
proportion of the expense Of the service. IL there
fore follows, that the letter postage pays now not
only for its own cost but also for what the paper
postage falls short Of its proportion and also for all
the other operations and services ofhe Department,
including the expense of all the matter carried for
the public without pay from Government. This
brings to inquire what is the extent of this class
of service rendered without pay from the employ
ers. First, what Is the nature and amount OF this
frankcd matter? The heads of the different De-
partmens frank all the mail matter sent from their
respective Departments, and receive free all to
| them directed Under the act of 1915 an account
was kept by the post office of the city OF Washing
ton OF all such matter receoed by the Departments
for the year ending June 30, 1916, but no account
OF the matter sent from them The postage on that
ixyal il,,.Y, nj
the amount as then estimated at the Treasury on
| the matter sent would be fully equal, so that the
same then amounted TO S 500,767 GO. Elk. Doc.
| 81, I'd Sess % Congo In 1917 this mode OF pay
mcnt abolished, and the only provision since
for this service rendered to the Executive Depart
ments, is appropriation of two hundred thousand
dollars per annum. II is always to be recollected
that no amount of appropriations however large, to
pay for ranked matter, will ever in any degree
| lieve the letter paper postage, SO long such
postage actually pays the whole expenss of the De-
partment, whereby such appropriation remains as
surplus undrawn from the Treasury.
But the principal part of the iranked matter, for
which no payment is made to the Department, con-
slsts IN the letters, papers, and documents ranked
by the members of the Senate and House of Repre-
sentativcs. The amount of this matter cannot be
ascertained with entire accuracy, as much is for
warded of which no account is kept.
By report from the Clerks Office Of the House
of Representatives, 1t appears that, during the two
sessions of the 30th gress ending in March last
the extra number of public documents for distribu
ton $40, $50, and their weight I67 1862 lbs.
Printed speeches folded for members to frank,
1854 800 which are estimated at one ounce each,
All ,53l pounds; though oneh half of this shows the
annual amount of this matter from the House of
Representatives the two past years. This does not
include the written correspondence of the members,
or the mail matter by them received. No report d.
rect from the Senate is received but by report
from the Post Office in this city, it appears that,
during the year ending June Goth, lS49 the num-
Der of free written mail matter sent was 1920
received $40 1913
Printed Senate speeches 397 ,63O1 ses q,s
:" =" documents l7O7l5} 49, 'O'''r'
House documents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3,44s, $50
5,32O,O9S
The letter postage and pamphlet postage, to
which this matter would have been subject, If not
franked, Is computed by that report at 1892, 709
1t should be recoected that the Post Office De-
partmcnt is not only required 10 mail and trans
tonal coaches and teams but Is also subject 10 the
actual payment of money contributed entirely by the
letter postage in this manner. By law, two cents
each allowed every postmaster for the delivery OF
free letter package, if his income does not
coed $4,000 per annum. The proportion of these
free papers, delivered by postmasters OF $1,000 in
come, will not exceed tenth. Two cents each
on the foregoing number, deductng one tenth, was
S95,l6l, which is actually paid TO postmasters for
delivering this free matter, out of money received
for letter postage Thus it appears that, for the de-
livery OF nine-tenths of the millions OF printed
speeches ranked and transported in the mails
without compensation, (the printing OF which cost
about one cent each) there Is paid two cents each,
not by the person who sends or by the person who
receives it. by the country as for public service,
but by those who pay postage on their private cor
respondence.
II rests entirely in the wisdom Of Congress TO de-
eide whether this ranking by its members Is val
liable public service, proper 20 continue, and II Is
not intended TO make any remark on that topic.
Were it abolished, there would probably be very
much less Of such matter printed; but the postage
on the remainder, together with that on the CORE
spondence of the members, and the relief of the ex-
pense OF the transportation and delivery OF this
franked matter, would enable the Department 10
sustain itself, though the postage was materially
} reduced on letters. But if Congress continue this
ranking, valuable public service, it is but just
and proper that the letter correspondence by re-
duction on its postage, be relieved from its sup
port, and that provision be made therefor in the
same manner that other branches Of public service
are sustained.
, Another great additional demand Of public ser
vice by the Post Office Department without com
pensation is made this year-that il, the transmits
sion Of all the blanks returns and correspondence
required in taking the census OF 1850 Three thou
sand reams Of these blanks already engaged.
? 1t has been said that the newspaper and pamphlet
! postage II not in proportion 20 the cost OF their
transportation; butt is not TO be, therefore, un-
derstood that any increase Of that postage il pro-
! posed. IL has long been regarded as sound public
policy to promote the circulation Of these pubca-
u proceed further in this policy, especially in pro-
2 noting their circulation in the vicinity Of their
: places Of publication provided no decided injus.
: tice be done TO the postmastcrs within that same
u vicinity
II would be desirable TO have a fixed sum granted
from the Treasury for this public service TO free
matter, and then the postage 20 reduced and ar
ranged az 10 provide for the remainder but that
:. course is impractcabe, as the money from the
Treasury cannot be drawn until that from postage
= is first exhausted and, therefore, the only safe
way is 20 make reductions Of postage from time "a
time, until justice IL produced by leaving balance
!; to be annually drawn from the Treasury, cquiva
~ lent TO the public service performed and no extent
N Of reduction which docs not produce this effect II
sufficient 30 long public service Is required to b'
M performed free Of postage.
)" What should be the degree measure Of the re
M duction Of postage at this time, il entirely qucs
~ ton 10 be settled by Congress but it IL proposco
respectfully to submit what would be the probable
1. effect Of one measure Of reduction.
II The most obvious and prominent feature now IL
postage is the double price, ten cents, charges
= all f,gle loft rec