The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-04
Cheap Postage.

in Mace OF any remarks of our own on this important
ubect which occupies much of the public alten
finn we submit to readers the following article
which has been sent to us from well informed
While all agree 10 the benefits of cheap postage sys-
tem and witness with pleasure any practicable reduction
Of the rates. has yet been the established policy of
government TO make the Post Office Department sustain
itself instead of becoming burden upon the treasury of
the country II is in thus point of view that the proposed
laws upon the subject examined in the following ar
ticle
To The Editor Of The Union:
see that the committee of each house propose
IN reluce letter postage to 3 cents and one TO
cents not prepaid. Both propose considerable
reduction IN the newspaper postage and other
niatel matter. II is susceptible of demonstrations
that if either bill becomes law, the department
must Look to the treasury for its support The Post
master General, in his last report, estimates the ex-
psnllues for the next year, ending the 30th of June
1850 at Si76si5 and all the contracts in the Union
have been made under the act of 49, it is probable
that there be any further reduction in the expend
lures indeed if the business in the Offices continues
increase expected by the friends of the cheap postage
there must necessarily be hereafter great increase in the
expenditures, and will not probably fall short of five
millions
How is this TO be raised, if the letter postage be
reduced so low, The letter postage under the act of
lSl5 was as follows;
For the year ending the ao,h June, 1916 s2.ss,6e7
=" 60 1S47 3,lSS,957
Z" 6 1913 355o,30l
Average for the three years, including the appropriations
from the treasury, 49, 206 9o6-making annual increase
after the first year of 10 per cent The loss on letter
postage by the reduction under the act of 1915
SITS ,533 for the first year and for the last year. in
GLIDING the appropriation of 100000 from the treas
ury did not equal the letter postage for the year ending
az luna hy IN ofsc
The letter postage is the main reliance for the supper,
of the department Postage printed matter has
aged for few years only about 100000, and If reduced
as proposed in either of the bills, will fall short of half
million of dollars. The last years postage collected
on paying correspondence OF fty-eght millions of let
tiers and for the present year, the Postmaster General
estimates the increase at per cent, which makes the
number of paying letters the close of the year about
sixty two millions.
The proposed postage of three cents applied to that
number would only yield revenue Of 81 100000
To which the newspaper postage may be added 100000
The estimated surplus at the end of this year AS 900
Appropriation under the act of 1917 100000
$3,oss, 900
Leaving deficiency little short of two millions of dol
lars be paid from the treasury for the year. TO
be paid from the increase OF business.
1t be seen that the number of paying letters must
be than doubled during the next year, yield the
desired Is such increase probable The
increase under the act of 1916 will justify such con-
cusion the highest increase in any one year less
than 10 per cent, and that Of the last year about per
cent "l
The great reduction to three might possibly make
increase for the first year OF 30 per and the let
Ter postage would then be less than and quarter
millions Should the increase make the number even
one hundred millions, there would still be deficiency of
near one million of dollars the end of the next year.
We are constantly told OF the great increase in the
British post Offices by the introduction of the pennypos
system, and are urged to follow the example The es-
mate of the number OF letters passing through their offices
is very large for the last year three hundred mil
lions. And they claim increase of two hundred
millions in eight years; but have not the means of
knowing upon what basis this estimate is made. If it be
founded on the revenue by reducing the amount OF
cepts to pennies and estimate letter for each penny.
upon any such basis, the estimates deceptive and
cessariy mslead Ii beyond dispute that very great
proportion of their post Office arises from the
charge on foreign letters, which is rarely less than
shilling EACH their registered letters also shilling AMI
their transit letters eighpence These estimates of the
number of letters cannot be safely relied but their
money account showing their receipts and expenditure
is much safer guide find in the pamphlet published
by the Boston association the following table, and which
is omitted in the republication OF that pamphlet recently
made in New York.