The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-30
IFoR THE REPUBLIC.
Reduction of Postage.

Reduction OF Postage.
The reduction of the rates Of postage to uniform
rate Of t,oo cents prepaid is now asked for by hun
reds of thousands of citizens in every section of the
Union; and as some members Of Congress enter
tain doubts as TO the expediency of the measure,
permit me through the columns of your paper to
submit a few facts for their consideration.
II the reduction OF postage TO the low rate of two
cents untried experiment-a new theory
preached at the present time, il in 1887 by
Rowland HILL of England-we might well hesitate
in adopting it. But it has been successfully tried in
Great Britain for ten years past, and partial re-
duction in our own country for five years. and in
each the result has succeeded beyond the most
| sanguine expectation ofits friends
| Let us look at its results in Great Britain The
increase in the number of letters the first year of
cheap postage, was from seventy-six millions to
| one hundred and sirty-nine millions, and for ten
years up 10 1850 the number has gone increasing
and the last year there passed through the British
post Office three hundred and ty-sir millions Of let
ters.
The groas revenue OF the post office in
lS49 was. Observation-Disclosures. $l0,7lS679
Cost Of management ........,...... 7,0l6,250
NcV revenue. .,.....,.,..... S5,iU2,l29
To this should be added payment OF
$3.50 ,i3O, for conveying the mails by railways in
previous years, which would make the nett
for lS49 amount to Ss4,6S2, $50. Such has been
the SUCCESS of this experiment in Great Britain.
Some will say this may be all true, but we can
not look for such increase of letters in the Uni
ted States in Great Britain. But why9 Are not
our people as we'll educated, enterprising,
inquisitive social the people of that country?
All must answer, yes Why, then, shall not
write many letters in proportion to our popu-
lation if we have cheap postage and equal facili
ties2 Until the adoption of cheap postage in Great
Britain, the number of letters for several years
manned stationary; but as soon the cheap system
went into operation, everybody began TO write
letters and send them through the post office.
They felt something the Irishman writing from
Dublin TO his in London, after the cheap sys-
tenn adopted. "Pat,'' said he, "writc often, for
every time you write you save eiepen pence. II the
rate of postage is as low, and our people have equal
facilities in the receipt and delivery of letters,
am confident that letters will increase in an
equal if not greater proportion
In proof Of this will advert to what has taken
place in own country under the present partial
reduction. Prior to the law of 1915, according to
the report of the Post Office committee the let
tcrs had decreased in number from % BOT, 1872
twenty four millions for several years. The rcve-
nue. had also fallen off nearly 100000. Many
predicted the total ruin of the Post Office Depart
ment, if, under these circumstances, the postage
was reduced In July, 1915, the law reducing the
rates of postage than 50 per cent went into op
Grafton under the most unfavorable auspices. What
has been the result? The letters have increased
the last year to sirty t,co millions the revenue
Of the Department to four millions nine hundred
and flee thousand one hundred and seuenty- SIR dol
lars! "a, 905, l76,) being upwards of hundred
and torty-si thousand dollars more than was ever
received, in year, since the establishment of the
Post Office Department And the fact should be
remembered, that although the postroutes have
been increased since the reduction of postage 1853
miles; the annual transportation of the mails,
$500, 800 miles; and 5,29S post offices esab-
shed yet the Department under the present re-
duced rates, has not only betrayed its
penses but according to the last report of the Post
master General, there remained "the sum of SOIL
1872 40 unexpended of the revenue Of the past year.
Had Congress reduced the rates cents prepaid
in 1915, the writer Of this proposes, the letters
last year would have been, instead of sixty-two
millions, at least ttDo hundred millions, which would
have yielded the Post Office Department four mil
lions Of dollars, exclusive of newspaper postags.
III
the subject, that cannot afford to carry letters
for two cents as in Great Britain, where tue popu
laton is more compact, the roads better, and the
expense Of Transporting the mails much less than
ours. Let examine the force Of this objection.
According TO the best information, the cost of the
transportation of our mails in 1913 exclusive Of
territorcs) was only S2ls, 1898, not ten per cent.
greater than the British This proves that the ex-
tent Of our country, the sparseness Of our popua-
ton, the badness Of our roads, the multiplicity
Of post Offices, do not greatly increase the cost
of the transportation and delivery Of our mails.
Our rivers, lakes, and greater enterprise enable
TO convey mails at cheaper rate. But 10 prove
conclusively that We can afford 10 carry letters
as cheap in Great Britain, let look the cost
of the management Of their post Office and ours, by
which we shall find that IL vastly counterbalauces
the 10 per cent. the transportation Of
| mails.
In 1919 the management Of the British post Office
cost. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, SI,Olb25O
In ls49 coat Of the United States post
Oince ................... .........'. 4,4iJtO+J
Lees than the post Office Of Great Bri-
tain ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. S2,5S12Ol
These are facts founded on official returns, and
therefore we would AJAX what force IL there in the
oft repeated objection, "that cannot afford TO
carry letters cheap Great Britain"
BARNABAs BATES,
Corr. Secry Of N. Y. G. p. Association.
First Steamer at the head OF Lake Superior.
The Lake Superior Journal Of the 18th instant
IL. 6