New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-04
rhe Pos,mnstcr-sscncraI,s Report.

quit WOrk ana went 10 ulnncr.
The pOsimasicr-e:cncraI's Report.
We knew Mr.. Hall years ago as work
era man of application of details, and of
energy; but we had not known him as a
Reformcr prior to the appearance Of bis
Annual Report. We most heartily vel
come his appearance in that capacity
Hitherto we have had Postmasters- Gene
raj willing to acquiesce in reductions of
Postage when made, tested and found to
work successfully; but Mr. Hall is the
first within our recollection to come out
distinctly, urgently, forcibly, in favor of
radical reduction in the Rates of Postage,
We thank him heartily for what he has
done in his Report, and trust Congress will
lose no time in enacting the Rates of Let
ter Postage recommended by him Three
cents prepaid per quarter ounce for any dis
lance without crossing the Rocky Noun
tains, and five cents if unpaid in advance,
are very fair rates; let us accept them at
once, and be so much nearer the two-cent
rate when it shall have been proved ade
quate Do not let us endangerthe half loaf
by sticking for two cents now, Let the
Postmaster Generals rates OF Letter Post
agcbe adopted forthwith-before Chistmas,
if possible. Why need there be ponderous
deliberation and long speeches on so plain
matter!
Mr.. Hall is very fair so far as he goes
with regard to Newspapers, but he does not
go far enough. The weight is the essential
point in the transportation of Printed Mat
ter; consequently, the considerations in ia
vor Of uniform rate of Letter Postage do
notapply to Periodicals, &c. 1t is not Just
and equal to charge as much for carrying
small newspaper twenty miles as for carry
ing large one two thousand miles. One
cent per printed sheet, weighing not more
than two ounces when mailed, is probably
a very fair general rate /; but there should
be much lower rate for Country Newspa-
pers-that is, for all periodicals conveyed
less than forty miles. We think ten cents
per annum as the postage of Weekly,
twenty of Semi Weekly, thirty for q Tri-
Weekly, and sixty for Daily-to be paid
for full year in advance-would be fair
rates for all journals conveyed not more
than forty milesfrom their respective places
| adjudication. We believe such rates would
be most advantageous, yet but Justly SO, to
the Country Press, which is now unduly
crowded by the city journals. The Week
ly Tribune, for instance, now pays seventy
eight cents in Michigan, Illinois, Wiscon-
sin, Iowa, &c. while the journals printed in
the very counties where taken pay fifty
two; this is too little difference: but to re-
duce ours to fifty-two and leave the local
journals subject to the same rate, wouldag-
gravate the injustice. One cent per copy,
payable quarterly in advance, for every
newspaper sent more than forty miles, and
ten cents per year, payable annually in ad-
vance, for every Weekly transmitted less
than forty miles, with corresponding rates
for papers printed oftener than once a week,
would be just about right. We have 40
faith in the 'franking principle, whether
applied in our favor or against US, and
would have every thing pay Its own way.
1t should be borne in mind that, though the
conveyance of a mail may cost more now
than formerly, the conveyance of mail mat
ter per TIN costs less-much less; and of
the reduction per tun caused by the substi-
tuition of steamboat and railroad transporta-
ton for coach and horse carriage, the bulki-
er portion of Mail matter is fairly entitled
to the benefit.
"A saving of some $4,000 to $50, 900
per annum might and should be made in
| the expense of Advertising Dead Letters.
In cities, the Department pays four cents
for advertising each dead letter six times,
which is often dead loss added tie the loss
of the Postage. To advertise once at a
cost of one cent, and charge ttco cents ad-
| ditional on each Advertised letter. would
relieve the Department from a heavy charge