The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-12-03

there are many that result from the want of
experience and skill on the part OF those 10 whom
the management OF postal affairs in that section Of
the country has necessarily been con6ded. The
appointment OF a Deputy Postmaster General and
an Auditor 10 reside in California, proposed by
bill reported at the Las session, might AID in re-
organization which would sever that service frons
the service in other parts OF the mon, and IS liza
Bile TO many objections. 1t is, therefore, respect
fully suggestfd thatimprovement,s system, economy
and efficiency would be sooner introduced II Con-
gTess should authorize the Postmaster General 10
send, temporarily, to the Pacific coast, al olhcer
OF the greatest knowledge and experience IN mail
arrangements, and in the principles aud rules Of
the department governing the making of contracts,
Tor the f"rpose of being there associated with the
local agent In organizing the service at the oa,set.
and placing II ON proper basis for the future
charge and management of such agent. IL the To-
cal agent is TO be continued in charge of the SER
vice, his salary should tie increased to an amount
better corresponding with the high prices prevail
ing IN California.
In view of the time required to communicate with
Oregon and our newly acquired territories the fol-
lowing mobilization ct the post office laws is ur-
gently recommended
l. That the contract and fiscal We n for the Post
Office Department., in respect to the service i'm
California, Oregon, New Mexico and Utah, be-
changed, and that il commence and end three
months earlier than for the rest Of the Union, SO.
s- the returns, accounts. and all other statements
for the last quarter of the fiscal year in that portion
of the Union, can be made TO the General Post
Office in Washington, in time, after being duly
audited, TO be embraced in the annual reports SUBJ
united at the opening of Congress.
2. That authority be given TO the special agent in
that country TO open, at San Francisco, the dead
letters returned from the Offices in California and
Oregon, and there dispose of them, as is now done
at the General Post Office, under such regulations
and restrictions as the Postmaster General may
prescribe. For this purpose a clerk, or clerks,
with suitable salaries, should be allowed 10 the
| special agents. Et
A considerable reduction of letter postage, and
the adoption OF a uniform in and rate, is desired
by large portion of the people OF the United States
Interesting and able reports, Iecomme ding differ
ent degrees of reduction, were made, bat not acted
upon, at the last session of Congress. The subject
Will doubtless again engage the attention of Con-
gress at It's approaching session; and, with an
earnest desire that rates of postage may be
duce to the lowest point that Is practicable, with
| out calling for contribution from the Treasury
| beyond what should be paid for the transmission,
and delivery of the Off :ia and public correspon-
dence, recommend that the inland letter postage
be reduced To three cents, the single letter, when
PREPAID, and be hxed at the uniform rate OF i've
| cents when NOT prepaid; and also, that the POST
master General be required to reduce this prepaid,
tate to two cents the single letter, whenever IL
| shall be ascertained that the revenues of the
department, after the reductions now recon-
mended, shall have exceeded its expenditures by
more than five per cent for two Consecutive hscai
years. also reco nmend that the postage 10 Cali
forna and Oregon be greatly reduced, and that the
postage charged on other going letters be made
more simple and uniform. With the numerous.
rates now cherged-some with, and some without
mistake are freque nj and unavoidable. therefore
recommend that twenty cents the single letter, be
charged on all correspondence 10 and from the
Pacific coast, South America, the Eastern Conf.
nent and its islands, and points beyond either; and
ten cents the single letter all other sea-going
letters without the sUperaddi0n Of inland postage,
IN any case, excepting, however, all cases where
such hostages have been shall be az listed at
different rates, by postal treaty already Concluded.
or hereafter TO be made; and power should be
given to the Postmaster General, by and with the
a1xoa .s<(f t.aD A. al. ITa.sA
States, TO reduce enlarge the rates, with the
view Of making better postal arrangements with
other governments, or counteractlng any adverse
measures affecting our postal intercourse with other
countries.
] also recommend that the provision which ina
poses an additional half ceat postage upon news
papers, sent more than one hundred miles and out
OF the State where they are mailed, be rereasd, so
as to leave the uniform iniiI postage on news-
papers, sent 10 subscribers from the office Of pub
LEGATION, at one cent each.
The postage upon pamphlets, penodicas, and
other printed matter Except newspaptrs), 10y be-
simphtied and somewhat reduced, with advantage
| TO the department. Two cents for the pamphlet or
periodical OF the weight Of two or es,, and
one cent for every additional ounce, fraction OF
an ounce, is recommended as the inland rate upon
all pamphlets, periodicals., and other printed matter.
instead Of the present rate OF two and half cents
for the first ounce, and one cent for every addi-
tional ounce, or fraction OF an ounce For the sea-
going charge on such matter, and on newspapers,
twice the inland rate 10 and from the points to
which II is proposed that the letter postage shall
be ten cents, and four times the inland rate where
the letter rate is twenty cents, Is deemed just
and proper rate. This would, in some cases, in
crease the postage on printed matter sent 10 the
Pacific coast, and by our other sea lines, where
the postage is not already fixed by postal arrange
ment; bur the postage TO California, as above pro-
posed, would hardly equal the price now chlA-R
by private expresses Tor the conveyance ofss &c
same weight in packages OF less than one hundred
pounds, to San Francisco.
IL will be perceived that the rcdu cton proposed
The reason Tor the greater reduction OF letter post
age is found In the fact that the rates of postage
upon printed matter are now exceedingly low.
when compared with the letter rates. The average
postage on letters is estimated at about three dol
lars and sixteen cents per pound, and on ncwspa-
pers or pamphlets at about sixteen cents per pound
After the reductions proposed, the average inland
postage on letters will be about s2 30 per pound
when not prepaid. and 81 30 per pound When pre-
paid
The reductions in postage now recommended
will, II earned out, reduce the revenues of the de-
partment FOR the firstthree or four years At the
end OF that period, the revenues OF the department
under the reduced tari OF postages. will probably
again equal ito expenditures. To meet the deti
clency which must follow this reduction, the sur
plus revenues already accumulated m y be first APP
Piled, and after these shall have been exhausted,
appropriation from the Treasury will Be re luirei
unless Congress shall deem II expedient TO abolish
the existing privileges Of sending and receiving
ice matter through the mails, or TO increase the
annual appropriation now made to the department,
Tor the conveyance OF part Of such free matter. TO
a sum equal TO the revenues that would be derived
therefrom, II all Tree matter were charged with
postage.
The continuance ofiAe RANKING privilege: apriyi-
lege which may be properly considered as the pr-
yege ofthe constituent rather than ofthe rePresene
tative-may be dictated by enlightened public
policy and required bv the public intereeis and the
same may be said OF the privilege possessed by
newspaper proprieors Of sending and receiving ex-
change newspapers free Of postage Bat If thes-
privileges are continued, IL is respecfuy submitted
that this department should be paid Tor the con-
veysnce of The matter sent free under them, BY an
appropriation from the public Treasury, rather than
by tax on the private correspondence ut the coun-
try. IL sum equal TO the postage which would be
charged on all tree matter, were u chargsable with
postage, should be annually appropriated aud p1iA
TO this department, u is believed that such ap3ro-
priation and the accumulated surplus would
enahln denaIt q susfain iIsall rlth