The New York herald., 1851-12-23
No. Comics Printed
100000

Total. $500 100000 422 coo COO
The above $500 publications would probably
average three dollars each, per year. which, with
circulation of 900 600, would yield fifteen millions
/ of dollars suppose that three millions Of this
! circulation passes through the mails (Which |
thiLk, is very moderate estimate, inasmuch as
by far the greater portion Of the trweekly weekly,
and monthly publications are suppanted by the
eaily papers in the pepulous towns), We would
have Line millions Of dollars paid for subscriptions,
BY mail subscribers. Now, | think there is no
doubt but that under the money order system, at
least Elk millions of this subscription money would
he forwarded through the mails and as they are in
amount averaging three dollars each, the COM
missions, at the rates / have proposed, would
amount to one hundred and twenty thousand
dollars. This, II will be perceived, is very con-
siderable an cunt and allowing one half 20 accrue
to the Department. clear profit Of sixty thousand
dollars per annum Is derived solely on newspaper
Subscriptions, to say rothiHg of the Incidental
postage originated by such accommodation. 1t is
brit fair to presume that while so much is lost for
the want Of the money order system, people
restrained and inundated from making remit
taLces. This operates against the Department in
two ways II frs. preve nts circulation, and thereby
materially decreases the basis upon which cor
respondence originates, for, without the people
read they will have occasion to write. Secondly,
it loses the postage which would accrue upon
printed matter, in consequence of remttances being
/ withheld.
In addition to the above, a large amount would
be remitted for books, which propose to carry in
the mail at rates as cheap, If not cheaper, than
!
equal despatch and security. Under the present
law the rates for books entirely too high, and
requiring the postage to be prepaid, is simply
throwing an impediment in the way of the pur-
chaser, which amounts to prohibition When
man, living in a remote or isolated section of the
country, RENTS money to publisher for a book,
he gives Jrin'a tDcit evidence of his intention to
tfke il from the post Office when delivered, and Of
his willingness to pay the postage. But under the
present Jaw be is intiDidated from making re.
mittaroe, because he does not know what amount
OF postsge to remit, and rather than put the pub
Usher 10 Inconvenience in regard to pre.paying the
same, he declines making any order. The theery
of Pre- payment in strictly business community
like ours, will lot answer-it destroys correspon-
this head hereafter. Without entering into an
elaborate argument to show the probable profits
of the money order system, will put down three
hundred thousand dollars as the amount which
have no doubt could be annually realized. In re.
gard 10 the accom- mediation 1t would afford, every
one may judge for himself without the trouble Of
going into estimates.
. will now consider the most important and diff
feut branch Of our post system, viz the di,tribu-
ton gervice. Distributing Off :es those ut which
Tie mails are oytrhauled, and where the matter
he ra"us eces .s Tbey are na
thing more nor lees than lighthouses, to guide the
mails into the proper courses or channels post
master in Maine, receiving letter addressed to
some ,fice in Missouri, (or any other State) un-
der existing regulations, is required to mail the
letter TO TIE nearest distributor, which, for example,
we will suppose to be Portland. The postmaster at
Portland is required to remsil the letter, with a
postbill, TO the proper distributor in Missouri,
which We viii suppose TO te st. Louis. The LETT
t,r is again opened at 81. Louis-Che wrapper,
mean,) and rom therce remaled and postbilled to
the place addressed. For this service the distribu
ting cfhce receive seven per cent each on the
amorIt Of postage, in addition to ordinary COM
missions ard Compensation. IL letter, by acci-
dent il direction, gees through three four dis
tributing ohees, this seven per cent is charged
against itso that, although but two distributions
are authorized there is nothing to prevent three
four from being charged; thus swelling the amount
eight Ier cent. All the postage accrung upon the
letter, after deductng ordinary commissions and
expenses, eaten up, and the Department no doubt
often sustains less.
Since the agitation Of the subject Of cheap post
ages, Qsi4,) various attempts have been made to
abolish or modify this serVice-for. in addition to
the e1pense, IL retards tho progress Of mail matter
very much, and IL probably thedrect ofnearly
all the delays and failures Of the press
ard people IN all quarters of the country IL IL not
ne.ey the asserting Of the mail matter that is
required, bot It orgiaRits pew ard sSpsrate ac
counts, ard consumes a vast Amount OF wrapping
paper, post bills, &c besides requiring extraor!-
nary facility and despatch to properly perform the
service.
Major Hobbe, the late head Of the Contract
Ohse, (aDd ofwhose ability, during the short time
remained under his of5cal coguizance, vas no less
daily witness than an admrer,) speke as follows
Of this branch Of the service, 10 bis report last
year
The evsincident 10 this operation are too frequent
distrhutiop and sequeDt unnecessary expense and
delay Originally the regulations OF the Department
contemplated tvo dstibutiops cash transmission
dsiant place; for many years past but one but In
feet they frequently in many cae. a. 10 absorb
.lnest ell hs. remains Ct the postage Of the letter after
tsAiDs Cut the delivery eemi,sion The Of these
tvsi obvious IL IL much easier mail the letter
the reSt 1thieubg ofice which is we'll known. sna
On slorg The whole route than 20 nd out the ultimate
dhtbuiing circle to which the Office addressed belongs
Id he &C m furl
the pGciice. But thi, is the w)r-t On being DO.
teif 81 TO receive distribution mailing, the letter in
nte'yniEe cssss cut Of hundred loses ts connection
Win The Ougcing mails ana seriou delays
are ihus oecasoped In former report showed tast
idisrjhpin s ob.olee In other countries aud entire
y urtuti 10 the pr sent state q cur as Bot sub
sute fcb foT forwarding mails for the purpose OF
,udirg ih,m g drsh, places in The rish. channels by
positive regulations i thdispsnsasle To effect the
change certain modifesiions q the prsseni law, aud
cTisios fer getting snd putting In operation the
Ysn, viii te necessary.
Let distribution" be abolished upJn eli except sea.
goibs mails Issue written Instructions rather partly
written and partly printed to every Office the
United states how to beg s matter and the matter of
ether ofcsr Be'sing through IT, every other Office in
TIE United stst,s-hs chi'f portion q which could be
stated IN ssid nsTuctons under the Of satas or
BY counties in the state What here stated In brief
'ptce would be the wofk great labor requiring for
its execution the best and most minute knowiedse Of
mail SirsDgtnents snd the course II the mas that the
Department pose' 20 be aided by personal consuta
ton with the principal ptstmassrs in AL parts the
Union On line between two given Offices the inter
ntdate points where the oin each other that
give tie n, direct course would be specied baygnz
points Retsin enc foot Of your comIass u these
tNrtme PORTS, ana shifG the other TO = point
The ci Gle and yea vii that intermediary points
oi cttn lrettnt Themselves upon the line thus
descrilej which Will require desigDation Of bag
grr Or forwarding thc esn the selection ot which, II
.. important t. coniidsr the frequency OF thir supply,
The speed snd come ctions and probable amount o
matter In tling bag Apply this illustration to the
Whole net~lrk q routss, and utnsdr how various
the dieetn by which the mails them and
tcme idea msy b. formed hsv mutfarou, must b. the
irstructons which this fcheme Of baggins and for
Wsrding viii require. Is would axe year o. gst
th,m Up. probably more, and the entire appropra-
ticn Ct Jfcef % the tssk To D. uniform per-
fltt. 10 should b. the work Of mind throughout
aud 30 would amount 70 the greatest practical reform
ever ntrCoucre mo the Operations Of the sergice
Under this syttm, evety letter would te mailed direct
The accounts Of mails sent would shos Tin column in
serted that purpose) 10 what Ce 10 baggpd That
rcc would forward II toward ts detiBaton by balxnx
t o TIE oHce TO which iostructsi to hag such mater