New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-03
Total estimated expenditures for the
current year, a

io'a. ESTIMATED expenditures for the
'urieht year, s7l23i4s 8
these expenditures are to be met by the balance
no" sldhoihs 10 The credit OF the Department. tn
Ieceips from hostages, and the appropriations mad
/ March 1851
These will be more than sufficient 10 meet the ex
pensSs oil The current fiscal year, but further and from
ceedine year.
The accounts of pos.masters for the frs;two quar-
ers uncer the act Of March last Will not be settle,
by the Auditor, and the aggregate OF their receipts
reported before April or May next Until the &C
counts for two quarters, at least settled rea
Die estimate OF the OF the current year
mount which II VIII be necessary " draw from TIT
eaSuTy IN AID OF the revenues derived from post
ages, Will not much exceed for the two years cndinl
June 30 1883 that which should be collected upoT
matter Low free. il such matter were now charged
Viih the ordinary rates OF postage
carefully prepared report from William A. Brad
ey. Esq Postmaster o. this city and which is here
to nn6Xed estimates that the free letters ana Other
free matter sent from and received az this office, fol
the ~ years ending on the frs: day of July last,
charce cable With postage 1t TIE rates then in force
would have yielce1 tie amount Of 1920 500 In ad.
non to tbe actual revenue OF THIS Department
md that charged with postage az The present rates
The an cunt would have been $l,795,9!0
II VIII be remembered that this does not include
The free letters and other free matter sent from Oh
received at other Offices and that during these wears
between the years IN which there is Presidential
electlon) the free matter sent from the Washington
post office Is much less than in the year when tha!
election occurs. Nor does It include the free circu-
aton of weekly newspapers in the counties OF their
pupIlC dOn, nor the free circulation OF newspapers,
magazines, and other periodicals. bv way OF exchange
between publishers. II a.. the free matter now car
ned IN the mails were charged with postage even at
the presen! rates, from million to two millions of
dollars would be added annually to receipts from
pOStageS.
In my last annual report, recommended certain
"a n nd the NJ
which, II was 0reseen, large deficiency of revenue
for a few years would occur. Ii was supposed that
II those rates were adopted the accumulated surplus
to the credit OF the revenues OF the Department and
annual appropriation from the Treasury equal to
the postage, at the usual rates. upon the matter then
free, would be required TO meet this deficiency, and
would be nearly or quite sufficient for that purpose.
My recommendation was however, only partially
accpted by Congress an the passage OF the act Of
March ?, 1881.
The rate recommended for ordinary inland letter
postage was adopted. but six cents when pref paid
end ten when unpaid was made the single rate OF
letter postage 10 California and Oregon, instead Of
twenty cents, as recommended The rates of post
age on most printed matter was reduced much be-
low the rates recommended weekly papers were
allowed to circulate free OF postage IN the counties
If their publication and the free exchange of
newspapers periodicals, &c was greatly increased
The reduction in the rates to California and Ore =.
gon will greatly DIMINISH the revenues from that
source. statement Of the Auditor shows that the
number OF letters received ard sent by the New
York, New-Orieans and Cnagres line during the
month OF September. 1880 was 1905. and the post
age thereon $ii,3e3 60 and that the number Of let
month of september, 1881, iise3f, and the
postage thereon, under the reduced rates. was $l2,
s54 81.
II was supposed that the reduced rates OF postage
or printed matter recommended in my report would
diminish the revenue from that source about two
hundred thousand dollars per annum. The rates
ADOPTED, with the fee circulation of weekly news
papers within the counties where published AMI the
very great extension OF the privilege of free ex-
change between publishers " Ill., 1t Is believed, d.
minsh that revenue At least five hundred thous md
dollars per annum unless the quantity OF such mat
tes lie increased more than is row anticipated.
iwithstahdng this dlminntlon beyond that
vi ich would have resulted from rhe adoption CT the
rates recommend, 10 change IN the present rates Of
letter postage is deemed advisable.
II was recommended in my last annual report that
uniform inland rates, without regard to distance,
shotrd be established on newspapers and other
printed matter II was Immediately urged that the
postage recommended would be unequal and unjust,
and tbat newspaper carried nifty miles only SHOULD
not be charged with the same postage one earned
twenty-five hundred miles. The force of this Obec-
ticn was Felt by this Department and by Congress,
and the experiment Of numerous rates, graduated
according TO distance, has been tried From the re-
suits OF .his experiment am Sausiled that there
should not be than two, az most three, diff
ferent rates of inland postage on newspapers sent to
actual and bona hde subscribers and that those on
periodicals aud other printed matter. including tran
sent newspapers, should be reduced Ia number and
more nearly 3sSlmllated TO the newspaper rates IL
is difficult 10 assign sufficient reason for charging
upon such periodicals as the reviews, the numerous
maeszines, and theological medical, and law JOUR-
pals, more thsn three times the amount OF pos'ige
charged for the same distance an equal weight OF
new spapers Such periodicals are less cphemeral
than the ordinary spape, and certainly NOT less
beneficial N their influence. The same rates OF
hostage according 10 their weight would De JUS,
ard eoultatle would simplify the accounts Of the
DEPARTMENT and relieve II from the perplexing aud
often iuvidiouS duty Of discriminating between oil
feIent publications. and declaring one aneTspaper
and another Rofa newspaper IN cases wnere iil'ie
difference can be perceived, and where the changed
character Of the next rumoef OF both might render II
proper IN respect 10 such NUMBERS 10 reverse DON
decisions.
rendered more uniform and less complex by the
adoption OF suitable rates, without diminishing very
materially the revenue. Whenever newspapers
ard periodicals can be sent otherwise than IA the
mails at cost less than the postage established oy
law such cheaper modes OF conveyance are gener-
aiy adopted. For this reason, II graduated rates De
established, they may De comparatively mgh 10Y
shout distances, where the means OF conveyance arc
cheap and rapid thoCt beng oppressive or serious
Is CbjeCilonat e.
1fere is A dispositon manifested in certain quar-
tiers 10 urge further reduction IN our inland raIes Oh
letter postage before the results OF the last feoucoA
are properly ssceItalntd. 49,
Tnose no take TIE position that tue people OF tis
country should not rest satiSned win any tecueuoh
Of postage unnl II be made as cheap as tha' OF uiea
Britain seem TO forget that our rates OF postage are
row, in fact, comparatively much cheaper thsh
those Of Great Britain and that the conci!lon o. the
TWO countries IL regard 10 nearly everything waicl
should influence he rates of postage, Is widely All
tereIt- 49,. p-...,, .rd rra
lard has an area ot about 100 600 square miles ana
populate of about 2sooo,so0 while the area OF
the inhabited portions OF the United states may pc
estimated at more than 100000 square miles, WIN
. reputation OF "a otc,tOc
The results OF the cheap postage system IN GreAI
Britain OF reduced rates OF postage Ii ths coun-
u uuotr the actcf ls45 continually rcierfei 70
asey,dencc that THIS Department csG Sustain Iseii
with letter postage OF tgo cents the singe Iase
bot these results, ~hee carefully c0nstceTeo euoA
sh as not 10 atenp, further reduction uh'ii 1sts-
zee BY cur revenues Some OF these results VIII De
stated. . 49,,
In the year ending January 5, 1882 being the year
nervous 10 the ADOPTION IN Great Britain on tne 9sn
Q, December 1892 OF The four penny rate sfolo Fed
January 10, 1870, BY the pennyra; on prepaid x =
tiers and the t~o penny rate on unpaid ieueI.l the
eToss revenue from hostages IN the United hlhs