The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-23

acier OF the service the security and safety OF the mails
the convenience OF the public and the certainty VIII
winch the mails have been carried, &c. Now, am fgh
am wrong IN my conclusions! II am wrong, VII
give up Una, part OF The Argument II am rght ~ ii
deducuon, thiDk II is conclusive argument asahs
any inher reduction of the postage, unless upon some
oil the exavagant calculations that have been made mere
and elsewhere. but in which do not concur IN regard
10 The elects OF sl further reduction oil the rates OF
postage say that for twelve thirteen years-irom
1897 down to this tmethee has been no substantial IN
crease IN what call the effective mail service II is
SAID that there has been an increase OF some millions OF
miles over which the mails have been carried IL IS SAID
that the late reduction of the rates OF postage by the ACT
OF ls43 has increased the of The department. 80
as TO enable them TO expend large sums OF money IN ex
tending the mail facilities OF the countrythat the rev.
enne has increased from scme four and hall millions OF
dollars to over five millions OF dollars The revenue has
thus increased, notwithstanding the reducloa 80 as 10
enable the department to extend further and to increase
the mail facilities OF the country. Now do no deny
that there has been the number OF mites
over which the mails have been carried But my honor
able friend from Texas will recoec that one mode OF
increase has been by conveying the mail over the same
Texas has been admitted INTO tine Union. and we have
also new territories which the mail communications
are extended Some five or six thousand miles Of ma
routes have been established in Texas alone IN the last
few years The mail is carried upon many new railroads,
and some extensive lines OF river routes have been esab
iished We have mails carried also TO several foreign
countries We have mail carried to California aud
Oregon All these add greatly TO the aggregate OF miles
over which the mail is carried. But am speaking OF
speak OF the effective mail service in the old States OF
the Atlantic, and the States in the valley OF the hssls
spp speak OF the twenty EIGHT or thirty States OF the
Union they existed prior the annexation of Texas
States whose population has been increasing, and 10 the
want OF mail SERVICE at so great rae-and yet IN the
last twelve thirteen years have had no substantial IN
crease OF effective mail service, or, al all events, am
that in States and extensive localities there
has been no increase OF effective mail service IN that
time
Now, know it has been the general understanding
there incre
vice in every part of the Unon and in looking to reports
OF the Postmaster General, this appears to be So
doubt not they have been candidly madeOr cannot
suppose any Intention TO mlsead nor do suppose an In
tentlon 10 mlsead IN any quarter But careful exam
nation OF those reports will show that the conclusions at
which have arrived, while far different from those of
Others supported by the facts and statistics which ap
IN those reports wish to state some OF those facts
which think ought TO be considered and explained Ii
you will look al the report of the Postmaster General al
the session OF ls4546, you will find stated the mode by
which the mail facilities existing at and prior TO the act OF
ls45 were sought to be continued and increased. You
will find that the rst step specifically stated to Congress
in that report reduction of million of dollars in
the cost OF carrying the mails in the new contracts or let
tings under that act, part OF which was already effected
and the remainder 10 be effected the
lettings should take place. How this reduction e
iected Why, just in the way which has enabled the
advocates OF further reduction in the rates OF postage
to state that the mail facilities OF the country have In
creased instead OF diminished What they mean by the
effective mail service of the country. mail facilities, is
the carrying simply OF the mail matter any how, over the
|
hcia natural-no matter in what condition they
carried, whether exposed to the floods and the rains or
not; or whether they are carried punctualiy That is
what is called effective mail service. The POstmas
Ter General in 1885, explains how he made the reduc
tion of million OF dollars in carrying the mail. 1t
not by reduction oil the rates upon which the mails
were TO be carried, the number OF miles over which
they were TO be carried was by reducing the grade OF
mail service--by reducing or abolshing The coach ser
routes, which they had formerly been carried in close
coaches might be carried horseback, in sulkies in
carts, IN what some twenty years ago were called
Spdnkers IN ONO.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Massachusetts,. What are theya
Mr. BELL They are very gy.ookng machines,
and no ways agreeable The senator from Arkansas
[Mr BoRLASDl reminds me thai in Texas alone the in
crease OF transportation s45 has been so7 900
miles Now, what is the conclusion to be formed upon
this subject will moi refer TO particular localities, IN
which have personal knowledge OF the falling of OF
what call effective mail service but know that we had
effective service in the southwest twelve years ago
than we have One striking fact | will state which
may have weight with gentlemen han any reasoning
employ and that Is, that at this day less amount
expended in the transportation OF the mails than was
paid twelve years ago. exclusive OF the foregn mail ser
vice And yet gentlemen say that there has been large
increase in The effective mail service; but 1t is not the
OF service that had in 1897, 1898, and 1882 and
II this measure passes, we probably never shall have
restoration OF the amount, OF that sort Of service IN the
Southwest and the West which most advantageous in
those sections Why, provision Is made IN this very
bll-so popular IS the idea OF cheap postage-hat the
moment the receipts five per cent over the expenses,
the POSTMASTER beneIa al ulscIeuon,
the letter postage TO uniform rate OF two cents the
moment there shall be excess OF revenue over expend
ture under this bill, ii il shall become law. That
cess only be expected under continued system OF
reduction in the grade OF mail servce-by reducing o!
aboshng routes on which the mail is now carried in
coaches and providing that they may partly be carried
horse back in carts wagons have stated that the
amount paid for the transportation of the mails so
great was twelve years ago, as evidence that
the effective mail service has been diminished ia that
period 1t is alleged, however, that the mails
carried over a far greater number OF miles than at
any former time While that is true, yet the ef-
feet OF the diminished OF transportation has been
not only to reduce the grade OF mail service from
coaches TO sDkies and horseback but to enlbarrass
and greatly TO diminish the effectiveness OF The service
those routes which the mails still carried in
coaches The system OF reduction and eirenchment in the
cost of transportation in order 10 keep down the expend
lures of the department in order 10 crafty the desire for
CHEAP postage, has had the effect OF tempting ineHpe.
and speculative contractors 10 undertake TO carry
the mail rates below the real value OF the service
Hence the delays and defacaons IN carrying the mails
over many important Important mail service
undertaken under competition, encouraged by the gov
ernment, at nominal almost nominal rates. Tor the
mere repatauon of conveying the mails and to keep out
competitors in conveying passengers Hence 1t Is that
when the contract begins to pinch and passengers ole
the mails often thrown out 10 take the rain or lett by
i he way In the OF the great route from Cumber
land TO Wheeling, II notorious that the contractors
have been compelled to themselves by the. trans.
poration Of oysters part OF their regular business
do not know that there has been any deacaon IN car
ryinI the mail that lne but, sir, It was only the
other day that the senator from Louisiana Mr. DowNsl
informed that at period in the history oil the gov
cations carrying the mails in the Southwest There Is
no Just to believe that these failures have resulted
from the nege eo of the Post Office Department They
the result OF the policy OF cheap postage, and the conse