The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-11
The Government Monopoly In Post Office
EuvelOpes.

variety OF paragraphs, ADVERTISEMENTS, &C.
The Government Monopoly In Post Office
Envelopes.
There cannot be moro odous feature in govern
mental policy, than that which permits nation to
enter into competition in business with private ia
divduals. 1t palsies enterprise, and inevitably
leads to increase OF price in all the articles in
which it deals Such competition is opposed to the
genius of insti utions, and counter to all
our notions of the power and objects of govern
ment Monopohes, in every possible shape, are OBJ
noxious to the opinions and sentiments of the Ame-
rican people. Free competition, in every branch Of
industry, is a cardinal principle in theory of
progress. II holds out the promise of preferment
to intellect, competence to industry, wealth to en-
terprise, and advancement to all, It leaves every
to survey, before he sets out in his career of
business, all the industrial pursuits of life from
which to choose and affords him confident assar-
ance that application, prudent forecast and eco
nomy, will meet with just reward. So long as
government leaves him alone, or imposes upon him
10 burthens beyond reasonable tribute eq ii
valent for the protection it affords him, he moves
on with a cheerful confidence of final success The
arts improve, manufactures advance towards per-
fiction, commerce hourahes and trade preserves Is
branch of business and claims to be it's peculiar pa
trop or withdraws it from competition, that branch
is sure to wither. individuals may be enriched by
it, public functionaries will be corrupted by it, but
the great masses of the people are sure to be suffer.
ors in the end.
We are led to these remarks by Law Of Congress,
passed at the late session. for supplying the post office
department with stamped envelopes, and placing
them for sale in the hands of the twenty thousand
postmasters throughout the Union. That law makes
the department practicallya great dealer in station
cry, having its agents in every village, town audcty
in the United States, grasping trade which now
employs twenty operatives, and in which is
involved millions of capital Few whose attention
has not been called particularly to the subject,
aware Of the magnitude and Importance Of the bust
ness thus suddenly withdrawn from he competition
Of Individual enterprise, and erected into gigantic
government monopoly. In this city alone, Eve
thousand operatives are employed in the manufac-
ture Of envelopes. Ia Boston and Philadelphia
each, are as many more. The manufacture Of paper
expressly for envelopes is vast business of ITSELF
Almost every paper xlill in this State, and in the
New England States, is largely engaged in its pre-
paration, having more or less capital employed in
this way BY this law all these operatives be
thrown out of employment, all this capital to be
wasted, and the fortunes of the thousands employed
in this branch of business swept away.
But injurious and unwise as the law is, the man.
ner Of it's execution by the Postmaster General,
renders it infinitely more oppressive. Without ad-
yertising for proposals, Without inviting compe!i.
ton, in defiance of all legal requirements, and with
out any notice 10 the thousands whose interests
60 deeply involved, be has contracted with
single individual for supplying the departments
throughout the Union With envelopes for the next
five years This contract gives to the fortunate pos
sessor Of it the entire monopoly Of this branch Of
industry, for the term of his contract at least N
individual or company can compete with him. His
prices fixed, and the withdrawal of the prcsen.
stamps will force the articles furnished by him into
general use.
It has been urged by the friend; of the Postmas-
ter General that the Law under which he acted does
not require him to advertise for propositions In this
We think they greatly err, both in regard to the
powers AMI duty Of that officer. This contract in
wolves an expenditure of millions during its continu-
ance. It grasps the whole Of great branch of
trade throughout the entire Union /. reaches to
every hamlet, town and city, in every State. It
wrenches away large portion Of the business OF
every paper manufacturer and every statoner in The
country. 1t never was and never could have been
the intention CT Congress to place in the hands Of
the Postmaster General power SO gigantic for
evil, go sweeping in its scope as this 1t never was
aud never could have been contemplated TO confer
upon him right to give, at his mere volton, With
out inviting competition, without any check or con-
troll, and without responsibility to single individ-
ual contract so vast in its expenditures, and in
Ia a ;.41.
have not looked into the statutes on this subject,
do we desire to do II is enough for u.s. until
see it contradicted, to say that Congress could
not, in our judgment, have been guilty Of such an
egregious blunder.
But suppose the law does, by seme possible con-
straction, empower the Postmaster General to do So
what prudent officer would have given such a
contract TO single individual Who would
have failed to see that TO do SO would be to bring
ruin upon the Thousands engaged in the BUSH
near, which is now to BIO thrown into the hands of
one mani 1t would have been easy to modify the
evils Of the law, by dividing the States into gee.
lions, and contracting with individuals in each
section for the necessary supplies This would have
dvided the business, leaving to some few at least
the use Of their capital invested There would have
been no difficulty in preserving uniformity in the
envelopes. The water marks and stamps are the
only points in which uniformity ia ct all essential
end il is folly TO say sUch uniformity could not be
obtained by dfusing the contracts for supply.
such course should have suggested Itself and been
adopted. The law itself is bad one. II places the
government IN the attitude Of a trader, having It's
agents 10 every Of the Union. 1t seizes upon
large branch Of business, and converts it into o
government monopoly. It is wrong. II is all
wrong.