New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-30
ASSOCIATION versus GOVERN
5tExT monopoly.
PRIVATE

carry any mails At various times THE TRIBUNE mas
set sr.h tbe idea that the National Post Office is dis
pepfab institution, and that were the carrying oi tne
mails left to private enterprise 1t would oe ready
done: and We once took occasion to mention wnat
the house Of Liyir gston, Wells and Company, had
done in business kindred TO carrying the mails aud
showed that pIiy te firm extending IFS transporti-
ron of parcels over thirteen thousand miles daiy-hii
the circunerer of the clobe-need not shrns from
the work of carrying letters The POstOfice ques-
t,n having been brought before Congress by Mr..
Smith. it may be proper to discuss more at length
than we vet have DONE the possibilities of private
enterprise as regards this matter of taking charge OF
the nails and accordingly we offer certain facts and
remarks to readers.
The world from time immemOrial has been so ac-
customed to look TO Government tof work which
should be done by the people without any such inter
mediate sgt nts that it sartes ninety nine men out OF
a hundred to utter economic truths on this head
even in this country In Europe we find Government
a general agent assuming TO take equal care OF the
souls and bodies of the people. who appear TO nave
little or no idea what they could do themselves II tney
would undertake it. Even in England where certain
ideas Of liberty are clearer than on the continent the
OyerweeniDg, not 10 say overwhelming powers oi
Parliament are the first things which strike the Amer
lean student of her poty This pursuance OF iegisia-
ton maniesng itself in Church establishment WIKI
the privilege OF taxing the people whether they attend
the church or not in the stamp duty or newspapers
in the refusal of any general educational system or
parliamentary reform has other excess'r functions
which do not startle Us on this side OF tie water.
One Of these, the PostOfice, adopted when we
lit Of tha spenpf of
ment: aud from that moment the transportation OF
the mails has been deemed peculiar and ndepensa-
bic government function. But this transportation
and delivery Of the mails is snlplya forwarding
business and propose t. show partially what Il No"
done in that way by of the chief Express houses
of this City. And since the equivalent OF the
business OF the misunderstanding parcels-is al
ready done by private persons in this country,
there appears to be reason why letter-carrylDg
itself should not be 80 conducted.
This lorw ardpg business is ,oaged by individuals
and companies. Its extent is iumense--inuch greater
/ than any one who has not looked into the matter
would imagine. 1t is in importance not inferior to
any branch of the National Goyernn ent the Post OF
fcc included. The principal companies doing this
business are the American Express CoinpGy Adams
4 Co., Wells Fargo x Co., Harnden :, Co., Kings
ley d Co.. the National Express Co., an the United
States Express Co. To these might BE- added Others
which have as yet not grown into equal IMP rtance.
Tie exchanges of the United States greater than
those of all the States of continental Elrope, and yet
these companies carry all the moneys and exchanges
Of our bankers, tie specie witch the Government
dare not trust TO its own dependents the mone!let
tiers of nine-enths of the community large, and al
-,
with dispatch and safety parcels packages, and goods
of every description, fancy PIGS and Shanghai
chickens, and the fever RACES now, these form no
small item in the business and beside this We may add
that lost baggage and stray children taken Of
by these Brareus-eye d-and-handed companies. The
lines of one Of these companies for example, extend
from New York through the Middle. Western and
South western States and the Canadas to st. iu
the northwest aud St Louis in thewest tracing all the
intermediate rivers lakes railroads and important
stageIoutes This enc company have had in their
employ during the past year over fifteen hundred
men, as messengers. SCENTS and CLERKS; also vast
number of horses. The messengers have tray eed on
the average from twenty Ia twenty five thousand miles
a day. The average daily expenses of the company
exceed S4500. This single company have transported
during that time with entire safety and dispatch their
money parcels frequently in advance of the mails, to
the amount of over Five Hundred Million Dollars.
The machinery by which this is effected is unexcep-
tonakly good. The company is private joint stock;
the shares are distributed among some two hundred
or more stockholders some Of whom of great
wealth and responsibility; others are the employees
of the company who thus led TO feel interest in
the success and correct transaction Of the business
When these companies employ they look to mora
and mental capacity for the position The entire
business is under the charge of qualified superin
iendents persons whose industry and energy have
cured them heir position, but still who are under the
close regards of propretors and owners. These com
panes pay handsome dividends this is owing to .hei
excellent management.
The various express lines extend through every
State of the Union, though not carried on in the
southern States as extensively as in the northern
With three months notice these companies could TAKE
all the mails from the hands of the Government
transport them expedtiously aud more safely thar
they low are, deliver letters more cheapiy to tn.
cities and towns, charging little more, perhaps Il
the remote places and make money-not lose on TIT
| transaction as does the Government nov. Their,
would be advantages resulting from this change. Tn,
political ckicanery involved in the appointments Il
the Pest Office would be broken up and one arg
source Of corruption thus cut Of. No connection
would then exist between mail-carrying an,
tie Political ms and outs Instead OF postmaster