Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-07-04

hSe Genus eacn ana on letters to California and Ora-
gon from IS postage to ten cents-thc tax ON
double. trebl ers and on, to be increased in pro-
portion. bill to that effect has passed the House
oil Representatives The assigned for this in
crease is to prevent the Post Office Department from
becoming tax upon the Public Treasury, or rather
for relieving that department from the tax which it is
alleged the present postage rates have already
brought upon the Treasury.
We have on former occasions expressed the opin-
ion that the Post Office Department. ought to pay its
own expenses. But the deficiency in the revenue Of
that Department is not be attributed to the present
low rates of postage altogether if at all The abuse
oil the franking privilege has tended more to produce
adetciency than cheap postage. Our Representatives
rather than remedy the evils attending the ranking
privilege prefer taxing the people with the amount
necessary to make up the deficiency. They have
other use for Mr. Guthre's surplus millions So long
rs the present ranking laws continue the Treasury,
or the Public, must pay the these evils 1t is not
right that one half of the community should be taxed
with the correspondence of tho other half but our
wise Legislators propose to mend the matter amazingly
by lacking the expense Of their ranking privileges
to the account Of that portion of the community
whose postage bills make up the revenues of the De-
partment.
While they are bestowing little of their attention
no this matter would beg leave to call to their nc
tce another matter which they seem to have lost sigh,
OF entirely, or, are totally Indifferent about Its bad
enough to have a mserably managed post office syss
tenn under cheap rates. IL the prices are to be rails
ed our rulers ought certainly take into consdera
ton the propriety Of making the Department render
better service. There never was such general and
justfiable dissatisfaction, we believe, with the mail
service at any other period in the whole history Of
the Government Derangement careessness and the
most fragrant neglect of duty prevails in the post Off
ces from one extent Of the Union to the other The
Inconvenience to which the public is daily subjected
have become intolerabc, and the Post Office Depart.
ment under its present management has gotten to be
more of nuisance than convenience 1t is thought
by some, and not without various good reasons TO,
thinking so, that the Post Office business would be
better conducted in the hands of private enterpris
than under the control of the Government. We find
in the New York Courier an article on this subject
nom which we make the following extract, and which
will be found to contain some good suggestions:
THE idea Of an efficient Post Office system witbou,
government agency Is not mere chimera The condi.
zion oil our country orbids its realization present bu,
the time will believe, ultimately come, when mail
carving will be free to private competition the hole
province OF Government in the business will be simply 10
Such system is in itself possible would also have the
advantage Of being cheaper, secure more pronn,
and Systematic and also Of stripping Government Of II.
most ,aischierous patronage.
There is intrinsic why Ieter.iorwadnp shoud
not be as practicable by private bands
The value OF the packages taken in charge by our
companies far exceeds that Of the whole aggregate of the
letters deposited in the post Offices In fact by far the
larger shSre Of monryctter ntuted to the ex
pres lines enstead Of the nails This difference will grow
more rnd There is for 1.-THE bust reason
ID he
common carriers: the Government ia not. he express
companies have their lines in every State Of the Union
and hey find it for their interests to be constantly mutt
plying their brances in all directions. As the country be
comts more settled and Railroads and other facilities Of
communication increase their ramiications will BECOME
nearly, If quite, with those OF the general
post Office, and letters might be forwarded with perfect
ease by them to any town in the country however distant
The greater chespness OF the free sten would arise
10 measure from the fact that it would be conducted in
conjunction with other forwarding business requiring no
Independent organization distinct machinery: bui
manIy as consequence OF the general principle that
private action is always attended with less cost than pub
lie. Prodgai;y is almost to be accompa niment
of every government operation and post office coz
tracts are known to be the most fruitful OF all sources Of
e1travagant jobbing. Private enerrrise always works
100, with most energy and promptude. The Irregular
tiles and delays Of the public mails a standing matter
OF complaint Making oil alowances Tor unavoidable de-
feations and difficulties of public convcyancss It is vet
certain that the post Office department. is largely in fault
its arrangements defective, and when the par
t'cuar defect is specifically pointed out there great de
Isy In applying the remedy. the Department. perform
It's duties perfunctoriy IL feels none OF the smn,
which gives such efficiency private connection T. is
the freedom OF that competition which has mad. the diff
ference n the relative progress Of railroads in this cou
try and in France where railroads have been in great ma.
built aud conducted by the government; and Il i. hi.
aiso which has placed country far aheai OF E.,
land 10 elegrspbic communication. The superiority Of
private to public enterprise has become an established
principle OF political economy. Read what the first econ
omst Of the day, John Stuart Mill. says the subject
We quote from page $50, vol 2. Of bis Political Econo
my:
In all the more advanced communities the great ma
Jony OF things done by tho Intervention of 20
vcrpment than the individuals interested in the
matter would do them cause them to be done n lef
60 themselves The grounds Of this truth are expressed
with toerable eIactness In the popular dctum that peo
pie understand their business and their on interests
better and for them than the government
does, or can be expected to dos This maxim holds ,rne
throughout the greatest part of the business of life md
wherever IL Is true ought condemn every kind Of
government Intervention that conflicts with IT, Tho in.
ietory Of government agency, for example, in any the
common operations OF industry commerce. s proved
by the iact that IL il hardly able to maintain itself
IN equal competition with individual agency where the
individuals possess the requisite degree Of industrial enter
prise and can command the necessary asssmbllge Of
means All the facilities which government enjoys Of
access TO nfotmaton all the which it possesses
OF remuneralng and therefore OF commanding the beet
available talent 10 the marke-are equivalent for the
one great disadvantage Of Inferior interest in the re-
suit"
IL Is becoming more apparent every day that this
department IS being grossly perverted from its org
nal object II was designed to accommodate the pub
JIG with cheap and efficient system Of communica-
lion. In place Of answering that purpose it has been
converted into spoih department for rewardng and
'uying u the services OF partizan tools at almost
very city, village, road and GROCERY through,
ut the country. II is source Of Executive patron
we for eectionecring purposes,and, at the same time
n many instances intolerable nuisance TO the pub
&c. Appointments TO the responsive position Of Post
Master made not so much from recommendations
" capacity, from considerations Of party favoritism
nd political hacks in cities villages, g.. are pen.
stoned upon the Department with the salaries alter.
ling their appointment as n compensation for party
'crvcos they may have rendered. Faithful and tried
public servants are guiotined for no other reason
nan TO make place for these brawng politicians and
Incompetent incumbctts. They are expected to
make themselves useful to the power from which
ner appointment Is received aud true 10 their own
interest they endeayor 20 do by sobseryient de-