The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-25

80 much has been said and written on the suDJect
of postal REFORM and little real progress has been
made in it, that we almost despair OF arriving o.
any practical solution Of the difficulties with which
the question is encountered. There are too many
political interests, too many fat snecures involved
In it not to raise against whatever measures may be
proposed a storm of opposition. In this country
the Post Office is regarded rather an appanage OF
the ruling party Of the day than as an important
instrument of the public service. Whoever, there.
fore, undertakes to apply the bosom Of reformation
to it, attempts task more Quixotc than hopeful in
its nature.
The pamphlet Of Mr.. Miles, 80 far as its clear
demonstration Of the monster abuses of the
department goes, may be regarded as an ex-
tremely useful publication. We all feel that
the postal service is not what it is in other coun.
tries and what it might be rendered in this
All are not, however, acquainted with the obstacle
thrown in the way Of its proper working. The
facts and data collected by Mr.. Miles will if they
serve no other purpose stand as evidence agains
us at some future time that we knew the sources
its maladministrdtion and made no effort to reach
them. The plea Of ignorance WILL at all events, not
avail US against the charge Of such an inexplicable
neglect Of our interests.
Speaking first Of the abuse of the franking priv
lege which the common sense of the English people
has long since abolished, Mr.. Miles says -
The appropriations made account of ranked
matter amount In fourteen year to between five and ak
millions 81 dollars but all the deficit the difference
between the recs ipts and expenses Of the department
have been made by further appropriations if instead
Of go the difference between the postal receipts
and expenses, appropriations had been made to the
amount of SS 600 0O0the actual Of transporting
framed matter at the rate paid by ctzensthere would
be surplus Of SIS 91972 to the credit Of the Post
Office Department. accumulated In fourteen years with
out reckoning the interest
The following is the plan which he suggests to
remedy this wasteiul extravaganza Of the public re.
sources. He would -
Have Government envcl, Of various Sizes and also
sheets Of paper that contain ferns Of official letters.
printed with the names OF the various offices and depart
ments OF government the outside, that when the
letter or envelope folded ready receive the
Of the face Of the letter in bold type name Of the
branch Of government from which temanated state
"freasusy,b Interior, Post oaaes P "Attsrney
General Executive "House Of Rep ~ Senate
&C., &C. Then, have 1t felony misdemeanor with
heavy penalty for hcse to be used by any those
are entitled to them and moreover have 1t Fixed
rule that none of these to 90 free through the mails
except such mailed ut the city Post Office la Wash
ingon, and by officer senger Of the
from which they Then all that are dropped clan
dssncy into the oalce viii be stopped or charged
with postage, the other letters Aud have every
document rated and charged-at prepaid rates-in tne
city Post ONCE and an account kept With each depart
ton made annually from the Treasury to meet it. Be-
qure every book paper pamphlet and printed sheet to
be done in wrapper open at the ends charged st
ter postage, 10 that government and government officials
shall have no privilege" in this respect that is
joyed by ihe citizen. Books, speeches. and public o,cu-
ments would 60 with all facility, safety and
but bundles Of elvhing for the Laundry rolls of tobacco
samples Of machinery diearns and various other
rogeneous articles would not load the mails under gov
ernment franks"
On the subject of the importance of uniformity of
postage Mr.. Miles makes the following very forcibe
remaIks:--
We have been fatering ourselves for some time
that We have adopted, far circumstances will admit
the great postal improvements advanced Mr. Rowland
Hill Yes, the play Of Hamlet, nth the part Of Hamlet
left outl We have " postage it is true, but we
have Entirely overlooked the principle Of rity 'tne
AND the attendant economy Of labor and expenditure
and yet wonder why the system not better
4 watch without It's handspring, who would call II a
timepece? We have tn ee rates of postage letters
alone, and three methods Of computing those rates
about equivalent to six rates o. postage, the NUMBER
'hsre before the first reduction in 1S40 As for
periodicals. pamphlets and books the rates vary with
every single ounce that the parcels wegh-&s useless
computation and uncalled for IT would be to divide
the rates by quarter ounces penny weights. Going
from the size Of small pamphlets up to octave volumes
that weigh three pounds and halt, we have atty
variation oi charge except by halt pounds after ge.n
above eight ounces would every purpose equt
ana justice, Dc Tar more convenieat ior the public an
three quarters OF the labor Of postmasers In
putting the postage. Our drop letters" charged
cent those that sent through the mails distances
not exceeding three thousand miles, three cents aud
those that sent than three thousand miles,
cents. Drop letters not charged by weight letters
tbst are sent through the mails but not out Of the
country computed at single rate for each half
ounce; and letters that sent to Great Britain sd
some other countries, If weighing more than ounce
rated by the two hostages for each In
weight, or action CT an ounce beyond the first All
letters drop domestic and foreign should be rated by
beyond the Ist Our legislators and postal authorities
seem to think that there can be no Justice equity In
cae Of without going 70 tie greatest Of
way Of doiog business is that OF both the British
and the British pccpel since the newspaper
stamp abolished In England, the directors OF various
railroads have had ing and agreed upon scale Of
charges for carrying papers, asking just the Same for all
GELS Of different sizes only varies according 10 the fol.
lowing icsie o weights: 3 o, II, - anu 4a pounds,
spectivey parcel weighing 10 pounds IS charged the
OF 81 pounds and one II % pounds the
Of 49, Ia doing very large business like that Of
carrying PARCEL transporting books, letters aud papers
the state Of the case i simply thisBy making lew
subdivisions possible the saving Of labor ia great
that the average cost be made far less than IL could
be to &C. into great nnu,im, and have long aud varied
scale oil charges There Is large gain for ali parties
What would be thought IL express company that had
separate and distinct charge for parcels according TO
the weight varying The price for transportation
wh each single ounce from one up six poundsg
Aud yet the useless labor the direct folly of such
course would be no greater or more conspicuous th.n
our heterogeneous, varied, and almost innumerable
variety charges for mail matter. That is exactly the
scale Of book postage in our Post Gfdce.
delivering letters, ny simpl:aca,ion Of the various
duties in the Poet 0fce Il enofmou and would not be
appreciated believed without seeing the facts The
al expcnfe 10 Post Oe entaei by the useless labor
connected With he varied charges and different methods
computing postage, and In making and comparing
way tils be demons rated Is not much II any less
than million dollars year let ~ compare the pfi
mary at distribution IN Great Britain with what
II was before there uniform pos'sge, and also the
cost 81 distribution in that country with what II Il with
From nndoabied au,hsfi'y, [famfhlet on Post
rye Reform y by Rowland Hin third edition, page IL
We learn That The expense attending the local ditrtbu
tion Of letters IL Great Britain previous 70 tho adoption u
the uniform postage 81 penny Ia 1870 tsothirds
Of the entire expense Of the postal system In report
postage presented to Parliament Parl Doc. No AL
year 1898 page % learn that the total expense Of the
Bitlsh Pos uice, In 1880 f766 900 in
rency 81 Tsi ep5 The number Of letters scot through
The Io-t that year in Great Britain 81 5s6 From
Official reports Of the United States and British Post Of
fees for 1854 have found the various items * expense
and obtained estimated number cIoters mailed aud
| lind the following results -
E1poaeof
Local No. Of cnc. 1000
Country. DATE ErTeas>f Leo1s LticrS
Great Britain. 1889 s2,c2s,352 s2,47o,59o $50
Great Brtsip. 1854 3,233lo5 4i3, $40 3ol I
Uuited states. 1854 2,5s9,422 l1e ss.,tls 2;