Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-02-20
Postal Reforms.
From tbe National Intelligenoer. }

1
There is scarcely any agency Performed by
the Government which more intimately con-
Germs the comfort and convenience ofthe peo-
| pie, or which more directly reacts on the bust
ness facilities of the country, than the regula-
tons established with regard to the transmits
sion and distribution of private letters and
printed matter conveyed by mails. The rea-
der will find in another part of to days paper
an interesting table containing statement OF
the manner in which letters are distributed in
the principal countries of Europe, and also
the mode in which postmasters receive their
compensation in such countries. 1t will be
seen that the carrier system universally OBJ
tains, and that this service is in most cases
performed without fee-the exceptions being
confined to localities where the sparseness OF
the population justifes departure from the
system. The generality of the rule, however,
shows the direction in which postal reform
under this head has steadily tended in Eu-
rope.
We are indebted to the present efficient
Postmaster General for the partial introduc
ton of this system into the administration of
our postal service. The law authorizing the
free delivery of mail matter by carriers took
effect on the first day of July last. About
that time the system was put in operation at
40 of the larger Offices, with a competent
corps of carriers to each, numbering in the
aggregate four hundred and forty-nine, at an
aggregate annual compensation of S3OO,6SO.
While we caunot hope, with the present dis
tribution of our population and the extent of
our country, to attain the point reached by
European Governments under this head. we
may at least mark the progress they have
made as indicating reform which should be
adopted wherever the conditions of its exis-
tence are found. We have the best reason
to know that Mr. Blair is disposed not only
to give the system in our country fair trial.
but to promote its extension as far as prac-
tieable. Ample but well-guarded provision
to this effect has been made in the revised
code of the laws relating to the Post Office
Department, which was submitted by him at
the last session of the Thirty seventh Con-
gress, and to which the attention of the pres
ent Congress is again invited in his last annu-
al report.
The advantage of this change, whether re-
gard be had to the convenience of the De-
partment or to the satisfaction of postmasters
would seem to be apparent. There are many
other provisions of the revised code which
strike us as being judicious, and we hope the
suggestions of Mr.. Blair may receive at the
hands of Congress the attention to which
they are entitled.
There is one point to which, in conclusion,
we would particularly advert. We allude to
the recommendation which the Postmaster
General has renewed in his last annual report,
that postal money order system be estab
lished to facilitate the transmission of small
sums of money through the mails, which
would not only prove great convenience to
civilians and soldiers, but would almost en-
tirely obviate the loss of money letters, the
great majority of which enclose small remit
tances. The present Congress has just shown
itself properly mindful of the comfort of our
soldiers in the field by providing that articles
of clothing comprised in a package not ex-
ceeding two pounds in weight, addressed to
any non-commissioned officer or private serv-
ing in the armies of the United States, may
be transmitted in the mails. By authorizing
" the postal money order SYSTEM" Congress
would conduce to the increased comfort of
our soldiers, while placing at the same time
within the reach of all facility for the safe
remittance of small sums 1t is matter of
surprise that this desirable reform has been
so long postponed in the United States.