, 1865-01-14
Qllirooo Gribu11e.
SATURDAY. JANUARY a lsi5.
mR. COLLAmEn,s poyraL MEL.

Olc, anu some aI ques: :ionabfe character. It
Is certainly 10 the interest Of The Department
to approximate as nearly as l,:'ss;b:. " the
system Of prepayment on all kinds nf matter
passing through 1le snails- The loss on uu-
paid matter, -colecsa,,lc on delivery, some
times through downright dishonesty and
sometimes through ignorant, CARELESS and
negligent officials, Is undoubtedly large, and
there is no why TO prevent it except by re-
curing prepayment. The abolition Of the
old system Of post office accounts, dispensing
with much clerical labor and with n large
amount Of blanks, and the payment Of post
masters liked salary instead Of regulat-
ing their compensation by commission,
rs hereiorc have grra'ly simplihcd
tho service and reduced its expenses.
Making the prepayment Of postage COM
pulsory in all cases, whether On cnrrcs-
pondcnce, printed or miscellaneous matter,
will conduce to the eame end. and it will cf-
fcctua1ly close the door to dishonesty and
save the Department from the losses 1t now
suffers through careless and incompetent OIL
caals. The payment Of registration fees in
postage stamps, which stamps should be NJ
fixed In all cases TO the letters and cancelled,
will coDduce to the eamc end.
The provision Of the bill which requires
publishers to pay pos,ascin in advance on news
papers sent 10 subscribers is q radical change
in The postal system. Al FIRST blush 1t ap-
pears to he injurious to the newspaper inter-
est We arc disposed, ercr;hsless. to take
an enlarged view Of The subject, belleyins
that any reform which is advantageous to the
people cannot, in The long ruu, be detrimental
to ourselves. We take 1t for granted that The
details Of the bill will be adjusted upon the
principles Of common scnsc, guided By prac-
tical knowledge Of the interest to be Affect
ed. Publishers Of daily pup.rs arc already
driven 10 their wits end to so economize the
time between the closing Of their 'forms" and
Inc departure Of the mails, as to get the pint
cd sheets folded, put in wrappers, bagggged and
delivered at the traius. We bHy expensive
machinery; we adopt cve;y improvement
that comes along, ut whatever cost, so that
We may eave half an hour in this mechanical
labor Of catching the mails" and wien We
gain half M hour We give it to the public in
the form OF later newe. There eau be no
wise reform In the POSTAL system which shall
compel publishers Of morning newspa-
pcrs to close their columns at midnight,
counting, stamping, weighing or wny-biIiin=
their mails. Such system would be IN ad-
vance backwards. aud 4 detriment to the
rcadass Of newspapers, for Which no amount
ofpostal economy could compensate. But
II publishers can make a statement under
oath, at the beginning Of each quarter, OF thei:
mnil circulation, and pay postage upon that
basis for the quarter, there will be no inter
ference with the improved system under
which the mail, the telegraph, the printing
machine, and the folding machine are made
to contribute their utmost TO til" publc en-
lightcnmcnt. No Change can be adopted,
which shall require an extra handling Of the
printed sheet, without working irrcparable
injury to newspapers and :hc readers of news
papers.
Another suggestion Is, that inasmnch rs
publishers will be required to add the post
age 10 their subscription price, and as weekly
subscriptions are generally made nj the be-
ginning Of tho year, the new law should not
take feet until the first Of january next.
It is not clcar that any advantage can grow
out Of the collection Of box-rcnts In postage
stamps. We do not see how 1t slmpli1es the
matter, Or provides any additional safeguard
against fraud. When box.rents are so paid,
aae stamps must either be sold again f,r
money, OF must be destroyed. II the former,
then It is roundabout method Of accom-
plishjng what might have been more casily
done by collecting the bo1-r cuts in
money; and If the hitter, then the expense
must be incurred Of keeping Oh additional
number Of special agents in the service TO see
TO the destruction Of such stamps. The best
thing that can be done with pirate boxes is
to akolish their use altogether, and deliver
nu mail matter either through carriers or
through the general delivery. If VIC were
Postmaster General, no private letter. box
should bc allowed In any Post oalce in the
United States, any longer than 1t would re-,
quire to get the Proper Instructions bcforel
Postmaste1s. The system is inherently bad
and incurahly defective Every Postmaster
who has had experience il the management
Of large Office of delivery, is opposed.
10 it. and will concur in thu ntuso:nrnt that q
very large proportion Of the losses of money
and 1he valuable matter passing through the
mails, and Of the vexatious delays Of import
ant correspondence, is 10 he at,rlbased to Inc
inherent iaultiness Of the system u addt-
tfon TO the chances Of letters fe!us placed n
The wrong box, through the lndsn'lt'es that
ore ,nseparable ftom hutnss nature, there are
othcr ciances Of The scae thing occurring
without culpability at+enmg 10 any one 'os
it, These are sonureF"os 'nAt no h.as snost
Of IN explanation y IN experienced oncsal
with the use Of Aoics and letters. Is
adequate tc hmptces the matter prop.
49, n,l those not experienced
- }be =. .4tical working Of the system. The
ar,w ~ & method of delivery in large towns
4ics, is by carriers-the name with the
let and number Of the party addressed
cling supcrscribcd upon the letter. Abolish
boxes, give rs delivery by carriers, educate
the public in the habit OF directing their let.
tcfs to street and number, and our word for
It, the public estimate Of the honesty of those
engaged In the postal service would be specdi-
~ and greatly enhanced. Our programme for
postal reform. IN trIcf, is as follows:
I. The payment Of all Postu3astersa salary,
and the consequent simpliGcation OF accounts
and reduction In clerical labor and necessary
blanks.
20. Establish tsnvelIng post Offices on every
line Of railway through the Cuited States,
thus dispensing with most OF the labor now
performed in distributing in post Offices, and
securing as rapid transmission Of mail matter
from one part Of the country to the other, as
1t is possible for passengers by the sanc con-
Teyances to attain.
5. The prepayment Of postage on all matter
written, printed or miscellaneous, passing
through the mails, including sucl q change in
our post@ treaties with other governments IS
Will make prepayment compulsory On MI in