Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-08-08
from the Mahoning C0rrisr.l
Mr. Hutchins and the Postal
Reform.

MEssRs. EDITORS Two of the papers in
this District have made uncalled for and un-
provoked attacks upon Mr.. Hutchins, who
ably and faithfully represented this District
in Congress for two terms. They charge that
he exercised no influence on the Legislation
of Congress. These Editors in their blind
ignorance, do not seem to be aware that the
Postal Reform which Mr.. Hutchlns intro
duced and streniously advocated has since
been adopted. Mr.. HutchIns, on the 10th
day Of February 1862, introduced Bill in
the House, looking to a radical change in
our Postal System, and on the 18th day of
May OF the same year, made an able and
elaborate speech in support of the Bill
This speech was favorable noticed by the
press throughout this country, and was pub
lished with approval in the leading Journals
in England. By this speech and Bill the
attention of the Post Master General was
called to the subject of Postal Reform, and
he discussed the whole question in his next
annual report, and advocated most of the
reforms proposed by Mr.. Hutchins. The
Bill proposed the uniform rate of tlCO cents,
while the Post Master General preferred
three cents. The Post Master General adOp
ted the rates of Postage for printed matter
proposed by Mr.. Hutchins, and those rates
are now the law of the land. The ''Money
Order System" which Mr.. Hutchins propos-
ed, has since been adopted, much to the con-
venience of the business public. The fol-
lowing is an extract from Mr.. Hutchin's
speech on that subject.
4. The Post Office Money Order System, as 1t
srists is England, is incorporated into this
BILL This is a source of considerable reve-
nue. to the British Post Office, and it accom-
modates a large number of people who de-
sire to transmit by mail small sums of money.
The Orders are limited to the sum Of twenty
five dollars, so that the legitimate business
of public and private bankers who deal in
exchange is not materially interfered With.
The number of Money Orders, and the
amount of money covered by them, annu-
ally passing through the British Post Office
appear in one of the foregoing tables [page
10. The net revenue or clear profit to the
British Post Office from commissions on
Money Orders, amounted in 1860 to S142, 900.
Mr.. Hutehih's Bill proposed ''Letter de-
livery in Cities and Towns" Here is an
extract from his speech on that subject.
2. Letter deLiUeTy i1s cities and tol0ns.-
This is very important feature of the bill.
Our present mode of postal delivery in cities
requires an extra charge on all mail letters
delivered by carriers, furnished little accom-
mediation to the public, and produces no
revenue to the Department. The local or
drop letters in London number 60, %, 900
annually while in New York they are only
], 10000 The net pIoft to the Post Office
Department on local letters in London, year
ly, is 100000. Net profits on local letters
in New York, nothing The postage on
local letters delivered in London is two cents
and in New York one cent. Why, it may
d osI-oI sc nbaappa-. "a
deuce, and letters are delivered one-half
cheaper in New York than in London, that
so many more local letters are written in the
latter than in the former place? The reas-
on is obvious. The letter delivery in New
York does not accommodate the public
The people are therefore obliged to seek
other channels, private messengers and er-
rand boys, for the transmission of their To-
cal letters. Suppose the omnibusses on
Broadway, instead of running constantly to
accommodate the travelling public on that
great thoroughfare, should only run six times
q day, would the stock in those vehicles be
valuable? Certainly not, for the public
would be obliged to go on foot or seek other
modes Of conveyance. A merchant in Lon
don residing miles from the Post Office, or
the point at which he wishes letter deliy-
cred, can drop it into letter pillar or de-
posit it in receiving Office near his resi-
dence, and by the time special messenger
could deliver it have reached its destination,
by the magic of the London letter delivery
system. New York is as commercial as
London, in proportion to her area and popu-
lation, and her citizen merchants, manufae-
lures, mechanics, and artizens are as active,
intelligent, and enterprising as the same
class in London. Give New York the same
postal facilities as London, and she will con-
tribute as much to the postal revenue in pro-
portion to her population as London, New
York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago, st. Louis, and
Buffalo, have a population of $500, ,OOO.-
We're the local correspond denee in these cities
equal to the local correspondence in London,
63,OOO,OO0 letters annually, the postage
would amount, at the rates proposed in this
bill, including the attendant amount of prin
ted matter, to the sum of 81, SOC, 900, as fol-
lows:
Local letter postage All. 500
Local printed matter.....................l lS2.5OO