New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-28
RATES OF POSTAGE.

the history of the reduction Of postage
in this country is comprehenslvely given 10
a report made week or two ago 10 the
House of Representatives by Mr.. Farms.
worth, of Illinois. In 1899 the first postage
act was passed. 1t introduced highly
complicated system. The lowest postage
was cents to places within 80
miles: cents to places within 90 miles
l24a cents TO places within $50 miles; -
cents to places within 200 miles: IL
cauts 10 places within 800 miles.
70 cents to places within $50 miles.
,. cents te places within $50 miles, and -
cents 70 places more than $50 miles dis ant.
In 1898 the rates were changed. The lowe
est rates was raised TO : cents and the low
as. distance to 10 miles. Instead of g rates
there were but t; % cents carried letters
SOC miles, and % cenrs was still charged
for greater distances. In 1916 the minimlm
rates was again reduced to cents and the
distance to 80 miles. only rates were estab.
lished; 1914 cents carried letters 400 miles.
and for longer distances - cents was
charged still.
These rates. with "a single exception
where the postage was increased, continued
until 1875, when the first nateria! !educ-
ton took place. Five cents became the
hostage for It tiers carried a distance OF less
than 500 miles; 10 cents for all greater dis
;ancps. Al the same time the drop letter
system was introduced, such letters being
charged :. cents. Previous to this time the
rule had bee n that tie above rates were :or
| single" !etters--tha. is, letters On CDa
sheet Of paper. large or small, and without
reference 10 weight. IL 1873 the balf-0unC"
weight WAS made the Standard inetea! .:
the number of sheets IN 1875. the single
ra.-was made. cents fer, distances under
.l0UG miles, and 8 cents for greater distances.
il prepaid, this being the first induce mem.
held out 20 prepay letters. Unpaid letters
were charged :. aud 10 cents, according -
the distance. In lSj. prepayment: was re-
CURED. 9 cents being sti.l the rate under
1900 miles, and 10 cents charged for greater
distances. In 1865 the present rate OF }
cents. prepaid by stamp, for all distances
was established. The history of these re.
duot0ns shows. also, that no matera! loss
o.: revenue has been their immediate resuI'.
and that no loss 1T al has been permanent.
Since 1851. when substantially the present
rate was fixed. the reycnU" of the pos:o:t"e
ha. increased from S, 500. eco tor that ear
10 ST. 900 .O0C in 1872; but we need not 60
further into details.
, The proposed reduction OF the single
| letter rate 20 . cents - an exceedingly i'm
| l,or'ant step. W.. can eet mate very nearly
| what the effect Of tie present reduction:
! will be. Daring the last gear the'e were
| sold 40z 500. 900 thTeP-cent stamps. and
! 2. 0G0, 900 t';ree-Cent envelopes. As double
! rates are amos. always paid By additional
| a.a,rDs o! this denomination. and az fo""iGi.
! postage is very frequently paid with two or
| more thrnc-cen. stau,p9. We may take So
! uH9 .00e. the value OF FIVE hundred million
! threc-cent stamps. az :he sum .n b. affect q
J primarily bv III. new reduction. Were 'hc
! number sold tc he stationary, the c"nse.
. 4uenre wou'd ne {. loss Il the rc"enn" 81
| orr-.hirG O. This sC.--;n oth9r Wort.
; {. loss o! S5.000,0CG. As 3 matter Of
! .act, howe""., the natural increase III tn
| number Of letters is about 10 per cent &c
rualy. and :h!s alone would make the
| number 0. Two cent stamps. substituted toE
| thre.s. Tor the year ending june -. '1'.'
, 1000, wIii value Of SI2.000 600, and re-
Lr.nc the loss t. s., 0Go000. Experience
! ma, universally shown that rtducti"ns o
! hostage cause AZ immediate increase of cor
! respondtnce, and i. would not be at all sur
: pTising i: the revenue from stamps aud
| SIAN ped envelopes ia 1874 We're nearly as
! large as in 1872. Accompanying the letter
postage reform is a reduction of oDa-ialf or
the postage Of newspapers regularly mailed
| by publishers. The total reyenuo in this
! department last year was not quite 81.
| 00C 900. 1t j. part of the postal SYSTEM
that does not exh.bi. as rapid growth as the
others, and % loss of from s250.0O0 to 500 .OCl
| !r til department is Inevitable.