New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-29
THE POSTAL CAR QUESTION.
A WASHINGTON VIEW OF THE QUESTION.


SIR: If the presidents of the railroads Lead
Ing ONT OF Nev-YOrk. who have agreed among them
take postal cars and return the LIST Of
April o. tae oid method Of rrsing the mails In baggage
persist in their threatened action the result will s
TO the time required transportation Of
mails NewYOrk 20 all parts OF the East, West and
SOUTH u 70 u hours positive injury almost
every one sends receives letters newspaper
that Is 20 say 20 every intelligent person coantry
and an injury Of special gravity 70 al engaged
in business, whom rapid Transmission OF letters IL
rnattsr OF importance. Tie railroad companies try TO
make IL appear that the PostmaserGeneral H. n thu
wrong and is responsible FOR the stoppage Of rapid nail
facilities. They are aware that there VIII
he general Outburst Of popular indig-
nation az soon a. they proceed to carry Out
their threat and they naturally seek TO divert II from
themselves They apparently count upon ths indiena-
ton 20 make itself Congress next winter aud to
force that BODY TO come 20 whatever terms they may
insist upon. After eight months experience Oh NO"
mails the railroad presidents think that the people VIA
ealoor for the restoration OF the postal cars al any cost
II ought 10 be distinctly understood how the case sand
hetVeeu the railroads and the Government, that tho
people who are 70 suffer may know where 70 pat tho
blame Il is that the Postmaster-SencrAi ns
power 20 make an arrangement with the eouspiriHs
companies that will induce them 70 continue the service
He is bound by the Of Congress, passed iust before
the close OF the last session THIS reported DY
ent hearing " the agents OF the railroads and Of ina
officers of the Post-Ofice Department
1t is in the following terms
Por increase q compensation TRANSFORMATION q nails or al
upon the conditions and e aies hereinafter mnos
P1oTsasa That the Po.maeeD and BE- hereby suhef-
rsnorssoS Of mails on "a ros ases spor ana
,a 5Ss 1 eaae1 s6a sO ss, an sa
aHd srHaTs car or a?1r.oss; sIoP55 ss ~ a. an
th he pay per nile per the following ra
on gsi 1sT a, ' Il 40 poasas $50 pou
s 9S gGgS o ,s $40 SIS So, p S15 ss and -
Additional every additional 900 pounds 'ae average Tsat % %
number Of successive working less hn % sgeh times e
I JSa1 o l. a.. I'd . nd T % S9 nd he
aserGeners direct Provided Issi n ase an "a os con-
a such company aIy q onOe.'tos
S os n ANY he soss8 for evs line cous ia tP
ior eng SO per mile for s. feet ens =.
mile i9I : es car. A95 80 peg 1IaS PEI ' @
gos9oe railway service shall o deerned By oe Po'D
and warned ana lighted for
.s a 81 ss @ s1prcr June s .Had n at % e con
s0dats amend TIE statosss eang % the Posonff Da,a
for the carving Of the Hai ld 40
aouai compensation allowed s = BE- has ~
exceeding ~ cent Of Tie SAD rates. be anu TIE same D%r'
repealed
The law was believed 20 just both the companies
and the Government But whether fair or Unfair It ties
the hands OF the Postmaster-Genera He cannot pay
dollar more than specifies II the companies now take
vengeance the people for what they claim to DE an
Injustice Of Congress, and time too when Congress
cannot meet for eight months provide remedy they
will commit a gross outrage. n they have not been
fairly dealt WITH as they pretend-f the price offered
them by the new law is equitable compensation
for the transportation Of the postal ears bet them "at
till Congress meets and then put their threat IN e1ecu
ton. A few weeks would then suffice % adjust the
difficulty Their present purpose appears % grow OUT o
IN afHaHf ice and
rights OF the pubcs that Is showing Itself more aud
more in powerful railway corporations.
IMPORTANCE OF THE POSTAL CAR SYSTEM
The idea postal is said % have been first con
ceved in Chicago, and was put ~ practice hrst Old
road running out of that city Is value apparent
from the start and it rapidly extended IN The Neai
more than in the East By OF the greater AoeaJ
OF the Western railroads There IS lines OF road
running the postal so quietly has the system been
introduced that there doubtless thousands OF III
eIligeut persons who know nothing about IT. practical
Workings and only that for reason or other
their newspapers and letters IN less time than
they USED TO- The Post-Oice Department ia constantly
endesyorug 20 extend system and believes that 10
course OF time Will be used upon every railroad III the
country and that benefits Will be Increased by the
transportation OF the postal cars on tie fastest Trains I'D
stead OF on slow trains only, is done now by most
roads The great advantage Of the postal ear II THAI
travelling postoce. in charge OF an agent who ~ fact
travelling postmaster, sorting the mail matter and put
ting II in different bags according % its destination
while the ear is IN motion. Under the Old system
mailbag could not opened except az posoice, and
letters or papers would frequently have Ia De habdeG
in three or four different Offices, involving delay of
day IN each, before reaching their destination. few
Instances Will illustrate tHfs. Let suppose etie
mailed under the old system, IN New-fork,io Tor IL
interior town in Central Ohio. II would nrst have been
sent 10 a bag directed to Cleveland. There u ~ouic
have lain a hours. It's next journey would nave Deeh
Columbus probably. where there would have oeen an
other DAYS delay before could be started Oh the oca
u-oad or stage 10 reach the town 20 which i adj
dressed Now the two days delay saved, because
there is no need OF stopping the mail 20 assert u Under
the old system tnere often annoying delays. IL
often happened that snow blockade by delaying
trains threw so Of mail matter into Chicago ana
other chief distributing Offices, 10 single day. winch
required three or four days 10 assert ana dispatch
Peope living in important towns railways wOHid
frequently get their Eastern mail from the West and
their Western mail the East 10 would be earned
hundred miles beyond, perhaps. 10 a city whence
would return as way mail The system Obviates al
this.
THE ATTITUDE OF THE PosT-oFFTcE DEPARTMENT
The PostmasterCeneral regards the stoppage Of the
nostal cars If attempted as an unjustihabe outrage
upon the public, which he viii feel warranted 10 using
every means in power prevent he does not md
cate what means no shall employ but Ae appears o feel
confident that the Government possesses the power &c
provide It's citizens with postal lcltes ana th1 le"
railroad presidents viii not long stand in the way Toe
action OF the presidents Of the lines centern- IN New
York is said not be approved by railroad men cener
allv and the department has been assured by many
prominent officers OF leading roads that m their opinion,
the recent act Of Congress provides fair compensation
for mail transportation. Whether IL does not, how
ever the department must be governed b. H. The quar-
rel Of the eOnsprng presidents properly with the
department but with Congress The Postmaster Ger
m has laDored hard 70 secure additional compen-
sation The increase OF per cent last June made
on his recommendation but no Appropriation made
and IL could not DO paid. be renewed his efforts