Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-08-20
The Franking Privilege.
The Now Law Justifics Itself.

HitoLIlIuS OF TIE
Pr. viLEGE. --ITs EFFEcT ON TIE
REVENUES OF THE P~oST-OFFICE De
rARrMEST. The following state
mcnt shows the number and value of
postage stamps, stamped envelopes.
newspaper wrappers, and postal cards
issued by the stamp division of the
Third Assistant Po>tmastcrGcncral's
Office during the month ending july |
81. 1873. This is the business of th,.
first month after the abolition of the
franking privilege, and presents a
large increase over any mouth in the
history ofthe Post-oflicc Department.
OF ordinary postage stamps there
were issued To postmasters, upon
their acquisitions, 74,l97, 800, valued
at $2,067, S74; stamped envelopes,
plain, 6,62l, 800, valued at $l9S,O76 50:
stamped envelopes with return re-
quests printed thereon, 4.Sl0,50 0
valued a $i5s.932 10; newspaper
wrappers, i,743,75o, vaiued at Sl9,-
669 80; postal cards, 1881 ,0O0. valued
al s 49, 9S1-making the total value
Of all the articles Issued to the publ.
S2,59I,Sj2 Is.
In addition to the above of the
of cial stamps were issued to the
War Department 5000, worth $40;
TT a;ury, l,525, 600, worth $2O7 COO,
Interior, $500, worth ST 1000 Agri-
culture, $4,000, worth $500; Post
Office Department, 1913. 600, worth
SIS, 800 Justice, 10000, worth $3.50; to
posimasters, OIL accoumt ofthc Post
Office Department.. 3,04l 400, worth
SJ4.el0: and of official stamped ell
vrlopes, $3.50. 800, worth SO, S35-mak-
ing the total number of official stamps
and stamped envelopes issued during
lite month 5,153 400. the face value of
which foots up 1912. $50. The grand
total of The mouths work in this sill
1kc division OF tine Post-Oficc De-
3,artment is as follows: Whole num-
her of articles issued, l07 sos, 40 ;
valued at Sd, 1886: 747 1~S.--[Washing-
ton Star.
A remarkable showing; much bet
ter than was anticipated by the most
earnest advocates Of the new law.
The ordinary revenues of the Post
Office Department last year amounted
TO a little less than twenty-five mil
lions of dollars, and the expenses TO
a little less than twenty-scven mil
lions. AccorGi..g to nc above figures,
thc receipts for the current year
will amount to about t%hirty-five mil
lion dollars, and will more than pay
all the expenses of the department,
IL thing that has never happened be-
fore. An increase of fourteen millions
of dollars in the posta. revenue in one
year seems to be incredible, and we
fear the annual result to be anticipat-
ed from this monthly statement will
not be realized. These figures ill.,
ciudc the amount paid by the various
departments of the government for
postage upon public documents and
settlers. Inasinuch as this sum is
Mcreiy taken out of one pocket and
pvt into another, W. will omit that,
although it would be entirely proper
to include il, for in en!cayoring to
ascertain whether the postul depart
mrnt pays fsY itself, we ought, OF
course, 10 give the department credit
for what it does foe tho other depart
RENTS of tho Federal government.
W. will omit, however, from the
calculation the amount charged to the
other departments, and VIC still find
that If the business of the Post-Ofice
department continues throughout the
year as it was in July, the revenue
will exceed thirty-onc millions of
,iollaxs. And as the expenses OF
transportation are based upon antici-
patton of the usual volume Of free
matter, aud as the whole cost Of the
department last wear was four mil
iions loss than the estimated receipts
for this year, we set the law down ns
II success. But let US suppose new
contracts TO he made with tho ander-
stauding that there is to be no free
matter: we forcsee that the rate Of
postage a be reduced, and the de-
partmept still be self-supporting.
The mp6ls promise 10 become cheap
10 oil, ffbceaasc they are free 10 none.
We Sincerely a,opo, the existing law
will be given fair trial before any
attempt is made to Haaify or amend
its provisions. There srs doubtless