The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-03-07
Rates or Postage-What they We're.
Are. and Are to BE.

The history of the reduction of post
age in this country is comprehensively
given i'm a report made week or two
ago TO the House of Representatives by
Mr.. Farnesworth, of Illinois. In 1892
the first postage act was passed. 1t i'll
troduced a highly complicated system.
The lowest postage was cents To
places within 30 miles cents to places
within 60 miles 10 cents to pieces
within 100 miles ID cents to places
within $50 miles ID cents to places
within 200 miles II cents to places
within $50 miles 20 cents TO places
within $50 miles % cents to places
within 40 miles, and 20 cents to places
more than 40 miles distant. In 1893
the rates were changed. The lowest
rate was raised to 8 cents, and the lowest
distance to 40 miles. Instead of nine
rates there were but six 20 cents car
ried letters 500 miles, and 20 cents was
still charged for greater distances. In
1916 the minimum rates were again re-
duced to cents, and the distance to 30
miles only five rates were established
49, cents carried letters 400 miles and
for longer distances % cents was charged
still.
These rates, with q single exception,
where the postage was increased, con-
timed until 1915, when the first material
change took place. Five cents became the
postage for letters carried distance of
less than 800 miles; 10 cents for all
greater distances At the same time
the drop-letter system was introduced,
such letters being charged 2 cents.
Previous to this time the rule had been
that the above rates were for single
letters-that is, letters on one sheet of
paper, large or small, without reference
to weight. In 1915 the half-ounce
weight was made the standard, instead
of the number of sheets. In 1851 the
single rate was made 3 cents for all dis
tances under 5000 miles, and 6 cents
for greater distances, if prepaid, this
being the first inducement held ont to
prepay letters. Unpaid letters were
charged and 10 cents, according to the
distance. In 1850 prepayment was re-
quired, three cents being still the rate
for distances under 1900 miles, and 10
cents was charged for greater distances.
In 1868 the present rate of 3 cents, pre-
paid by stamp, for all distances, was
established. The history of these re-
auctions shows, also, that no material
loss of revenue has been their imme-
diate result, and that no loss at all has
been permanent. Since 1851, when sub
stantially the present rate was fixed, the
revenue of the postoffice has increased
from 50, 500, 900 for that year to 3d.
000 900 in 1871 but we need not go
further into details
The proposed reduction of the single
letter rate to two cents is an exceedingly
important step. We can estimate very
nearly what the effect of the present re-
duction will be. During the last year
there We're sold 100000 three-cent
stamps, and $4,000 900 three-cent en-
velopes. AS double rates are almost
always paid by additional stamps of this
denomination, and as foreign postage is
frequently paid with two or more three
cent stamps, we may take $15, 900, 900,
the value of 500,000,0 900 three-cent
stamps, as the sum to be affected prima-
rily by the new reduction. Were the
number sold to be stationary, the con-
sequence would be loss to the revenue
of one-third of this sum--in other
words, a loss of 50, 000,0 AS a mat
ter of fact, however, the natural increase
in the number of letters is about 10 per
cent. annually, and this would make the
number of two-cent stamps, substituted
for threes, for the year ending June 30,
600, 600, 900, with value of SD, 900, 900.
Experience has uniformly shown that
reductions of postage cause an imme-
diate increase of correspondence, and it
would not be Mt all surprising if the
revenue from stamps and stamped en-
velopes in 1878 were nearly as large as
in 1872. Accompanying the letter post
age reform is reduction of one-haIf on
the postage of newspapers regularly
mailed by publishers. The total revenue
in this department last year was not
quite 81 100000. 1t is n part of the
postal system that does not exhibit as
rapid growth as others, and a loss of
from quarter to half million of dol
lars in this department is inevitable.