New-York tribune., 1875-02-11

endeayorng To secure an abolition OF modlnCatlon
Of this privilege. In their behalf Gardner G. Hub
bard recently made an elaborate argument before
the Committee to show what power the Constitu-
tion delegated to Congress in relation to the postal
service. and what articles are properly mailable
matter. He also argued that although the Govern
ments policy has been to make the Post-Ofiicc De-
partment sef-sustainlng, yet the matter carried has
always been Of two classes. paying and non-payng;
and finally that prior to 1852 the department was
generally sef-sustanng, but since that time there
had been an annual deficit the causes Of which
could be easily pointed out.
On the 25th of May 1775, the Ist Congress Of the
United States under the Confederation adopted the
following preamble and resolution:
As the present critical situation OF the Colonies rem
ders highly necessary that ways and means should be
devised for the speedy and conveyance OF inte
gence from one end Of the continent to the other;
ResOlred That Mr.. Franklin and others be committee
consider the best of establishing posts for con-
veyng letters and ntelgen through this continent
This Committee reported July 25, 1775, and the re-
port was agreed to the following day, and Frank
lin was appointed Postmaster General, and line Of
posts established from Falmouth. Maine. to Savan-
nah, with as MANY crossroads as the Postmaster
General thought fit. This preamble and resolution,
as well subsequent ordinances and acts, shows
that the object OF tho trainers of the Constitution
and their more immediate in establishing
Post-Ofice Department. was the conveyance OF
letters and intelligence"
Up to 1799 letters, packets of letters. and news
papers constituted tho only mailable matter. In
1893 it was provided that pamphlets and magazines
might be transported in the mails, when convenient.
In 1916 mailabe matter was strictly defined to in
clude letters, newspapers and periodicals. but to ex-
clude bound books. The regulations of the de-
parment for 1852, adheTing to the declaration OF the
Constitution that the post was intended for the
conveyance of intelligence" included bound books
not weighing over 80 ounces. The act of 1861 ex-
tended mailabe matter to maps, engrayings, &c,
seeds and cuttings not weighing more than eight
ounces. and extended the weight of books to four
pounds. In 1868 mailabe matter was divided into
three classes, viz: letters, regular printed matter,
and miscellaneous matter including large variety
of articles. In 1872 it enacted that this misce-
laneous matter should embrace all articles within
the prescribed weight which were not liable to
nure the mailbag or the person of any emplOye OF
the department, and in 1874 the weight OF
all matter of this class was prescribed not
to exceed four pounds. Thus Mr.. Hubbard declares
that until 1872 with the slight exception of the adj
mission Of seeds and cons in 1861 the regulations
and practice Of the department have been in strict
accord with the Constitution, and he argues that
the act Of 1872 was both unconstitutional and mex
pedient In regard to the policy of the Government
in making the department self-sustaining it is as
serted that prior TO 1852 it did generally pay eX-
penses and that letters always paid profit: news
papers, never. As newspapers were the most
eilectual means of conveying public intelligence
they were originally carried free, and the principal
ofcarrying them at a very low rate has never been
departed from. In 1888 the printed matter constituted
v1,~1 D Nar
cent Of the gross revenue. The weight of news
paper matter has greatly increased down to the
present time, while the percentage Of revenue has
diminished.
The causes of the annual deficit are very clearly
shown to arise from the small amount of postage
charged upon newspapers. and the great increase in
their bulk and weight and also from the admission
Of bound books TO the mails. For 4j years. down to
1920 the receipts every year exceeded the expenses
From 1920 to 1852 there was small excess OF eX-
penditure while since 1852 the expenses have been
greatly in excess OF receipts except during the year
1867 when there was a slight profit to the depart
ment. The decrease i'll the rate OF letter-postage
has ALWAYS resulted in a very marked increase in the
number of letters transmitted and the amount OF
income from this source. In 1913 about 2SOOO,OOO
letters passed through the mails and about 1oOOOOOO
newspapers. In 1915 letter-postage was reduced
and lSf, the NUMBER OI lclicIS w
57OOOOOO while newspapers remained the same as
in 18l3 In 1870 there passed through the mails
554OOOOOO letters and 470000,0OO papers and
magazines. the weight Of the former being only
$500 TONS and of the latter $3.50 tons. The postage
on these letters amounted to SlSO0O,0OO, while that
on newspapers, the weight Of which was more than
five times that of letters, only slightly
over SlO00OJO; the total expenditure amount
ing to S28,OO0OO0. Ii the expenses were
proportioned equally upon every piece transmitted,
the letter expenses would have been S15,OOOOOO;
other parcels S13OOOODO; profit on letters,
81 900; loss on parcels. l200O0O0 The expenses
of the postal service are divided into Office and
TRANSPORTATION expenses. the former being forty per
cent and the latter sixty per cent OF the whole.
This large percentage of transportation expenses
arises from the bulk and weight of matter cOmpre-
hepded in the third class. Mr.. Hubbard argues
against the carriage of parcels in the mails on ac-
count of their great bulk cost and interference with
the regular mail matter and that If 1t should DO
deemed constitutional and eXpedient to send parcels
by the post a parcel department should be estab-
shed and the postage should be assessed as letter
hostage now is, there being no propriety III prefer
ring parcels to letters especially as the Post-Ohce
was established for the conveyance of letters.
The result of repeating the present law would be
that all large packages could be sent by express at
cheaper rate than through the mails, consequence
which Mr.. Hubbard, as the representative OF the
express companies, of course desires.
FOR later WG,hing,on Yers see FlrG Pogsl
---