Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-01-08
The Postal Laws.

such q postmaster general as Mr.. Jewell,
who does not put on bis slippers and dress
ing gown, and with cigar in his mouth and |
his feet on the fender earn his salary by
reading the last Harper's Weekly, Ne'o
York LEDGER, or the Tribune, while the
work Of the department is entrusted to set
of idle clerks on good salaries. Instead Of
following the illustrious example Of his pre-.
decessors and others 10 other departments Of
government. Mr. Jewell, without spending
any time in preaching about needed reforms
and retrenchments, has pulled off his coat
and gone to work in real earnest.
The postal system Of this country is, as
Mr.. Spalding put it in the last FARMER, ia
magnificent example of cooperation, most
perfect and beautiful" But it has been
managed in a most loose and extravagant
manner. We rejoice to say that the much
needed reform in its management has come,
and its fruits are already showing themselves.
Offices whose expenses have been apparently
larger than necessary, have been and are be-
ing visited by special agents Of the depart
ment who are sent to investigate and report
means for the curtailment Of expenses wher.
ever practicable. Needless clerks in the en-
ploy of the department have been discharged,
and every effort made to have none but
necessary expenses.
An order went into force last week where
by all newspapers aud postal cards coming
from Canada are delivered here free Of
United States postage, and after the first of
February letters will be delivered the same
way. The same advantages are granted by
the Dominion government on matter going
from here to Canada, so that it costs no more
to send a letter, paper, or postal card to any
part of Canada than to any part Of this
country-three cents per half ounce for let
tiers and one cent for each two ounces on
transient papers. We have no doubt that
with the reduction in unnecessary expenses,
and the natural increase Of amount Of mail
by reason Of its cheapness, there will be no
larger deficit reported by the department
this year than last, and quite likely it would
require but a few years Of honest manage
ment to make the department selt.sustaining.
The law requiring prepayment in bulk of
the postage on newspapers is one OF the
greatest steps forward which have been ia.
ken, and is 10 the direct line Of the spirit Of
reform which has shown itself in the grange
. movement and in other ways. This is
another blow at the old and corrupting cred
it system. No business can be done on that
system without unnecessary losses which
some one must bear. Under the old system
a newspaper with three thousand subscribers
caused the government to keep three thous.
and separate accounts. Three thousand peo-
pie paid FIVE cents each once in three
months, and the postmasters were obliged
if requested, to make out three thousand re-
ceipts for five cents each four times year.
Here were 10000 blank receipts, aud the la.
Dor of taking the money, making change, and
making out the receipts, where now one ac-
count, settled once week, involving only %
> settlements and receipts per year, does the
whole business. Besides, good many post.
masters were slack about collecting the post
age, and after collecting it there was no way
, Of telling how much they put in their own
pockets and never accounted for, where the
parties did not require receipts. In this way
it is estimated that the government never
received pay on more than half Of the news
papers carried in the mails. BY the new
system it will be seen that not only is the
mail service greatly reduced but those who
> formerly paid their postage now have only
halfas much to pay, while those who did not
pay before are now obliged to,
, There are one or two more amendments
5 to the law which we think are needed. The
country is calling for reduction of the num-
Der Of deadheads everywhere, and we do not
h think the press of the country are any ex-
1 ception to the rule. With very few con-
: temptby selfish exceptions they are willing
to bear their share of the public burdens,
while claiming the same protection from
/ the government as is received by others. The
, exempting Of papers from postage in the
county where published is unjust, unfair,
:. and uncalled for Under the present law
; the publisher of the Orleans County Mont
' tor has to pay two cents per pound to get his
n paper to subscribers within few miles Of
= home in Sheffield and Sutton while we can
= send the FARMER twice the distance, to those
: very people, free of charge. We trust this
II defect will be remedied by making all pa
pers pay postage, on the grange principle Of
u cash in advance and low prices and then If
o it is found the government is getting rich toe
: fast out Of the newspaper mail We shall be
;, the last to object to further reduction il
Il the rates, on all papers alike. There is one
i thing more which might we'll be copied from
:, Canada as were our One-cent postal cards,
q and that is the sending Of newspaper copy,
= 10 unsealed letters, for one-third of letter
rates. We believe the increased amount o.
o local news which would be sent IN this way
r would make that mail yield the department
l. as much as it now Does while the newspa
d pers would be enabled to give more new
d and the intelligence of the people would be
e cOrrespondingly increased. The size of Oul
y postal cards, however, which are larger thar
If those used 10 Canada, enables correspondents
N to send many local items on cards which il
a Canada go in the one.cent letter mail.