Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-06-30
.'EhirlG GLASS Matter

The operation Of the postal law
which was smugglid through tie last
Congress, doubling the existing rules
on what is called third-ciass matter in
the mails, has proved so annoying and
burdensomp 20 the public as to have
resulted in decided diminution Of the
Post Office revenues. The Post Office
Department Lever being self-sustain-
ing, this act whereby the people were
driven from the use of the mails to
that Of the express companies has
served to make its condition less prom
Using than before, and to increase with
OUT reason or justice the tax which
the people are called to bear 1t was
afirmed and demonstrated, as soon al
ter the passage Of this act as it was
fairly understood, that the object Of
the change in the rates for the above
named class Of mail matter was to ben.
eft the express companies; and it has
never since been shown that the allie
cation was false one. Not only do
publishers Of every grade experience
the cost and inconvenience of the law
and authors and writers along with
them, but merchants and business men
are greatly put out by ii, their former
facilities being 80 much curtalled us to
affect the interests Of trade more seri-
ously than wou.a at fist glance be
thought possible. They were accus
toned, Tor one thiAg, to send samples
Of goods through the mails, which
they now do not, owing to the change
in the law, 1t was a cheap and sim.
pie way of inviting business. The ex-
press companies may suppose they
have made 4 gain by tsking such
business to themselves, but the mis-
take will clearly appear when it comes
to the light that fewer samples are
sent at all, and of course less freight
in merchandise is carried by express.
IT the policy was selfish to begin with,
it is sure to :prove suicidal in the end.
But this is only one of many of the
methods by which the great public,
for whom the mails are carried, is de-
fraudel Of its rights and privileges.
That it should be done at the bidding
of private corporations is more than
prepOstcrous.
The habit at the large post offices
| has been to cOnstrue the law pretty
much according to the whims of the
post office subordinates. If they chose.
they charged letter postage on pack
ages Of books, pamphlets or manu-
scripts, for so trivial a reason as that
the sender had affixed his name to the
wrappers, in order that in case of not
reaching their destination, they might
be returned. Tying parcels with
twne has raised anotheri5sue, it being
maintained that the tNine shall not
prevent the ready opening Of them.
These annoying and forced interpreta-
lions Of the law have invariably been
made in the same spirit in which the
law itself was smuggled through Con-
gress. The understanding with those
who lobbied i. through so silently
could not have been more complete.
The substance Of it is that the public
has in every case been the sufferer.
The theory is that the mails are car
ricd at the peoples expense tor the
peoples accommodation but the
practice has become one CT increasing
exactions, a suspicious espionage and
apetty tyranny. The new Postmaster
General, it is to be conceded, has cor
rected such Of the more glaring abuses
as he WAS able, but there stands the
law still, which it is beyond his power
to set aside or override. The people
will certainly demand Of the next
Congress, whose House Of Represent
alives is so largely Democratic, the
repeal OF this indetensible law, law
which was discovered after the ad
iournment, instead of being announced
during the session. The Post Office
Department had been coming nearer
and nearer to self-supportiug basis
when this source Of revenue, which
was rapidly increasing, was taken
from it and given to the express com
panies. If they are to put their hands
in their pockets to defray the cost of
the Department, they insist, and with
perfect right, that it shall be made an
agent of the public convenience, to
perform their service at low rates and
with the utmost despatch. When cor
porations and monopolies covet the
public revenues and are jealous Of the
convenienees which the public itself
pays for, it is time they were hidden
to practise little restraint. - Boston
Post.