New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-10
pPOrJT AND Loss ~ MAIL MATTER.

A pamphlet has been recently issued from
the Government Printing Office, containing n
letter TO the Postmaster General, written by
George s. Bangs, Superintendent or Railway
Mail Service. 1t provides a series OF valuable
statistics to show the cost, revenues, and COM
palative profit and loss of carrying the differ
ent classes of mail matter. These csti-
mates are presumably based upon re-
turns for periods previous to the opera
ton of the present postage law respecting
third class mail packages. Pending the dis
cussion of a change in the present rates OF
postage on this class of mail matter, the pub
licatIon is timely and will assist in obtaining
"A clear notion of the interests involved super
intendent Bangs also offers his own views upon
the subject and supports them by arguments
drawn in part from the statistics
Government has a monopoly OF carrying the
mails. and has deprived its citizens of the right
to this business and its possible profits That
fact alone puts the Government under obliga-
ton to carry the mails at or under their cost.
Mr.. Bangs mentions some of the uses
which tie carriage of the mails should sub
serve, and concludes that its primary
service is to disseminate private and public
intelligence its secondary purpose, TO promote
trade and commerce. That proposition might
not be so easily defended as the subsequent
one. that the business should be conducted
with reference TO the greatest good to the
greatest number. The profit aud loss are very
dnequally divided among the different classes
Of mail matter; letters and postal cards yield
n profit of over 81 200, 600; newspapers, mag
az:ncs, &C.. sent to subscribers, are carried
at loss of nearly S7000,000, and
all other matter, known as third class" NJ a
loss of more than 100000. The discussion
is on the rate for the third class, which was
doubled by Congress mt its last session. This
class includes % pamphlets and transient pub
lcatons (; (2) unsealed circulars (a) books and
book manuscript (4) great variety Of mis-
cellaneOus things, of which samples of 'mer
chandise make the largest distinct division.
Mr.. Dangs's suggestion is to restore the old
rates to Nos. l and 2 of this third class, and
leave all the rest at tho present high rates
Nos. 3 aud H. he thinks, are, compared with
other mail matter, of benefit to few people
and Of minor importance IN the spread
of intelligence As this is not very
evident in respect to books, he makes
special argument about them. 1t
is briefly this: few books are sent by mail ;
the local dealer is deprived of profit on those
thus sent changes in the rates of postage on
them do not affect the prices OF such
books; only book publishers profit by
low postage on books, and tho pub
fishers care not primarily governed by
"a desire to disseminate intelligence"
OF the portion of third-class matter which Mr..
Bangs proposes to leave under the old high
rate, books, &C., form about two-tiiths. If we
assume that the same weight of merchandise,
books, &C., would be sent under high rates as
low ones, the saving would be about $780,
600 a year; and in any case these goods would
nearly clear the expense of Their carriage.
That the present rate on third-class matter is
unwise and exorbitant so far as transient pub
LEGATIONS are concerned, few will deny but
the wishes of the public should be consulted
before they are again taxed million year
for the privilege of sending at low rates by