The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-22
The New Postal Bill,

We have received from, the chairman Of
the Boston committee OF newspaper and
periodical publishers circular asking US to
state what we think OF new postal bill
having the following features:
First. That there should be one uniform
rate of two cents per pound on all publica-
lions, whether daily, weekly, monthly, or
quarterly, which are allowed to goat the
pound rates. ,. r
Second. That the rate should be Uniform
| at NIL post-offces.
Third. That for all publications allowed
| to 90 at pound rates the postage should be
the same, whether for single copy as a
specimen, several copies, or to regular sub
scribers for fixed time. when the publlca'
ton is sent by the publisher, from the
Office of publication.
we have no objection to the first, yet we
would. not deem it unjust to make the
monthlics and quartcrlies pay three cents
per pound.
AS to the second: The rate ought to be
uniform at all pcst-ofices, and is so except
that at lctter-carrier Offices charge is made
for delivering papers, &C., published oftener
than once week. We are not sure that
this feature OF the law ought TO be changed.
Perhaps it ought TO be so changed as to
put weeklies on the same footing with other
papers. Nevertheless, il it were SO changed
as to allow letter-carriers to deliver dailies
without charge, at least nine tenths OF these
would still be delivered as now, by private
carriers. To allow Baltimore, Washington,
and New York dailies to be delivered free
in Richmond, OF the Richmond dailies in
Petersburg, might overload the etter-car-
riers. We should hayeto witness the actual
working OF the change before VIC could tell
whether it would be wise or not.
The third feature we heartily approve.
we proposed it ourselves long ago. IN
deed, ours was the first paper to do SO ii
we are not mistaken. ct any rate we had
never heard that the change had been sug-
gested by anybody else. when we made ii.
We had fine illustration Of the bad opera
ton OF the present law last November when
the Virginia Annual Conference Of the Nc
thotlist Episcopal Church South was in scs-
sion in Lynchburg, and we could not send
papers to our subscribers from other places
who were in attendance upon its sessions
without paying 4 cent each for all. the CO.
pies mailed. There is no sense nor reason
in such law. There is but one weighing
required; and no additional trouble OF any
sort. The only effect is to prevent the pa
pers from being sent at all.
We WOULD like to add feature which is
bound to be put into the postal laws before
many geara Congress has already agreed
to allow persons sending papers to friends
to write upon the wrapper, ''From Tom
JONES'" so as to let the recipient know from
whom it comes. Let the law be still fur
Their iiberalzed, and let ali persons who
choose to pay three cents for the privilege
write message, long or short, upon the
margins OF the papers sent. Thousands Of
people could and would thus send messages
delightful to the receivers Of them who do
not wish to write formal letters or perhaps
have not time to do so. It is so easy to
write message, and so much of q task 10
write long letter.