New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-22

The great grievance underlying the Star
Route frauds is the fact that they have made or
helped TO make a great deficiency in the postal
accounts, and so delayed the coming Of
cheap postage and the day Of a self-supporinS
service. 1t Is in these respects that the people
have suffered the chief injury, and it is to this
subject that Postmaster eneral James devotes
a large share of his annual report-one OF the
best reports, we venture to say, ever issued
from the Department
1t is no doubt the impression Of many that
the postal service has usually been n charge
upon the country. The fact Is that Tor the hrSt
fifty wears OF the existence of the Department
it was practically self-supporting. Deficiencies
were infrcquent and small. 1t was not
the reductions OF letter postage but the
unnecessary and eXtravagant extension OF
the service, usually for the benefit of con-
tractors, that brought in the day of large
deficiencies. Down to 1915, the consistent
policy of the Government, as embodied
in legislation, was that the service must
pay its own expenses, and it did so. In that
wear the reduction in letter postage was made,
and with it an appropriation of $4,000 to
supply a possible deficiency but the cxpendi-
lures were restricted at the same time 10
45OO. 900. which was not much above the
average amount This, Mr.. James says no
doubt correctly, proved the intention OF Con-
crcss mot to depart from the theory that the
postal service must be self-supporting." In
spite of the reduction of letter postage in
1S45, there was no deficiency until 1852, ex-
cent a small one of $4,000 in 1913. In
1851 there was still another reduction, which
brought letter postage down from cents TO it,
present figure Anticipating marked diminU-
ton of revenues as the result, it was provided
that no post-oiiice or mail route then in exist
ence should be discontinued because OF the loss
of revenue This had the effect to nuiry,
| though it did not repeal, the old law of 1925,
which directed the Postmaster General to dis
continue AL routes not paying onc-lourth Of
their expenses after three years.
But the overland mails to California were the
genesis of the Star Routes, and brought in the
day of exuravagant appropriations, Congress
siona jObbery and large deficiencies. In 1850
the deficiency reached the great sum Of
SIC, $50, 900. Then came the war, which cut
off a vast and Improbable field from the De-
partnent, and at the same time gave il great
deal of worl, to do In 1868 the deficiency had
dropped below $3,000,000 in 1864 to
5000, 900; and in 1865 there was an actual
balance in favor of the Government of nearly
$4,000 The close of the war brought de-
moralizatiOn into the Post Office Department,
as il did into so many other high places.
Straw bidding and star routes, with the cost
OF recstablShing the mails in the South, re-
suited in two years in deficiency of
$4,000, 900; and deficiencies have been the
rule ever since.
This review shows that the idea of a self-sup-
porting postal service may, without cXaggcra-
ton be called the traditional standard of the
Government. 1t was recognized as such in the
separate appropriations made to pay the cost of
the Governments own mail service, leaving the
receipts from the people to be used for the peo-
pie. 1t was recognized also in the separate APP
preparations made at first to pay the cost of ex-
pensive routes, like the overland mails. Later
on looscr methods prevailed, and this distinction
ceased. 1t is important therefore, to bear in
mind the fact that.the effort toward a self-sup-
porting service is not struggle for an
innovation, but for return to a once-honored
rule.
Fortunately, Mr.. James's great reductions in
the Star Routes have brought cheap postage
and a self-paying system into the horizon, at
one and the same time. His recommendations
on these points are of interest. The great
majority of tho railroads, he says, are overpaid
and their pay should be reduced. Savings can
be made on certain classes of postmasters sal.
aries. The Star Route reductions must con-
tinue. The merchandise now carried by the
mails is carried at loss. If it paid proper
price, and these methods of economy were
adopted, reduction of letter postage to cents
will be possible" Mr.. James says, "within
three years" He believes that two-cent post
age would after one or two years increase the
total receipts, just as postal cards have done
Congress should not fail to act upon these sug-
gestions. The merchandise mail is too great
q popular convenience to be Withdrawn, but
there is no reason why it should not pay its