The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-12
Desirable Postal Changes

Mr.. HOWE, the Postmaster-General.
seems to be practical man. Even during
the excitement of last week he was devising
measures OF improvement in the postal
laws. His plan is to sell the stamped en-
yelOres at the present price of adhesive
stamps, which would practically amount
to reduction Of one cent to the class OF
people who most need it those who buy
single envelope at a time and pay cent
for IL. Figures show that the cost of man
ufacture would decrease the revenues OF
the Department by about S2,000,000. Mr..
HOWE saws he is not certain that the saving
from the reduction of expenses in the
dead.lctter Office will not about balance the
account
This strikes us rs a very desirable mea-
sure. Most OF the letters which are re-
turned TO the dead-lctter Office are either
letters which are not stamped Mt all or else
have not one full rate (three cents paid
upon them. Under the new law there
could not possibly be a single letter re-
turned for the first OF those reasons, and
not many for the second.
Under the proposed law everybody would
De compelled to use good envelopes; and
these they would get for nothing. as the
price OF stamped envelopes will be but
three cents each. The use OF finer and
neater envelopes will cause the letters to be
more legibly directed. The fact that they
will have to pay nothing for the envelope
will cause the poorer classes 10 write many
more letters. The new law, therefore,
will tend TO encourage letter-writing, and
thus have an educating effect.
Another reform The charge for sending
single newspapers through the mail is
ridiculously high. All such matter ought
to 90 much more cheaply than it now goes.
Sixteen cents an ounce, or, TO state ii dif-
ferently, sixteen dollars per hundred
pounds, is a "stalwart" price for trans
porting freight. IL would not cost that
much to carry n half-barrel of -four twice
around the world. Let Mr.. HOWE have the
law so changed as that the charge fol-
sending transient papers shall not b,
less than a cent for one, but shall
not be more than a cent for one OF
more papers weighing together not eX
ceeding four ounces. Persons are now
always doubtful whether they have pai(
too much OF too little; not knowing whe
Their the papers they wish to send weigh
more Sr less than two ounces.
Then let Mr.. HOWE sell newspaper wrap
pers, as well as letter envelopes, for III,
postage price. That is to say, let him sci
for cent wrappers that do not weigh SC
much as the present ones for two cents
other light wrappers; for three cents, 9TH
ers; and for four cents still others-al, to
be sold at the price OF postage-nothing for
the wrappers. So shall he accommodate
the public and increase the business OF The
department without increasing lis cost Ia
the Government.
Once more: Give TO the public the priyi-
lege OF writing ON the margins Of news
papers. This Is a privilege which will be
highly valued by the young folks, and by
some OF the old ones, too. Often and often
do lovers, friends, acquaintance, relatives,
connections, and business men desire TO
send messages Of which they do not care TO
make letter, and which they have time to
write on the margin OF paper though they
do not feel like sitting down TO put them
In formal letter. Three cents for trans
porting In the mails newspaper thus writ
ten upon Will reimburse the Government
Tor it' trouble and outlay, and will be
price not at all Objectionable to the per.
sons who would send messages In that
way.
Editors get their papers transported {