Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-11-15

POSTAL TELECRARDY.
Homer II. Stuart, Of New York, b .
great anti-monopolist, and never tires
of writing in tho cause of the people.
Much that he writes is highly edifyinR.
One Of his latest productions is on tels-
graphy being added to the postal ssr-
vice. He says that one Of the arRu-
msnts used in 177s in favor Of . eonfsd-
srscy Of the States Vas that Il woold
Rvs the people better postal ssrvies.
In The articles Of eonfsdsrstion . suita-
BILE provision was made on thaE sub
Jet.
Afterwards, IN adopting . National
Constitution. Congress vas given full
power Of legislation in regard TO post
Office mattsrA Ths CLAUSE giving such
power was placed in the Same section
which entrusts to Congress jurisdiction
over the army and navy, taxation, COIN
age, and other branches Of the public
service. Congress has power TO make
such laws in regard 70 thsss matters -
the pukle interest requires.
The control Of the army and navy il
an important trust. The power TO levy
taxes and coin money IL another great
trust. Each Of these trusts il given in
separate clause, and they are associated
with the trust to give the people postal
system.
There il scarcely q question that the
service Of the Postofhee Department A.
fects moro persons than that Of any or
of all tho other departments Of our Ma
tional Government. Nearly every per-
son in the United States has an interest
in tho operations Of our postofaoes.
One hundred years ago there we're no
railways and no electric telegraph, and
We established postonios system adap-
ted TO the circumstances Of the times.
Its only business was the carriage of
letters. 1t enclosed these letters in
mail pouches, which were carried ON the
public highways by mail carriers. The
letter made slow journey in those days
but nothing could outstrip it, except the
carrier pigeon.
When railroads came into use the
Postofios Department availed itself of
tho new mode Of conveyance. The
post soaohes had for long time been
the principal mail carriers, and this
business was taken away from them.
Their owners complained against the
change, but it was made because the
public interest demanded it.
Fog many years the expenditures for
the p0stOfdce service exceeded the 70
ceipts, and Congress chesrfuily paid all
such deficiencies. The value Of an ex-
tended and thorough system Of postal
service, reaching the remOtest places,
could not be measured by mere money
standard. It was something more and
better than an affair Of dollars and
cents. It was for q time not self-sup-
porting, nor was the army or navy, or
any other department Of the public SER
vice, self-supporting.
The income Of the postal service has
Increased faster than its expenses, and
this notwithstanding a great reduction
in postage rates. We now pay three
oents postage for Q service formerly
costing US twenty i've cents. The in
come Of this department during the
present fiscal year has exceeded its ex-
pense by the SUN Of S500, 2249l. The
total income Of any one Of the first
twenty years was less than tho surplus
income Of the last year. Although the
increase Of our population has no paral-
lei in any other country. it fails to keep
pace with the increase Of wealth, and OF
business, and Of intercommunicatio
with each other. The ratio Of letters
and messages for each decade increases
fas3er than the ratio Of population. Il
u probable that letter postage will soon
be reduced n one cent for any distance
within tho United States.
The provisions in our Constitution in
regard to q postofiice department are
contained in less Than half a dozen
words, namely: ITO establish postoDlees
and post roads" Under the authority
given by that CLAUSE, Congress has from
time TO time added to the list Of things
which might be sent by mail. At first
only letters could be mailed. Now We
can send books and small parcels of
merchandise. A parcel of merchandise
Is in no sense letter, and it must not
contain letter, and yet We oan mail it.
Congress Authorised Il because il pro-
NOTED the public convenience. The ex-
press complained against il - an inter-
ference with their business. The short
answer to those companies was that pri-
vate interests must yield TO public in
tere6ts.
The magnetic telegraph has succeeded
the railroads. letter carrier. Instead
of carrying the letter in bag, Il carries
the words on q wire, and the letter ID
written At the end Of the journey. but
II 10 nothing more nor lcss than . letter.
Tclegraphic communication has come
into very general use, and for many
purposes 10 public necessity. II Con-
Rress deemed the public convenience q
sufficient reason for authorizing the
mails to carry parcels, Why not for the
same reason permit the postoflioe 20
sond letters BY wire ? The people are
willing to send letters BY telegraph,
and are constantly doing 1t. They have
no means Of sending such letters except
by corporations which absorb each 9TH
or in tho Same great monopoly, and levy
taxes upon suoh correspondence out Of
all proportion TO the actual cost Of tho
service.
II 10 true that . letter sent by tale
graph can b read BY the clerks Who
transmit it. A postal card il open 70
the same objection. But we send tcle-
graphic messages and postal cards not
withstandinG this objection. WHY
should . meesaHs sent BY . clerk in Q
telegraph Office have any advantage over
. msssAgs eent over the wires BY 8 clerk
in postofhoe1 Those Who vish to
conceal tho contents Of their CORES
pondonce can NJ the mail 70 carry &C.
cret letters, or use cipheea q ~ do
now both In postal cards and In tele-
graphic messages.
The people select the men Who have
charge OF the postal service, and they
are pubic efaoera, subject 60 very
stringent lava The men Who control
telegraph compAnies make their own
rules and regulations, and are aocounta-
bic only 10 thcmsslvuu.
Inc principal telegraph company has
ouaaed itself In producing infant COON
Paniss and then swallowing them. II