The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-20
THE POSTAL SERVICE
What second. Assistant Postm aster General
Elmer Has to Say About Mail Matters
SECOND ASSISTANT ELMER's VIEWS.

SECOND ASSISTANT ELMER's VIEWS.
WAsmSeIoS, September ll.-Seeond As
sistant Postmaster. General Elmer has been
interviewed at his home, and gives some
interesting information regarding his Office
ana what he mas done in the way of reform
ing the postal service. He says that Bra
dy's last appropriation was S1,0OO'OOO. Oh
this amount lie Elmer turned back into
the treasury 81, 500, 600 There was sur
pius June 80, 1852, over all expenses OF more
than : 10000.
Glow about the two per cent postage ?'
lac was asked
1--WE are not, In my Judgment, ready for
Il this year he replied, 1--WE shall be
next wear If congress shall coincide with
our views. | want 10 be where am just
long enough to make these reforms and see
this change maugurated, and then ! am
done. Ii will cost $500 900 to secure per
cent. postage. This is the first cost. We
must, to meet this, reform the service IN
other particulars.
FOURTH CLASS MATTER
is carried too cheap. tits carried far cheap
or than the people either expect or demand.
liza pound ofmerchandise Is carried from
New York to San Francisco for fifteen
cents, and an express company gets 81 for
the same service, the discrepancy between
the rates is too great The price set by the
government is much smaller than the pub
lie is willing and able to pay, II the gov
eminent is going into the express business
il rates should he in some degree Commensu-
rate with the service. don mean II should
charge the same as express companies but
that the tolls should be more In harmony
with common sense. We lose 100000
annu lly in carrying iourth.class matter.
rradesmen in Arizona and the other ter
ritofies stock their stores with iourth-Class
matter lisa fact, their goods are carried
at II lower rate through the mails than any
express company can possibly cary them.
This at the expense of the general public.
'How do you propose to remedy this
evil?n
"rhe department proposes to ask con.
grcss to have the price OF carrying fourth
class matter placed so that the government
will not lose anything by carrying It, II
this is done we shall make the S2,OOO,OOC
now lost. The price at which we propose
to carry is far below what Is charged by the
express companies, and far below what they
can carry such matter for. Take the item
of gold, for instance. The govern
ment carries all the gold in four.
HONuu BhNhhbNss Wv N''so"hb
dollars in gold weighs pounds l3A ounces
The government Is carrying oil this aud the
government gold besides. The postoilicC
pays for IL. The people are taxed for it
We take the position that no one has the
right to ask the government TO carry hi,
gold at such price. 1t Is perilous and
dangerous. II is too great temptation
and impedes the legitimate business Of the
mails. II is n burden which should be put
upon the companies that make that Il
speciality. II was never intended that the
government should do such an express bus
mess, and we say II the government does do
IL II should charge such rate as will
enable it to do it without loss, Isn't that
common scnseYN
well, yes, II seems so. But what about
the two.ccnt letter postage ~
"Now we will probably have 100000 OF
surplus next year, rs | said, think we
can save 100000 by advancing the rate
on fouTth-class matter, This makes 50 600 +
900, think the increase O postage on bus.
mess which is sent in other shapes and that
will be sent at two cents will more than
make up the deficiency, will pay the entire
cost of coming to cheap postage, Expert
enCe teaches us that 40 we lessen the cost
of sending We increase the business Of send
ing