Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-09-08
POSTAGE.
Reduction of Postage---The New Law
and the Way 1t was Passed---A Pic
ture OF the Head of Washington.

The new law reducing the rates OF
postage will 60 into effect on the LIST
of October next, and the authorities
are now engaged in the work of pre-
pairing the new stamps. The law
substitutes 2 cents per half ounce on
letters for cents, the present rate.
The old Scent stamp will be abol-
ished, and in its stead will be issued
a 2-cent stamp of new design. The
form of the new stamp has already
been decided upon. 1t contains a
tablet, upon which is profile of
Washington, similar to that on the
present Scent stamp. Surrounding
the profile is an oval band, and in the
upper part of the band the words,
united States Postage" Beneath
the band is a large 81" and at the ex
IRENE bottom of the tablet the words,
1.-TWO cents" The present two-cent
stamp. with the head of jackson
thereon, will be discontinued after
the LIST of October next. The vignette
on the new stamp is copied from the
life cast used in making Houdon's
statue of Washington. Several de-
signs for new Accent postage have
also been received by the Post Office
Department, but none have as yet
been selected. This stamp is also to
be issued on the list Of October next,
and it is meant for use on double
weight letters.
The bill to reduce letter postage
from 3 to 2 cents was introduced in
Congress, December ID, 1880, by A.
s. Willis, of Kentucky. No action
was taken upon it by that Congress.
Mr.. Willis introduced the same bill
in the Forty seventh Congress. Other
members also introduced bills in the
Forty-seventh Congress. BY a joint
resolution of both houses the pro-
posed reduction in rate was added as
a clause to and was passed with the
Post Office appropriation bill last
January. A cursory glance at the
past will show that the present re-
duction in postage was long ago
agitated by men who foresaw its ad-
vantages. Ex-Postmaster General
Hall in his report of 1850 recon-
mended reduction of inland post
age-from the then prevailing rate
Of 5 cents on letter conveyed dis
lance Of less than 300 miles, and for
any greater distance 10 cents-to a
uniform rate of 3 cents on a prepaid
letter when carried any distance not
exceeding 5000 miles. Ex-President
Fillmore, on December 2, 1850, called
the attention of Congress to his Post
master Generals suggestion. The
suggestion was acceded to, and g.
cent postage under 5000 miles be-
came law in 1861. In 1862 a com
mittee appointed by business men
petitioned Congress for postal reform
including a reduction in domestic
letter postage to 2 cents per letter
The late Peter Cooper was on the
committee. Ex-Postmaster General
James in 1882 recommended the in
PRODUCTION of the 2-cent rate, giving
cogent reasons for its desirability
and feasibility. President Arthur, in
his message dated December 4, 1882
strongly recommended the 2-cent rate
to the consideration of the House
The two houses made it law il
January. 1883.
The first act of Congress establish
ing specific rates of postage was
passed February 20, 1892. The
charge then on single letter Zone
sheet of paper carried less than sixty
miles was fixed at s cents. The max
imum charge was 65 cents for single
letter, when conveyed over $50 miles
Other acts in 1890, 1910, 1916 anc
1925 were not productive Of any sen
sible diminution in the minimum
rate of postage, the changes made be
ing principally in the scaling of rates
according to greater or less distance
of transportation. The act of Marcel
s, 1916, marked the dawn of CHEAP
postage. Just prior to the aforesaid
act the postage on single letter was
6 cents, if conveyed thirty miles OF
less, 10 cents under eighty miles; 12l
cents under $50 miles, and 18a cents
If carried over 400 miles. By the act
Of 1916, the postage was fixed at 6
cents upon single letter conveyed
any distance under 300 miles and
10 cents for any greater distance
Then came sweeping reduction
through the act of 1873 cents
postage on any prepaid seeing letter
conveyed 5000 miles or less, and G
cents for any greater distance. The
act of March 8, 1866, raised the rate
to 10 cents for letters carried a
distance exceeding 1900 miles. The
act OF 1853 prescribed the present
rate on domestic postage of 3 cents
per half ounce. regardless of the dis
lance carried.
The question is being discussed az
to the effect the reduction will have
upon the revenues of the Postal De
partment, involving, as it does, loss
Of 333 per cent. Many people are
disposed to think the effect will be
to add a stimulus to correspondence
The history of past reduction in oul
postal rates lends conviction to Their
speculations. It is q noteworthy fact
in connection with these statements
that in 1889, before the introduction
of penny postage (equal to our z
cents) into Great Britain, the mum.
Der of letters passing through the
United Kingdom with population Of
$4,000, 900, was three per capita. Ir
1882 the number per capita was
thirty-five, with population OF
$4,000, 900, and in its last official an