Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-05-05
1ancaster !9ntellige,lctr.
SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 9, les
0Prfyate POstOiiices."

The federal authorities in New York
city have been making raid upon what
are known as the private postoffices there,
and propose to suppress certain long es,
tablished institutions which are in the
business of distributing by carriers and
messengers large quantities of postal
matter which they who have to circulate
it find that they can send out more
cheaply by this private service than by
the postoffice agencies. 1t is not, per-
haps, generally known that the postal
law prohibits the establishment of any
4" private express for the conveyance Of
letters or packets, which in any manner
cause or provide for the conveyance OF
the same by regular trips at stated
periods, over any post route which IS, or
may be. established by law; or from any
city, town or place to any other
city, town or place between which
the mail is regularly carried under
a penalty of $50 for those who
establish it and of so fine for any
one who patronizes it. The reason for
such prohibition, it is claimed, lies in
the fact that the average rates of postage
established by the government are found
ed on a consideration alike of the profits
in delivering letters in populous COM
munities and between near points and
that of sending them to far distant sta
tions and these laws are i" to prevent
people from calling on the postOilice to
do their expensive work, such as carry
ing letters to New Mexico, Arizona and
Dakota, and employing private agents
to do the inexpensive work." Before
there were letter carriers such dispatches
and agencies existed in the large cities
by the liberation of the law, but now all
the streets of a city over which the car,
riers pass are regarded as postal route
and come within the inhibition. This
regulation 10y the government, or the
construction put upon it by the federal
autorities, does not seem reasonable, es
pecially in view of the high rates of drol
letter postage. Notwithstanding the
reduction Of ordinary letter post
age, soon to take effect, from
three to two cents, the rate fol
city letters is to remain at two
and it is easy to see how merchants aut
other business men CAN much bette
afford to hire carriers specially TO deliver
circulars or letters in large quantitie
than to send them through the postoilice
A man can deliver thousands of these il
a day and at One.iifth the cost that TIN
postoffice charges. If it may be permitte'
individuals to do this Oh their own ac
count there is no good reason for pro
hibiting agencies which make business
of it. The firms in New Y Ork who hay'
built up a large interest, by delivering
mail at one cent for which the govern
ment charges two cents, will no
give it up withouta legal resistance, j,
which they will be supported by Tia
mercantile community whom they &C
commodate. The government will hav
to show some better reason than that j
takes money from the postal department
to make popular this regulation agains
the private message deliveries. The ex
press companies, the telegraph lines an
the district messenger systems all com
into competition with the postoflices
but that is no good reason for their sur
preston, 1t is doubtful whether tn
government ought to interfere with o
undertake anything that can be don
more cheaply and better by private en-
tCrprise.