Daily Republican., 1883-10-06
NATURDAY. OCTOBER 8. 1883.

, everybody.
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 8, 1883.
Intelligence and Cheap Postage.
When our future history is written
by the coming historian, it will be found
that the reduction of the rates of post.
age from time to time and especially
tho last which went into effect the first
Of the present month, possesses far
greater Significance for the welfare and
veal of the country than a dozen cleo
lions and the change OF as many politi-
cal administrations. The Post-ot1ice
has naturally drifted into popular
means of intelligence and has to great
extent become the gauge of the progress
of education. We want no better proof
Of this than to glance at the different
countries of Europe and compare them
With the United States. The postal SER
vice of Russia and Turkey is wretched,
and those countries rank lowest in the
score of general intelligence. England,
France and Germany rank the highest
in intelligence and rank the highest in
the perfection of their postal service
Spain and Italy are on the lower rounds
OF the ladder of intelligence and their
postal facilities correspond with their
intelligence. 1t may therefore be def
nitely settled that where postal facili-
ties are strong and in demand, the peo.
pie are in the same ratio enlightened,
tlOurishing ana free. Popular intelli-
gence is in fact the foundation stone of
the whole postal fabric.
The growth of the postal business in
the United States is az much of a won
dor Is the growth Of her population and
trade and wealth. There is no subject
more interesting than to trace that
growth from the early days of the colo
MES to the present time. In those days
Post-offices were unknown, and letter
communication between the scattered
settlements depended altogether upon
travellers, who were laden down with
missives when they started upon a
journey. Captains of vessels brought
letters from the old world and were es-
pecial ly paid t.r their delivery. AS a
rule the settlers crowded upon ship on
its arrival inquiring for communica-
tions that may have l,een sent them. A
lew years after tie settlement of Boston
one man was designated to receive all
the letters at his house and see that they
were delivered, and for this service he
was to rece We IA penny for each letter
delivered. Two hundred and sixteen
years ago the Virginia colony at James
town ordered that every planter should
receive letters and send them to the
next plantation. Thus every man be-
came to certain extent a postal agent.
This plan, which very naturally recon-
mends itseI is still in vogue in sparsely
settled countries. The first attempt to
establish mail in this country was
made in 1872 when monthly mai was
provided for between the cities of Boston
and New York. only think of it, a
mail once month. The people ofthose
cities now are hardly satisfied with
mail two or three times a day with all
the conveniences of telegraph and tele.
phone.
TO Benjamin Franklin belongs the
honor OF founding a regular postal sys-
tenn. When the war of the revolution
broke out the institution was more than
self susta ming, hut 1t was nearly crush
cd out by the eight years of war that en-
sued.
One of the first measures Of the new
government at the close of the struggle
was the establishment of the present
Post-otiice system. The rate of postage
was eight cents for less than forty
miles ; ten cents for ninety miles
twelve and one-half cents for one hun.
dred and fifty miles seventeen cents
for three hundred miles twenty cents
for five hundred miles, and twenty-five
ceuts for all distances beyond thai
These charges remained in force uutll |
1916, period which men living amongst
aus can well remember. A Slight reiuc.
ton was made in the rates at that time,
and Mr.. Edward Everett, in 1886, made
a futile attempt to have the rates made
still lower. About thi, time Rowland
liili was engaged in a postal reform in
in which he succeeded, and
an lS45 Congress took hold Of the mat.
Ter and succeeded i'll reducing The rates
of postage to a uniform charg" of I'VE
cents for letters under five hundred
miles aud double rates for any distance
in excess of that. Texas, New Mexico
and California came into the Union, and |
entailed greater expe nSe in the delivery
Of the mai, 80 much 30 that Congress
made an attempt in 1871 10 raise he
rates of postage The attempt, how
t.ver. resulted in reduction to three |
cents for oil distances lnder three
thousand miles and six cents for great.
,r distances, and in 1869 the rate of
'hree cents was made general.ani Dos.
age stamps for the first time were is.
'uei. The last twenty wears hav,
demonstrated the wisdom
Of the policy of cheap postage. Not
inexcusable extravaganza
.nd VIII )le,ale rObb1rleS by uuSrrunu-