The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-03
THE q. S. POSTAL SERVICE

The longest stride 10 advance, IN thl'
century, in the science of political econo
my, was that taken by Rowland Hill whey
ne announced the principle that low rates
yield the highest revenue, and boldly eN
emplitied it by 800 per cent reduction OF
the rates of postage in England The
principle is one OF wide application, yet in
spite of It's brilliant success III its applica
ton to the British postal system, such is
the stupidity and peryersity of human
greed, that it is still ignored in the regula
| ion of tolls, freights, fares taxes and fees
in hundreds Of cases where its application
would be certain of high pecunisry re.
ward
! But in 40 case has its application been
more strkingly successful than in the mat
| ter Of postage in the United States Wien,
some forty years ago, after the brilliant
success OF Rowland Hills experiment in
England, it WAS proposed TO reform the
stupid 10, - and 25 cent rates of the United
States by the sweeping change OF reduc-
ton TO the uniform rate OF ) cents, the
CrOskers said "Oh, that will never do
here. In England, where the distances are
short and comparatively uniform, such u
system may work but here, where the
distances vary by thousands OF miles, it
will never de-" However reformers are
always holder in their experiments for the
public than in their individual interests,
and the sweeping change proposed was
adopted. The result as everybody knows,
was an astounding success. For year or
two, il is true, the revenue of the depart
ment was slightly diminished, but then it
swelled so rapidly that five years later the
further important reduction to the uniform
rate OF 3 cents was made and when again
under this reduction, in spite of the vast
increase of the postal service and the enor-
nous star route" peculations, the revenue
of the department again increased so as to
be largely above its expenditures, a further
reduction to the uniform rate of two cents
WAS made, and this promises to meet with
even greater success than those that proceed
ed it, During the first year after the re
duction of lS45 to ) cents the deficiency in
the revenue of the department was IA per
cent and when, in 1851, the reduction to
cents was made the deficiency in the ensu-
ing year was 81 per cent During the past
hn t,ct tf1
cents the deficiency in the revenue OF
the department has been about per cent.
and rs in both the former cases the tempo
rary decrease was quickly succeeded by q
vast increase OF revenue, so it is safe 70 as
sumo that the reduction of 1888 will be
followed by like increase
Therefore, since the revenue, under the
constantly growing business, will soon
again exceed the expenses, with honest
and competent administration, it Is not too
early to plan another postal improvement.
For it usually takes several sessions TO &C
complish these reforms, and the great prin-
ciple of the postal administration should
be TO give back to the people all they pay, |
in the form of increased cheapness, con.
venience and efficiency of service.
The step in advance at once most urg-
emily demanded and the easiest to take isl
the one contemplated in bill introduced
at the last session of Congress by Nr Bling |
ham. This bill increases the maximum
weight allowed for the sing rate letter to
one ounce People do not like to pay four
cents for letter which only requires two
cents, and still less to subject the receiver
to charge for unpaid postage. Yet one
or the other risk must often be run by that
large majority of people who have no
scales at hand, unless they go tothe trouble
of taking the letter to be weighed. The
half ounce limit is absurdly restricted, and
creates constant annoyance. In Great
Britain the standard single weight is an
ounce When it isremembered how much
time is used by Postottice clerks in weigh |
ing letters very close TO the half ounce, and
by carriers in waiting to collect the extra
charge on the delivery of letters weighing
trifle more, il must be clear that for the
Postoffice administration itself the legal
limit of weight should be increased
Several other reforms are now in order,
notably that of reducing to one cent the
hostage on local letters where the carrier
system is in operation This would only
be the logical sequence of the reduction of
three cent postage to two cents. However,
to double the standard of letter weight
may be sufficient improvement for the
present short session of Congress.
WEATHER EXCENTRICITIEs.