Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-11-29
One Cent Postage.

The forthcoming report of the third
assistant postmaster general will ell
! able the public to form distinct idea
of what is involved in the demand fr
/ cent letter postage. The report gives,
for the first time. 1t is said, the mum Der
of packages of different kinds of matter
transmitted through the domestic mails
for the fiscal yeas.
In the very brief summary at hand
it is stated that the whole number was
s ,57s, 900, 600; that the numb Der of pack
ages of merchandise was equal to the
number of postal-oards; and that the
number of newspapers and periodicals
was three times as great and the num-
Der of letters five times az great as the
number of post al-cards. According to
this statement the mum bers of packages
of the different classes of matter were
as follows:
Number postal-cards. ..... 81, 800, 900
Number packages of merchandise. 1857 800, 900
Number papers, etc.....:.:::...1,O l3, 400. 900
Number letters. ...."........:1, ISa, 0O0, 900
Total. ............ 3 ISIS, 000, 900
This statement does not enable US to
determine the exact amount paid by
the people for letter postage and postal
cads together. because the number of
1-cent drop.letters and of those requir-
ing more than one 2-cAnt stamp are not
separately given. But assuming the
average posta ge on each letter to have
been cents the total amount paid for
letter postage was $32, 100000 and the
total amount paid for postal-cards was
So. 57S, 900.
Now it is II IT likely that the aggre-
gate number OF both kinds of missives
sent through the mails would be much
increased if letter postage were reduced
to l cent, because the present rate is
not so high as to prevent correspond
enee to any great extent, and the post
aboard ia ready to the hand of any one
who thinks the 2-oent rate too much of
q burden. The lower rate would bene-
fit business men who have An extensive
correspondence, but it would not in
duce them to write more letters than
they now do, and it would not appreci-
ably increase the correspondence of
others, who would not write many
more letters than they now do if post
age were free. It would cut down the
q
year, and probably 5000, 900, with
out appreciably benefitting anybody
but business men. who, as a class, are
abundant!y able to pay fair price for
the maintenance of it's service.
We have already gone quite far
enough In the reduction of letter post
age. 1t is not long since the rate was
reduced from cents to for each half
ounce. and still more recently the linn
it of weight for a single rate has been
increased to one ounce. AS much,
therefore. can now be sent for 2 cents
as could be sent for cents less than
four years ago. It would be better to
wait until the deficit resulting from
the act of March 3, 1885, is made up
before we take any more steps in this
direction. Aud whenever we do take
further steps we ought at the same
time to make other classes of mail
matter bear their just share Of the bur-
den, and, what is not less important,
stop Substituting railroad corporations
oy paying exorbitant prices for carry
ing the mails.
But If the party now about TO as.
sumo control of affairs ia determined to
provide an excuse for high taxes on
neeessaries of life by creating deficit
In the postal service in the manner
proposed let 1t abolish the postal cards, |
which will then be sup rfiuous. Ali
written messages can be closed. and
for the accommodation of the public en-
velopes upon the inside of which mes
sages can be written may be provided.
With the single. rate limit placed at
one ounce these envelopes .uay be made
SO heavy that writing will not be legi-
BILE from the outside.-The CHICAGO
Times.