The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-27
ONE CENT POSTAGE.
A Proposal to Establish II Where the Car.
rier Sy-.en Prevails.

|
| WASHINGTON. May 2f.--Thcre IL something tc
| be said for the bill Just introduced into the
House by Mr.. Quinn. reducing to one cent tho
postage on single.rato drop letters in cities
| containing not lever than one hundred thou
sand inhabitants. Bnt wiser plan might be TO
walt for time and then make this reduction
everywhere, and on all letters.
That one-cent postage will eventually come,
and Will be In operation throughout the coun-
try, cannot be doubted. Fifty years ago the
postage on a letter composed OF a single sheet
was six cents. II carried loss than 80 miles ;
ten cents between 80 and 50 miles; twelve and
half cents between 81 and 80 miles eighteen
and thrse-fourths cents between $50 and 400
miles: twenty-five cents over 400 miles, The
first great reform came with the act OF
1919 which reduced tho rate to five
cents for less than 800 miles and to
ten cents Tor any greater distance. Six
years later came another great reduction to
three cents for less than 5000 miles, and six
cents for any greater distance. In recent years
we have seen the rate reduced to two cents:
postal cards at one cent introduced; the weight
allowed for single rate doubled The tendency.
In short. has uniformly been to mako letter
postage cheaper and cheaper. and its reduce
ton to one cent can only be q question OF time.
The proposal now mado to establish one-cent
postage for local letters In cities having the
carrier system undoubtedly has something in
its favor. To begin with. 1t makes the immedi-
ate reduction OF postal revenues smaller than
It would be by applying the cent rate to all
letters throughout the country. Then, since
TRANSFORMATION by rail and boat over long dis
tances ls one great source of postal expenses.
Il may seem unnecessary 10 charge as much
for TAXING letter from the Post Office
IN. New York one block as for carrying
II 70 Tacoma or Galveston. Still another con-
slderatlon Is that the revenue from the local or
drop mail ut the free delivery Offices OF the
country now amounts to between S2,UU00O0
and $4,000 900 more than the total cost OF the
free delivery service. This surplus OF earnings
over expenditures in the delivery cities Is in
creaSlnR. and it il to-day enough to equal the
loss OF revenue which would be caused by re-
dqcing the postage on local letters to one cent.
tain force. to Offset them there Is the disadvan-
tage OF establishing two rates Of letter postage.
This. In fact, would be returning, In some de-
gree, TO the old system of dividing up distances
Tor Inherent rates OF postage, which was q
great nuisance.
The time cannot be far off when reduction
OF postage 10, one cent on all letters may be
Mr. Villas spoke OF this time rs probably not
iar distant and the increase In the business
OF the Post Offices would 80 far toward making
mp the falling Off In revenues due to the reduce
ton Of the rate. There are few ways in which
me surplus revenues OF the Government can
be more judiciouSly returned to tho people
than in a reduction OF postage rates. All citi-
benefits. II the great business firms reap the
largest profits from this policy. the smaller
gains OF the farmer and the mechanic are Guite |
~ welcome. and perhaps to them as important !