Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-04
Postal Reforms.

As the elections are now over and the
tame for the meeting Of Congress Is near OF
hand we can think of no more practical
subject upon which TO write than the pos
tai reforms which the DISPATCH has for
years been pressing upon the considera-
tion OF that body. dozen years consti-
tute only short time in the history OF q
nation, and frequently only short tine
IN the history Of reform. We advocated'
we know not how long before 1T became
law. the prepayment Of postage upon
printed matter. and finally had the pea
sure Of witnessing the successful operation
OF that reform. We also advocateu
charging by the pound instead OF oy
tale for the newspapers sent through the
mails. and have for years witnessed the
successful operation of that REFORM.
We have for several years advocated 'he
extension of the free-deliyery systefa 10
all towns having mail matter enough 70
occupy in its delivery all the aVaiisoi0
time of one carrier. This reform Is cal.
culated 10 do more to educate the eenei"
public and enligbten class OF persons
who now make no use OF the maIiS .nan
any other measure which IS likely 10 ciaini
the attention Of Congress at the present
time. or. we suppose we might add. NJ any
time. We expect grand results from us
successful operation. IL will raise the
entire community TO O higher plane. we
expect this reform soon TO become par'
of the law of the land. seeing that We nave
III al "A T-tr
eral. and. we suppose we mighttsay' al us
assistants. II is reform which carries i1s
recommendation upon its own face ana
conmends itself TO the APPRECIATION Oh
every man who considers Its claims to DC
one of the greatest Of postal reforms.
There are several other postal reforms
which demand the attention OF Congress-
but which can hardly be rated as equai 10
the one of which he have Just spoEen. ohe
is such change in the postal laws rs VIII
allow the Post-Office Department ltSeil "
make new regulations calculated 10 III
prove the postal service. Many little re-
forms would be thought of by the pubic
as well as by The post-oftice othciais IL inc
department were permitted to carry them
into practical effect without special law 10
that effect. Why should there be any hesi-
tation in adopting regulation which would
permit everybody to paste newspaper
Ginning upon a postal-card and then SEND
the postal-card through the mails? A NIL
lion postal-cards thus used would pass
through the mails the first year after tie
adoption of such regulation. AS IT Is, a
nerson mu,t either send the newspaper
itself or else write letter in order to send
through the mails little paragraph when
he desires distant or absent friends TO see.
There are thousands of such paragraphs
appearing daily in the newspapers. lheir
nature or importance does not demand
their TRANSMISSION in letter, but would
lead thousands of persons to transmit
them in the manner in which we propose
they shall be transmitted.
A kindred reform would be regulation
allowing persons TO write upon the margin
of a newspaper, provided they pay ietter
hostage upon It--say cents. ms would
pay both letter and newspaper postage.
People do not write upon the margins OF
newspapers in order to save cent OF
postage, but for convenience's sake, and,
for the reason that the newspaper para
graph is not of q nature to Justify the
writing of letter. The case is nimliar to
that of FASTING little paragraphs upon
postal-cards. The public would be greatly
accommodated by these apparently unlm-
portant reforms. We shall consider other
reforms in due time.