The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-12
PENNY POSTAGE.
A Bill Introduced for the Establishment
of a Parcels Post.

OF n 9afcelS 1OSCS
The annual report of the Postmaster
General has provoked considerable in
curry as to the necessity for reform in
postal rates The ideas advanced by
different writer's upon the subject as
to the most desirable changes that
could be made are generally prompted
by personal or business interests Many
believe that the public generally will
take the view that the Postal Depart
ment was established for the safe and
rapid transmission of letters of bust
ness or personal nature, and for the
prompt dissemination of news matter
and that all other undertakings of the
Postal Department should be secondary
to this. The public demand not only
the rapid and safe transmission of letters
and news matter, but that the rates on
this legitimate class of mail matter shall
be placed at the lowest figure consistent
with it's cost. The report Of the Post
master General shows that the present
2 cent per ounce rate on letters yielded the
Government during the last year, $685.
600. 600, and that the actual cost of
carrying and delivering such letters for
the same period was but $8.000,O0O
leaving a clear profit of $40, 200, 900.
But the final balance shown in the re-
port shows that, instead Of there being a
profit of $50, 100000 there was an ac-
tual deficiency or loss of IS, 768, 300 In
curry into the causes of %his deficiency
discloses the fact that it is due
First to carrying through the mails, at
rates largely under cost, tons of matter
composed principally of advertising
schemes and lodges Of every character,
and merchandise packages of every nature,
nd mo- alrpH6V
facilities of the mails to such an extent as
to render the prompt transmission and de-
livery of legitimate mail matter almost an
impossibility.
Second, to the shipment through the
mails of Government freight that could
and should be forwarded through other
channels at much lower cost
In the face of this report bill has
been introduced in Congress for the es
Enlistment Of parcels post, which pro-
poses still lower postal rates than are
now in effect on a class of business that
has been largely instrumental in re-
ducing profit of $50, 900, 900 to an actual
loss of IS, 76S, 300 1t is not of as much
Importance to the average citizen that
the cost for the transmission OF a pack
age of merchandise or other articles Of
like character through the mails shall be
less than the government pays for trans
porting it, as that the rates of postage
on regularly established newspapers and
personal and business letters which are
the province and property Of all shall be
placed within the reach Of all.
The revenue of the Postal Depart
ment, if properly applied, fully justifies
the reduction Of rates on letter postage,
and it is undoubtedly the duty Of every
voter to urge upon their Repre-
sentatives in Congress to legislate
for penny postage on letters and
for the continuance Of the present rea-
sonable rates that are afforded the legit-
innate newspaper interests of the coun-
try. The surplus revenues OF the Postal
De- ertment should be used for this puf
pose md for the Improvement of the
faciit for local delivery Of letters and
newspapers, and. for the extension Of
mail routes to regions of the country not
already favored with acceptable pos al
communications, and they should not be
used to build up branch of public serY-
ce that is not required by the public,
and which experience has demonstrated
will exhaust the revenues and absorb the
facilities needed for other and more inn
portant branches of the postal service,
Chicago Eagle