The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-04

Total postage. Il, i5l. 1901
10 reduce letter postage to . uniform
rate OF Il cent means exactly that the
department will lose one-huii OF this
amount OF receipts. One-half will be
$50, 7lG,0G4 rs. But there has been n
different history connected with past re-
ductions OF the rate OF postage from that
which would probably follow 4 reduc-
ton to INC cent. For example, the re-
duction OF 1888 from three to two cents
was followed the succeeding year by q
loss OF revenue OF only 81, 600, 900, but
there We're large compcnsations. There
was in the first place the great stimulus
impaired to correspondence ut the lower
rate; in the second place, tho stimulus
given by the induccment to employ
sealed letters in place OF unsealed cir
culars, whereby the department rcapcd
4 large profit; and, in the third place,
the increase caused by the inducemcnt
to employ scaled letters i'll lieu Of postal
cards, where the profit was still larger.
1t must be borne in mind all the time
that there should be no such compensa-
ton in the case OF 4 reduction of letter
postage to one cont. In fact there will
be little to offset tho sweeping loss be-
sides the bare increase in correspond
ence brought about by the lower rate,
because by q change from postal cards
at cent to sealed letters at one cent
the department would gain nothing but
the cost OF manufacture OF the card, and
this would be offset probably BY the
cost OF carriage OF the greater weight;
and by 4 changefrom %unsoaied circulars
ut II cent to sealed letters at one cent
there would be no gain whatever. We
have therefore 10 face i'll this problem,
assuming that it is ripe for solution by
1884, Z clear loss to the revenue OF not
less than 81, 100000 under present con-
ditions, which, ii the department were
TO receive its dues in regard to the
credits belonging to it, would be re-
duced to 4 deficit OF from 100000 900 to
Sll, 900, 600.
Ihavc heretofore stated that onc-cent
postage will be successfully demanded
in time. believe that time is not lar
OIL.
lie recommends the siinplifcation OF
postal rates and the consolidation ii the
third and fourth class postage, and
shows how newspapers may be trans.
ported free from July l, 1875.
THE PAY OF rouRTn-cLAs rosTMAsrERs.
On the pay Of iourth.c!ass postmas-
tiers Mr.. Wanamakcr says:
The i%ourth-clasS postmaster is dcscrv-
ing oil far better compensation aud far
better consideration than no receives.
| have tried to help him in tho vista
tons OF the county seat postmasters. /
purpose to extend that same advantage
another year, ii the plan OF supervisors
is provided Tor by congress; some other
way probably ii it is not. Tho direct
compensation OF the ioprth-class post.
master, however, can only be brought
about as the result OF 4 business propo-
sition. In order to get moro pay he
must deserve it, either because lie does
moro work or because he does a greater
variety OF it. l would give him Il chance
to do both. I would gradually but
surely extend to him the management
OF the rural free delivery, and still more
gradually, but none the less surely, the
extension OF tho telegraph and tele-
phone service in the country and the
transfer OF the postal deposits.
To do all this work he would neces-
sarily be q more useful man, and, being
always capable, he would be glad 10
have 4 chance 10 becomca better postal
man; and having all this extra work to
do, and drawing, rs formerly, a certain
equitable part OF tho revenue OF the
department for his services, his pay
would increase In o natural and thor
oughly business-lillc way. He would
be doing better work and doing more OF
it. His condition would be improved
and his position dignifled. He would
take n interest in his work. The
standard required OF candidates ior va.
cancies would BIO higher. and tho i'm.
provenient upon the whole system, by
tho certain but almost imperceptible
improvement in n%umborless minute
details, would be i%ucalculabls.