Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-30
Tho postai "Business.'

We have heretofore noticed at some
length the annual report for the last
year Of Postmaster-General Bissell. and
commented upon some Of his recommen-
dations. We have not hesitated to dis
sent from his Views whenever we thought
he was on the wrong track.
The Dispatch has during its existence
had the pleasure OF seeing a number OF
the postal reforms which 1t favored be-
come parts OF the law OF the land
among them the law requiring postage
70 be paid at the Office where the mail
ing was to be done instead OF at the
Office OF delivery. and the Law requiring
newspaper postage TO b. paid by the
pound instead OF upon each sheet. We
have also advocated the free delivery
OF mall matter in all villages and towns
where It would require the services OF
even one nan all the time 20 deliver
that mal matter Indeed. we have de-
sired 10 see our postal system admllis-
tered upon as liberal a system rs that
OF England. where rural delivery Is pro-
viled for. Certainly there ought 10 be
no question OF party raised I'm connection
with THIS matter. II IS business"
Mr.. Wanamaker. Postmaster-General
under Mr. Harrison, advocated some
postal reforms which many persons even
IN his own party were not disposed 10
favor. The Philadelphia Press. publish d
in his town. has the following reference
10 him. II says:
nj ~.
had no business training and expert
Cnce whatever. mutually din rs from
the opinions In regard to the manage
mcnt and policy OF the department ex-
pressed by Northumberland Wana-
maker. who has had thrty-dVe years
OF retail business experience. Dir. Wana-
maker. Ike any progres sive business
man. urg 4 expanding the POst-Otice
Department by adding postal te.e-
graph. and proposed 10 Increase It's bust
ness by reaching its customers with
deliveries in the country. Mr. B.sseil
believes in neither. Yet the post-ofiicc
Is business and nothing but business,
ard in business everything turns on an
ticipating the needs Of customers and
making It easy for them to trade-by
delivering goods
Nobody will object to free delivery in
the country because the scheme has q
squirting" at paternallsm; for it would
be puerile TO contend that letters ought
to be delivered free in cities but not In
the country nor in small towns because
rural or village free delivery was a
species II paternalism so also the
government establishes post-oiIices and
post roads wherever they are needed.
and il would seem not very unrcasona-
bic TO contend that "a postal telegraph
would be nothing more than n part Of
the governments business properly be
longing 10 the Post-Ofice Department.
Sending letters through the mails AMI
sending kilograms over the wires are not
so different in their nature as to be set
down the one as constitutional and the
other as unconstitutional
1t may be assumed as certain that
whenever the National Government needs
telegraph system--as in time Of war,
for instance-that government will take
possession Of the existing telegraphs.
as during the war between the States
II took possession OF all the railroads.
As to the cost OF the telegraph system
in time of peace, It may be said that
at more than half the country Offices
the same man might be postmaster and
telegraph operator. In a word, the OBJ
Jections to a government telegraph have
no force in time of peace, and would not
be allowed for one moment 10 impede
the governments operations is time Of
war During a state Of war. ''pat.rnal-
ism" IS a word that has little or no
force: and hence We might as we'll utilize
the telegraph in time OF peace. The
Weather Bureau is a 'paternal institu-
ton" SO are free schools and other
things that We could name.