The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-30
FOR l-CENT POSTAGE.
The National Board of Trade Wants
a Reduction. sa
THERE'S A DISCRIMINATION
Missouia's Executive Committee
Will Look Into the Matter and Re-
port to Headquarters the Sem 81
timent of the Garden City. ifN

Missoula, Dec. 29-Probably one of
the most popular and far-reaching re-
forms ever inaugurated is the move
ment for / cent letter postage. At the
last annual meeting OF the National
Board of Trade, held in Washington.
the question was favorably consider
ed and committe appointed to fur
Their investigate the subject and to en-
list the cooperation of trade organiza-
tons in all parts of the United States
to secure appropriate legislation from
the present congress.
President Francis of the Missoula
board of trade has received a COM
munication from this body requesting
that the matter be brought before the
local organization and that a report
be made to the national committee as
to their standing upon the proposition.
AS the next annual meeting of the
board occurs on Jan. rs, 1885, IL will be
necessary to take prompt action in or
der to secure representation and il is
the intention of President Francis to
present the proposition at the meeting
of the Missoula board on Monday,
Jan. g.
The project is of great interest to
the general public. The communica-
ton is appended herewith in part:
I'VE feel free to bring this matter to
the notice of your organization, be-
cause of the fact that l cent letter
postage means a direct and positive
saving to every one of your members.
Those who now expend $1,000 a year
for letter postage will directly save
$500. Those who now expend only 500
year will directly save $50. 1t is safe
to assume that the combined savings
OF all your members resulting from the
reduction of letter postage to 1 cent,
will represent as large a sum of money
as has been secured from any measure
which you have ever yet considered.
We feel, therefore, that the matter
merits your most earnest considera-
ton.
THAT l cent postage is both posi-
BILE and equitable is notably shown in
the postmaster generals report for
1890. where 1t is demonstrated that In
that year the revenue from letter pos
tage amounted to $3S, 000 900, while the
cost was only $s,00O.0O0, leaving a prof
II of $30,000.000 from letter postage.
According to this report, had letter
postage in that year been reduced to
cent, there would still have been a
profit of $1,000, 900. The simple fact
IS that the business community and all
letter writer's are at present forced to
pay double postage in order that one
favored class of mail matter may be
charged only l cent a pound, or about
one-twelvth the actual COST and be-
cause many millions of dollars of free
mail matter used by other depart
ments of the government and which
should be charged to their own ac>
count, are included in the expense of
the postal department atH
The committee feels that the mer-
camille as well as the general COM
munity have long enough submitted TO
the injustice of this direct tax upon,
all citizens to favor one special indus
try. They feel that the time has come
for action. A bill will be offered In
the incoming congress providing for
an equalization of the postal rates,
and the reduction of 2-cent letter pos
tage. to / cent. But this bill will be
confronted with the severest antagon>
ism of those who now enjoy the bene-
fit of this unjust discrimination. To
successfully meet this opposition will
require the cooperation of citizens
from all sections of the country, who
at the proper time will so emphatical-
ly impress their wish upon their rep
resentatives at Washington as to in
sure the success of this popular cause"