The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-10
Mail Service Should
Be SeIf-SdStdininQ
From the Philadelphia Record.

G1 lie liberal policy maintained by
the government during long
series of years in it's payments to
the railroads for mail service has
been of great benefit to the peo-
pie, both in quickening and facilitating
communication. This should be borne in
mind in all discussions of the subject
of reducing the rates of compensation
A parallel case is afforded in the remark
able development of armor plate manu-
facture in this country through the lib
erality of the government. 1t is certain
ly a matter for congratulation, especial
ly in view of recent important events,
that this country now possesses facilities
for producing the best armor plate in
the world, as Is evidenced by the re-
cent placing here of Russian orders at
5000 per ton more than this government
is permitted by law to pay for armor
for the battleships Illinois, Alabama and
Wisconsin.
An instructive and interesting article
on postal affairs, by Orville j. Victor, APP
pears in the February number of The
Forum The author states that single
Boston weekly paper issues 100000 copies
every week in the year, and that Il
Philadelphia monthly circulated-mostly
through the mails-72j,0 900 copies of its
December number. Certain other maga-
zines issue monthly from 100000 to j0O,-
600 copies, each weighing from 10 to 10
or more ounces. The growth of this liter
ature in volume is amazing, and Mr..
Victor takes the ground that ito prohibit
it the freest use of the mails in it's dis
tribution over our vast domain is simply
a crime against civilization" Mr.. Vic
tor goes too far The government is not
justified in carrying every class of mail
matter for less than cost, nor in maxi
ing one class pay more than a remunera-
To 1r1rNr hpf. p1a
of matter for less than remunerative
rate. But he is quite right in insisting
upon a readjustment of railway charges
if they be TOO high.
o
The cost of railway transportation of
passengers and freight over the great
trunk lines has been greatly reduced
since the fixing of mail contracts by
various economies of management, in
creased power of locomotives, increased
capacity of cars and decreased cost of
equipment fuel, etc. 1t is, therefore,
proper to inquire whether, in view of
these facts, the rates paid by the gov
ernment to the railroads for mail SER
vice are at the present time excessive.
Mr.. Victor states that the government
pays about 5000 a year for the use of
each postal car and for its transporta-
ton. In further discussion of the sub
iect he says: "As a car Is worth but
length of life of such car-the railway
receives 100000 for the use of one car.
The New York Central railway we are
told, receives an annual payment of So
0SS.9O per mile for transporting mail
matter between New York city and Buff
falo-a sum exceeding the amount re-
quired to pay interest on the cost OF a
complete double-track line from New
York city to Buffalo. The Penn
sylvania railroad receives annually $3,-
sol SO per mile for it's service between
New York and Philadelphia A careful
examination Of the tables given and OF
the charges imposed discloses the signal
fact that if the United States govern
ment owned and controlled all postal
cars and paid the railroad for traction
and station storage and stowage-just
as great shippers, like Armour e Co.
and all the express companies, pay
the saving would be fully 40 per cent,
as compared with the cost per mile in
dicated by the sums above particular
lied, and the deficit that so sickens the
souls of a long line of reformers and
nostrum vendors would completely dis
appear. Nay more, there would be a big
surplus with which to further the
scheme or free city and rural delivery
and TO silence the enemies OF cheap
reading, who under the thin mask of
postal reform would seriously add to the
cost OF all periodical publications"
o
Assuming that these statements are
approximately correct, II would certainly
seem that the government Is now pay
ing unnecessarily highrates for railway
mail service. Tho comparison drawn be-
ing unnecessarily high rates for railway
transportation and that given to armor
plate manufacture by the government
needs to be qualified by a brief refer
ence to the different conditions prevail