The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-31
SIDE LIGHTS ON POSTAL REFORM.
Railroads Get More Out of the Cow
eminent than They Earn.
Jictor, in the Forum.

Mr.. Orville u Victor, in the Forum.
1t appears that the government pays
about $1,000 a year for each postal car and
it's transport. AS car is worth but $45O0,
in twenty years-the average length of life
of such car-the railway receives $100 600
for the use of one car. The New York Cen
trail Railway, we are told, receives on an
nual payment of $3.0SS09 per mile for trans
porting mail matter between New York city
and Buffalo-a sum exceeding the amount
required to pay interest on the cost of
complete double track line from New
York city to Buffalo The Pennsyl-
yania Railroad receives annually 50, 0l.5S
and Philadelphia" A careful examination
of the tables given and of the charges i'm
posed discloses the signal fact that, If the
United States government owned and con-
tIolled all postal cars, and paid the rail-
reads for traction and station storage and
stowage-just as great shippers, like Ar
mour q Co. and all the express COM
Eanies pay-the saving would be fully 40
per cent, as compared with the cost per
mile indicated by the sums above particu-
larized, and the deficit that so sickens the
souls of a long line of reformers and nos
tIum vendors. would completely disappear.
Nay, more, there would be big surplus
with which to further the scheme of free
city and rural delivery, and to silence the
eremieS of cheap reading, who, under the
thin mask of postal REFORM would seriously
add to the cost of all periodical publca-
The considerable yearly increase in the
weight and bulk of second-claSs matter is
due chiefly to the rapidly advancing circu-
and notably of the monthly magazines and
reviews. Then we have a quite remarkable
increase in the quantity of letterpress as
well as of advertising pages. Also. this
further item visibly enters into the problem
OF the paper weight OF the publications-the
heavier paper required for the proper
printing Of the almost countless illustra
lions, which now have become pronounced
feature of our popular periodical literature.
each month from 100000 to 1000 copies.
each weighing from ten to fifteen or more
ounces; when certain Philadelphia month
ly paper circulates-mostly through the
mails-725 900 copies of its December num-
Der; when a Boston weekly puts forth, for
the year, 100000 copies each week: when
fully "a half-hundred other papers have mail
lists calling for from 100000 to 300 coo copies
weekly-it takes but novice to determine
the source Of the steady growth of weight
of second-class matter in the mails, and to
see that this growth Is a grand confirma-
ton OF the wisdom and propriety of the
He must be a bold legislator who seeks.
IN any way, to curb or restrict this tremen-
dous output Of good literature and good art.
To prohibit it the freest use of the mails,
IN It's distribution over our vast domain,
is simply crime against civilization
The Postoffice Department. more than all
others, Is nearest to the people; 1t is at once
their servant. their friend and their bene-
factor. The cost OF it all is of infinitely
less concern to the citizen that its efficiency
shall expand with the years; becoming more
and more helpful as purveyor TO the bust
ness, intellectual and personal needs of
every section of our country. No reaction
airy legislation is tolerabe even under the
guise of economy. or in the presence of a
deficit.
If such legislation be attempted. as now
Is probable Congress must see TO IT. First.
that q full hearing be given to all interests
directly affected by such proposed re-
FORMS" and, second, that no plea for econ
omy shall constrain the repeal of acts under
whose liberal construction and benign oper-
ations the happiness, the intelligence, and
the well-being of the whole community have
been so conserved as to excite the envy and
the admiration Of every civilized nation.