New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-14
POSTAL GAIN AND LOSS.
ours.

The House OF Representatives refused on
vodnosdav n concur in the Senate amendments
TO the Postoffice Appropriation bill, ana yes'er'
day II was agreed in conference to strike out
tho uniust and shor,-sighted provision for GRIP
Ming rho service by red icing the number OF city
deliveries 10 four. This probably defeats the
scheme. but It Is narrow escape, ana shouiu
remind intelligent citizens OF New-fork ana OF
other large cities similarly threatened that thcy
Eave not done their full duty. Ihey ought 10
have given much more emphatic utterance 10
their feelings on this question than they nave
given during the last four months ana maze
better use Of their influence over members oi
Conrress Intense interest In the war IS as
nrsIseworthv as II Is natural. but II IL wenigh
certain that the sacrifices OF the conflict VIII not
he limited to those which II directly causes The
absorbing interest In one subject leaves COM
paratIycly clear field to many foolish or wicked
contrivers Of mischief.
Since there may still be n possibility Of pro-
longing the discussion in the Senate, another
protest against the measure Is not out Of place
The postof'ice Department has issued STATE
ment showing that a reduction Of the daily de-
liverics TO four would permit the discharge oil
334 carriers In all the offices affected with a
consequent saving in salaries OF S2oo'4oo. Inc
city OF Ncw-York pays the Government net
revenue Of 100000 out Of It's postal business
and nobody whose opinion Is worth having
doubts that this would he largely diminished py
\ serious impairment Of the service How great
the loss would be it Is, Of course impossible 10
predlct accurately but Il has been estimated ut
several times the amount which would be saved
nv dIsmIssinc carriers all over the country Tn
happily there is nothing novel about TINS con-
ception OF economy. The same Crotesque com
bination OF ignorance and indifference has al
ways had ts cocksure exponents, ana ZOO oI'en
they have succeeded In demonstrating mar par
simony IS both odlous and costly. In THIS IN
stance the attack on the common welare ms
been largely inspired by An Irrational ili-Wll
toward the cities. and most Of all to New YORK.
as II New York transacted It's postal business Tor
itself alone II II did. and even II liberaify
were not profitable. It's enormous contribution
over and above al expenses - the postal reve-
rue would eniitle II 70 liberal treatment But
there Is consideration which. though not or
greater moral force might be expected 10 APP
real more strongly 70 rural advocates or the
proposed retrenchment. namely the injury and
Inconvenience 10 which Il would inevitably sub
fect the millions whose business Is largely car
Red on through correspondence with New-iork.
n their policy should prevail they would surely
ipd that tho consequ, nces TO those whom they
fancied they were pleasing had upset their ex-
pectation Of approval and popularity. II Is I'm
possible for postal matter TO be congested here
and at other important centres without dlsor
gnnlzaiion Of the service and serious embarrass-
ment 70 the business OF ten thousand dependent
places.
When the results Of foolish policy are not
disccrned by the Hight Of reasoO n dsagreeable
lesson has 10 be derived from experience. But
there nre always enough men OF sense In the
country TO force sensible action on Congress II
they will only make themselves heard and I'M
derstood In the right quarter. In this case their
demand might well have been more prompt and
decisive. but. nevertheless. n seems TO have
been effective nj the last