Evening star., 1898-10-17
Proposed Reduction Of Postage to
Two Gents.
GEN. MERRITl'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Negotiations With England, France
and Germany Favored.
ADVANTAGES POINTED OUT


a letter weighing not over half ounce
may be sent for > cents to England. France
and Germany.
In the forthcoming annual report of Mr.
Merritt this matter is urgently recommend
Cd. ard il is believed negotiations will
shortly be opened with these countries 10
make the suggestion a reality. At first it
thought all countries could be in
GUIDED. but investigation developed the fact
that the cost of transporting mails from
interior countries to the coast was SO great
As TO preclude the idea. But Germany
England and France being seaboard coun-
Tries. no objection is anticipated from such
A reciprocal arrauEeune Mt.
When General Merritt first conceived the
idea he set about to inform himself thor
CUghiy on the subject. This investigation
brought out the tact that the dominion of
Canada had ent red into such a compact
with the mother country. and that on and
after Christmas Cay postage between
Canada and EnglaUd will be reduced 20 ,
CtTts Ter half ounce.
The matter is fully discussed by General
Merritt in his annual report, in which he
says:
Reform Long Urged.
For many years past PERSONS Interested
in postal reform have been advocating the
2-cent rate Of postage on letters between
this country ana Europe the grounds of
their contention being the hardship imposed
by the past AMI even the pres N high rates
the des.rsbility If stimulating private post
al intercourse between the people of this
country and those of ether lands. the ld-
vantage Of encouraging emigration, which
2 lowering II postage rates would bring
about. and the fact that reduction of
rates will result In no increase of postal
expenditure.
AS far back as 1851 the subject had be-
D HVFrgAtlc9liN discussed
Of advanced views both in this country and
IN England, among the advocates of the
proposition being the celebrated Elihu Bur-
7itt. pamphlet by whom. eloquensly and
fore me.
The effect Of these efforts was seen in
the comparatively low rates Of internati0r-
al postage established by the first canVen-
ton of what is now called the Universal
Postal Union; but since then no further
change of letter postage las been made,
nor do l think that any general reduction
Is likely TO come about for a long ti-n". |
do believe, however. that special reductions
are practicable-that is to say, through
separate arrangements between the United
States and England. and perhaps other sea-
coast countries of Europe, which the Postal
Union convention permits-anI my opinion
Is that the time has come when we should
at least attempt to secure such arrange
ments. and to bring the rate Of postage un-
der them on letters down to that eStab
lished for first-ClaSs mail matter in this
county, cents a half ounce or fraction
thereof. l urge. therefore. that aesOtia-
tions to that end be begun with the postal
administrations of England Germany and
France. without delay. the reasons in favor
of the proposition being as follows:
The administrations named have direct
or separate postal intercourse to a large
extent with our country, and consequently
are More likely TO agree to the change de-
sired than the administrations of inland
countries that have to pay transportation
charges to the seacoast to intermediary
nations.
The English administration. particularly.
will probably assent to the proposed ar
langement. for it has but recently decided
To adopt the twO-cent rate or letters be-
tween the British Islands and Canada, as
We'll as other parts of the empire-thc
change being ordered to take effect on the
18th day OF December next.
1T seems to be but fair that as the cid
gems of the United States may now mail
their letters TO any domestic address and
to the remOtest places in Canada and
Mexico for two cents apiece-involying
possible postal journey of between three
and five thousand miles. expensive trans
pOrtation over railroads, and frequent
landings between the places of origin and
OF deStiuattop-tney should he allowed to
send their letters to the seal board cOun-
tries for the same price, where an average
of but little over 5000 miles of tranSpOrta-
ton is required where there are no inter
mediate landings, and no charge for trans
pOrtation except the postage which goes
to the transporting lines
THE department now realizes nothing IN
the way OF revenue from ocean letters,
practically all the postage paid on them go-
ing TO the steamship companies carrying
the mails. If the rate should he reduced,
the same state OF things would exist; the
department would still get nothing and lose
noth hing. and the steamship companies
would suffer no hardship. for the stimulus
given to CORRESPONDENCE by the reduction
of rate would no doubt, eventually at least,
give them much compensation in the
way Of postage as they now get
Advantages at Reduced Rnfes.
There are no doubt advantages to come
from the reduction proposed which cannot
very We'll be specifically stated-advantages
such as result from the removal of almost
any restriction upon the business and social
intercourse Of mankind. The pamphlet of
Elihu Burritt. before referred to, alludes to
some Of these. in addition to others that
perhaps are uet now of much force
quote one OF two Passages Of this kind
from It:
- The benefits that would accrue to every
class Of the community. 10 every interest
and enterprise Of commerce. civilization
and Christianity. from the establishment Of
a universal ocean penny postage, would he
infinite and indescr bdble. COrrespondence
- the right hand Of commerce. and the re-
duction proposed would give il an impulse
and expansion which are Indispensable to
tie legitimate development and prosperity.
" An ocean penny postage would connect
and Permeate all the sea divided communf-
ties of mankind with myriads of new ties
and veins. 10 strengthen and beautify their
brotherhood with bonds of sympathy and
the circulation of knowledge II would be
one of the most powerful aids to the work
Of Christian missions, for all the good i'm
pres=iOns produced upon the emigrants 10
this country from pagan and semi-barbar-
Gus populations OF Asia and Europe would
fOw back upon the lands of their birth in
full running rivulets of religious influence
An ocean penny postage is demanded
race. which now numbers more than sixty
millions; and, before another century rolls
Its round. VIII number 800 900 900 Of human
souls, ir II continue to increase at the ratio
OF the last sixty years The United States
In the course Of their expansion must con-
stitute the grand family center of this
mighty race. both by locality and attrac-
tion- Now IS the iuncture at which to in
tensIfy that attraction. by freeing every
current OF our social and political influence
from impeachment. by giving the PRINCIPLES
and Ideas OF our best institutions unre-
stricted egreSS. So shall this s.stprhool of
states hold to its heart with bonds stronger
than "hooks Of Steel, the vast ponuIstions
Of that race of which il VIII soon he ,ha
N ar