The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-01
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re csus.ry rahsr ". the nIssauius IRE.
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To THR EprToR or TIE suN-S1r. In order
TO rescue the United States Government from a
deficiency Of Rl7O,0 o in its Post Oflcc Depart,
ment, your correspondent, Mr.. +. A. Dlmock OF
Brooklyn, proposes to Jump onto tho country
newspapers and squeeze It out Of them by re.
quiring them to pay postage at the regular
newspaper rate, one cent per pound, instead Of
permitting. as at present, their free distribution
through the Post Ohices within the county OF
publication.
Now, this 10 hardly fair. The average country
newspaper, at best, affords to its owner but q
precarious living. Ho could not add the four or
FIVE cents per year to his subscription prices
very we'll. for his dollar, dollar and a half. or
two dollars is now probably the top notch In
any case. Moreover. az this privilege costs the
Government practically nothing. It cannot be
regarded In the light Of n saving but would
amount absolutely to q direct tax Of 20 much
upon q class Of publicspiritod citizens, many of
whom are already overtaxed in othor patriotic
directions too numerous to mention.
It may not DO generally known that no second
class publications are admitted at pound rates
for delivery from the homo office where letter
carriers are employed. But, such being the fact,
It will readily be seen that the expense of hand
ling the editions Of country newspapers, to-
gether with the carriage Of q few copies to other
oflces within the county Of publication. II too
On the other hand, while the carriers Of New
York city are not allowed to deliver publications
published IN New York. unless stamped. they
9th r place In the United States-publications
that have paid only 1 cent per pound. Almost
any hour In the day we may sec In eDy free de-
Mliy ys y. town mn n the Si s,GPuntr r; carriers az Iss'i Loaded led d low.
sSS% s.s1n lSsss q 9 S s.n.,. PGP ISnnd, seeSsdinS to
Right here is where . saving from loss may be
made without Injustice to anybody, for the
ond class publications that cause the loss to the
SSysrnm asS cs are svs yer n ! gold 20 dta mines ssI to 9th their IL
their circulation. The Government loses $780,
900 per year In the carriage OF our juvenile pub
LEGATIONS alone, when as high as $l2 per line is
obtained for advertising space.
lake any OF our high-class magazines and you
Will find that oftentimes fully half of their
weight 10 made up of advertising pagesl at 500
or more per page. per insertion. Are they not
able to stand the cost Of their circulation :
Must we pinch the poor country editor to make
Up iossee sustained through such profitable
The postage rates now are: Regular publica-
tions. including all sorts OF 4" hot F." literature in
pnper.bonnd shape. 1 cent per pound: books, in
Guiding Bibles, hymn books, and prayer books,
together with other printed matter. 8 cents per
pound; merchandise. including medicine and,
In general. all goods ordered from stores by
GELS, 80 cents per pound. Seeds, cuttings. and Q
few other things sre specially olassed.
The solution Of the whole postage question
would be. O division into two classes-letters
and sealed matter, 10 cents per pound, or Il
cent postage" and everything else at 8 cents
F per Pound; or Sne-half cent for each ounce or
AS 1t costs z cents per pound to handle all the
mail, the above Arrangement would solve the
aeneit proposition At ono foil swoop. and soon
the department could have carriers everywhere
and build Its own offices out of it's own profits.
NEW YORK. Jan. 80. w. A. DORIAN.