New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-07
POSTAL DELIVERY.

Ever since last January certain rural Con
gressmen have been echeming 10 cripple the
New-York Postoffice and on Thursday succeed
ed SO far AS the Senate was concerned, and m
less some vigorous work Is done before con
ference report Is agreed upon there Is reason
10 fear that their provincial prejudice and stu
Did ignorance will not only block the wovk OF
the New-York and other city Offices but also
seriously interfere with the handling or the
mails Of the whole country
The postal service IS not conglomeration OF
independent and Isolated mall-handlers. but
system Of interdependent and 60 cooperating
workers The efficiency of all depends largely
on the efficiency Of the great central points,
where comes the greatest strain Of keeping up
with the mass Of business. The intelligence
Of the rural statesman seems utterly unable 10
comprehend that the great volume of transac-
tons in this city legltmaicly calls for greater
postal facilities than are required for cross
roads hamlet. New-York contributes $1,000
600 wear 70 the postal revenues after paying
It's own expenses It does so through It's local
business Diminish the deliveries and inter
fere with the promptness Of local service and
a great falling off in the revenue will occur.
New-York merchants will not use the mails If
their letters are delayed. Not only IS It good
business venture for the Government 10 give
good accommodations TO It's most profitable
customers. but they nre entitled 10 such treat
ment as n matter Of decency and right. The
proper number Of deliveries whether It he six
or sixteen day. is that which substantially
meets the demands Of business and Is support
ed by paying patronage. That is the basis on
which a railroad or telegraph company oper-
ates Where one train or one wire meets local
needs they give IT, Where fifty can be used
they are supplied The Government may wise
ly emulate the policy Of money-maklng corpora
tons In developing paying carrying trade.
But besides the interests Of New-York and
OF the postal revenues the general efficiency of
the service In which the mining camp is as
much concerned as the metropolis, Is TO be con
sidered. The number Of mail deliveries here
is not solely conditioned by the desire OF the
Inhabitants but by the amount Of mall TO be
handled 10 keep the office from becoming con
gested II the carriers are just able 10 get rid
OF the mail received when making six rounds
It Is nonsense TO ask them to get rid Of II In
four rounds, and the attempt to make them
will mean nothing but the choking up OF the
office which handles the chief part Of the CORE
spondence of the whole country and likewise
acts as the forwarding agent for almost all
foreign mails.
It would be interesting to know where the
Senator's from New York were when Mr.. TIL
man made his attack on city postal facilities
and proposed limiting the number Of deliveries
to four II would seem as II they might at
least have been heard in defence Of their con-
stituents 1t is also surprising that Boston,
Chicago and Philadelphia had no champions on
the floor Of the Senate when the South Caro-
lima Populist was permitted to carry through
his narrow notions. 1t Is to be hoped that
In the House Of Representatives the thickly
populated regions may have some attention
given to their wants. In the business section