Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-30
REDUCING OF POSTAGE
Immediate Legislation Advocated
by Postal Progress League.
GREAT SAVING TO THE PUBLIC

Cent For Each Two Ounces or Frae.
ton Thereof.
At the instance of the Postal Progress
league bill will be introduced in con.
gress at an early date for the consolI-
dalton Of the first, third and fourth
classes Of mail matter with a common
rate of cent for each two ounces or
fraction thereof, says the New York
Post.
The idea represented in this bill will
constitute the principal point OF the
leagues programme for the coming
year. 1t Is hardly to be expected that
so radical move will receive the sane.
ton OF legislative enactment, but that
prospect does not deter the association
from furthering reform the accent
ance OF which 1t considers to be only
q question of time.
In statement issued by the league
explaining this move the reasonable
ness and feasibility of the demands are
set forth and its timeliness is empha.
sized. The prevailing depression Ia
business, according to the league, must
lead to an irresistible demand for rea-
sonable postal legislation that will re-
duce business expenses and widen
business opportunities.
Our domestic letter revenues for the
past year amounted to about Sf60. OO0.-
600. Reducing the rate from 2 cents
per ounce TO l cent for two ounces
would therefore. according to the
league. save the public about $50 OOO.-
600 year In postage, and this saving
would grow as business increased.
There might be slight reduction in
revenues for year or two, but ex-
perience teaches that the postal income
would soon be larger than ever. In the
present case. moreover, any possible
reduction In the general revenues
would be fully met by the increased
rural income that would follow the es-
adjustment Of the cheap rural post.
The first notable reduction in the
letter rates Of this country occurred In
1S4S. when the previously exorbitant
rates were reduced to cents per half
ounce up to 800 miles and 10 cents for
greater distances. The effect Of this
reform In the revenue was to bring |
about a temporary reduction, but by
1s4s the figures of 1876 had been sur
passed.
Ia 1851 the rates were again reduced
to 3 cents per half ounce up to 5000
miles and 0 cents for greater distances.
Again the revenue showed temporary
slump, but by 1866 the previous figures
We're again surpassed. The act OF 1869
making the three cent half ounce rate
OF 1851 the uniform rate for all dis
tances was followed by a steady In
crease OF postal income. During the
Interval 1SS3-lSS5 the letter rates were
reduced from 3 cents per half ounce
to cents per ounce, and the publish
ers and newsdealers' rates ON maya
zines and newspapers were cut from
to 2 cents per pound Again there
was a slight temporary falling or In
revenue from $45.500.OO0 In 1893, but
BY 1887 It had reached $4S,S0OO0O and
BY 1890 $60,S00.0OO. In 1900 II was
i1O2. 100000 The postal deficiency for
1888 was less than for any year dur
ng the period from 1867 to 1879.
As result Of the SO 1-3 per cent
'eduction Of the letter rate In 1888 the
'ostal revenues fell OF less than Z Der
'ent In the two succeeding years, and
he 100 per cent increase OF the letter
lnit-from a half ounce to an ounce
n 1886 was accompanied by an i'm.
mediate increase In the revenues which
1887 were Z per cent, in 1850 SO 1-3
'er cent and In 1900 100 per cent high.
r than in 1883. the year Of the letter
ate reduction.
The rapid Increase In our population,
fhich contributed largely 10 the In
reased use OF the mails and the con
equent increase of income that Quick.
J followed the reduced rates of iS4A,
sol and 1888, win prove a yet more :
otent factor In increasing our postal
lcome under the proposed reduction
rates, for our population Is growing
lore rapidly today than ever before 9
the ratio OF Increase of the last sew :
years continues, the growth OF our .
opulation during the decade 1900 10
Ill be over 100000. or SO l-s Der '
mt more than In any previous decade. II
1N AAAhAAAAaAA0M Vi tACu OF the last | :
lree years-over 100000 year-has Il
zen double that Of any Of the seven =
sars following the postal reduction In 9
ties OF 1883. O
The experience Of England as to the
feet Of bringing her letter service
ithln the use OF the common people
~ been precisely the same as ours. d
be reduction from the distance sys. "
m Of postage with rates cents per Il
llf ounce mp to fifteen miles or "a a
nts for the greatest distance to the b
liform 2 cents half ounce rate OF 1889 S
rs followed by a slight falling OF ia Il
venues at first, but the letter post In. II
me quickly surpassed that OF the old a
gime, and It continued to advance II
th leaps and bounds. The English n
vernment celebrated the queens tIa. Il
md jubilee in June. 1897. by extend. ST
3 the English domestic letter weight
II from one to four ounces, and this
is followed by an immediate increase