The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-02-27
The Idaho Recorder
THE POSTAL
SYSTEM.


II not infrequently happens that
what appears TO be simple. little in
novations In our methods of doing
things ultimately become so impor.
tant AZ To become closely identified
with the progress OF the world. So It
has been with the postage stamp
which FIRST came into use eighty years
ago al the suggestion OF Roland Hill.
an Englishman. There are still many
venerable old people who can recall
the days when postal rates were bas.
ed ON distance and when the charges
were collected from the receiver.
The Postal system OF this country
dates back to January %. 1873. when
the hrSt mail carrier left New York
for Boston with single letter. He
made the trip in two weeks, which
was an excellent record AT that time.
In the beginning the mails were
handled by private interests In the
same manner as express Ia now con.
yeyed. II was wise old Ben Frank.
lin. who In i775. negotiated the trans.
fer Of the postoffice from the private
10 government ownership. Frank.
Inns purchase included thirty post.
office stations. nine post riders and
a slow mail steamer that travelled
like . turtle up and down the Allan.
tic coast. Today we have $4,000
postal stations handling more than
$4,000. 100000 letters year. In add.
ton TO all the other mail. We have
a postal system that Ia one OF the
marvels OF the world from the stand.
point Of service and the low cost at
which II In rendered. And at that
the railroads are receiving twice an
much for carrying mail as they re,
ceive from the express companies
for identicaaily the same service.
II 10 true that In some respects
there Ii room for Improvement In the
postal department OF the govern,
ment but has that not always been
equally true In connection with ev-
cry public utility operated by private
interests. And does and disinter.
ested person imagine for a moment
that II handling Of the mails had
been left under private control. the
service rendered would have cost
many times as much an II does now ?
And what about the rural free deliv.
cry and the parcels post. which are
saving the people OF this country
millions Of dollars annually. which
was formerly going to THE express
companies az tribute?
Ben Franklin buiided even better
than he knew when he had the postal
system taken over by the govern
ment. II he had taken the same posi-.
ton In regard To all other public
utilities. the debt we owe him would
have BEEN correspondingly Increased.
The exploitation OF our public utiii.
ties and natural resources by com.
paratively few individuals who have
thereby become multimillionaires In
largely responsible for the existing
social unrest. Talk about what the
railroads and other public service
corporations have done for the coun-
try Ia comoufage. No set Of men
were ever more amply repaid for
what they did than those who take
the credit Of pioneer railroad con-
struction. The facts are that the rail-
roads would have been built by the
government II II had not hem for the
questionable influence brought to
bear on congress to prevent such
action by the same interests that are
now claiming credit as public bene-
factors.
But. although Franklin did not ex.
tend the principle OF government
ownership far enough. II In now near
err at hand than ever before.