ate is only half
as large.

It will be remembered that in 1863, when free delivery was first
established by law, the uniform single-rate postage upon local letters
was 1 cent, and so it remained until 1872, when in those cities where
carrier service was established it was increased in order to defray the
expense of such service.

It seems to me that the old rate may now with propriety be restored, and
that, too, even at the risk of diminishing, for a time at least, the
receipts from postage upon local letters.

I can see no reason why that particular class of mail matter should
be held accountable for the entire cost of not only its own collection
and delivery, but the collection and delivery of all other classes;
and I am confident, after full consideration of the subject, that the
reduction of rate would be followed by such a growing accession of
business as to occasion but slight and temporary loss to the revenues
of the Post-Office. The Postmaster-General devotes much of his report
to the consideration in its various aspects of the relations of the
Government to the telegraph. Such reflection as I have been able to give
to this subject since my last annual message has not led me to change
the views which I there expressed in dissenting from the recommendation
of the then Postmaster-General that the Government assume the same
control over the telegraph which it has always exercised over the mail.

Admitting that its authority in the premises is as ample as has ever
been claimed for it, it would not, in my judgment, be a wise use of that
authority to purchase or assume the control of existing telegraph lines,
or to construct others with a view of entering into general competition
with private enterprise.

The objections which may be justly urged against either of those
projects, and indeed against any system which would require an enormous
increase in the civil-service list, do not, however, apply to some of
the plans which have lately provoked public comment and discussion. It
has been claimed, for example, that Congress might wisely authorize the
Postmaster-General to contract with some private persons or corporation
for the transmission of messages, or of a certain class of messages, at
specified rates and under Government supervision. Various such schemes,
of the same general nature, but widely differing in their special
characteristics, have been suggested in the public prints, and the
arguments by which th