Oct. 16.
Tae reasons offered by the Chinese Post Office authorities for the very considerable all-round increase in their charges, announced to begin in November, are not convincing. Additions ranging from 33$ to 400 per cent. call for more explanation than vague allusions to general increased cost of service and transport. The public wants facts and figures before it will be satisfied, especially now, three years atter the war, when the tendency in all countries is to cut down shipping and transportation charges. The plea that the new scale has already been put in force by most members of the Postal Union is no excuse. Because a bad example has been set is no reason for following it. Moreover, if the British Post Office was able to carry letters to England for ten cents surely China, with only a mere fraction of the national debt that compels Great Britain to milk every possible source of revenue, can afford to do so.
From the standpoint only of making money, the increased tariff is bad policy. It was, we believe, Rowland Hill who discovered that cheap post. is the most profitable post, and the truth of that discovery, though disregarded by war time budgets, has not been invalidated, as shown by the utter failure of the British Posimaster-General's increased charges for the carriage of trade circulars and the like—
-even during the war, when merchants and manufacturers had plenty of other reasons besides high postage for not indulging in the distribution of printed matter. The reason is obvious. When people can send letters cheaply, they do not trouble to fill the enveloped up to the limit allowed, and if they are in any doubt as to the weight, they stick on another stamp without a thought. The margin of profit to the post office on each letter is considerable.
But when the rates are put up, they will be careful to see that they get the full amount for their money; they use thinner paper and letter balances become an essential part of every writing table. If the Post Office insists on its pound of flesh, the public insists on its pound too, and the public usually, wins.
But whether the Chinese Post Office makes or loses, is its own
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.