[173] The cost of the provision and maintenance (lighting, heating,
etc.) of Post Office buildings is charged directly on the Federal
Treasury, and does not in any way figure in the Post Office deficit.

[174] "If the postal revenue arising from letter postage could be set
aside for its proper uses, the millions of letter-writers of this
country might quickly be permitted to enjoy a reduced taxation on
letter-writing. In point of fact, there is a dear gain of nearly
$30,000,000 from letter postages."--_Annual Report of the
Postmaster-General_, 1890, p. 53.

[175] Ibid., 1891, p. 102.

[176] "There is now, and has been for many years, an insistent demand
for the reduction of letter postage. The advocates of that reduction
argue that the volume of business naturally resulting therefrom would
offset the temporary loss in revenue. They insist that the charge for
first-class matter is out of all proportion to the cost of its handling
and transportation."--_Annual Report of the Postmaster-General_, 1906,
p. xlvi.

[177] "As the profit on first-class matter is almost equal to the loss
on second-class matter, it will readily be seen that an equalization of
rates on the basis of the cost of service would permit a reduction in
letter postage from 2 cents to 1 cent an ounce."--Mr. Hitchcock,
Postmaster-General, evidence before Commission of 1911.

[178] P. Jaccottey, _Trait['e] de L['e]gislation et d'Exploitation
Postales_, Paris, 1891, p. 5. E. Gallois, _La Poste_, etc., Paris, 1894,
pp. 41 and 44.

[179] A. de Rothschild, _Histoire de la Poste aux Lettres_, Paris, 1879,
p. 60.

[180] P. Jaccottey, op. cit., p. 6.

[181] Edict of 19th June 1464.

[182] Edict of 8th May 1597: "['E]dit du Roy pour l'['e]tablissement des
relais de chevaux de louage, de traite en traite, sur les grands
chemins, traverses et le long des rivi[e']res, pour servir [a']
vo[:i]ager, porter malles et toutes sortes de bagages."

[183] "Louis XI ne se pr['e]occupait nullement de la correspondance des
particuliers, ni du d['e]veloppement des relations commerciales et
sociales: il poursuivait un but exclusivement politique.

"Engag['e] dans sa grande lutte contre la f['e]odalit['e], il cherchait
le moyen de transmettre avec c['e]l['e]rit['e] ses ordres dans les
provinces et d'[^e]tre rapidement inform['e] des man[oe]uvres de ses
ennemis.... L'institution cr['e]['e]e par Louis XI pour son usage
exclusif ['e]tait donc identique dans son but, sinon d