The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-01-03
THE LAW ON THE SUBJECT.

During the holidays hundreds of pack
ages, dcnominatcd "third.class matter"
are sent through the mails. Al the En-
poria Office several persons have present
cd books and other articles with the
names OF the parties To whom they were
addressed ON the inside as well as on the
envelope. This writing of the name In
side rendered such packages unavailable,
except ut letter rates. Several persons
thought that the officers were mistaken in
this decision, and claimed that they had
mailed packages at other offices with the
name of the parties for whom they We're
intended On the inside of the packages.
As there seems to he some difference of
opinion in relation to the matter We quote
some brief extracts from the official
Post ONCE Guide" which settles the
point, and remark that 1t would be we'll
Tor all to make a note of these extracts:
Previous TO July, 1876, the law forbade
the writing of anything whatever, except
the address, on II package of third-class
matter. (Sec regulations OF 1919, p. 1871,
secs, 81 anu oO')
The act OF congress Of July IL, 1876,
(P. o. Guide, p. %, sec. Al, rulings of p.
O. Department.
al. Under the recent act at congress,
approved July IL, 1876, sections SO and
SO of tho postal regulations are so far
amended Us to permit the sender of any
article of the third class 10 write his or
her name or address therein, 0r on the
outside thereof with the word from"
above or precedinglhc same; or to write
briefly, or print ON any package the num-
her and names of the articles inclosed."
The same Official Guide for April, 1877,
says:
The sender of any article of the third
class OF mail matter may write his or heI
name or address therein, or On the out
side thereof, with the word from above
or preceding the sanlei ar may write
briefly or print ON any package thc mum
her and names Of the articles inciosed
This privilege cannot be held to include
the price of such articles, or Ohy nritiHS
other than above specified"
The Guide for October, 1873, page Il
has this:
Matter of ihc second and third class
containing dHy ,critiRg ,rhdterer, will bt
charged with letter postage. except as fol
lows: The sender of any article Of tho
third class of mail-matter may write hl:
or her name ar address therein, or on the
outside thereof, with the word from
above or preceding the same, OF may
write briefly, or print, on any package
the number ans names Of the articles in
closed"
II will he seen that the 1boye extracts
make il toler,bly clear as to just VIVA
may be written on third class package
and where il may he written.
The probability is that people get thu
impression that pames may be writer
in these packages from ihe fact that the
same name written on the envelope of 1
circular may be written Oh the bod,
thereof without suhiecting it to lette
postage.
There is no doubt hut that the fac
that many packages are deposited il
post Offices without sufficient postage, O
are discovered, before being started oil
their journey. 10 he subject to letter rate
OF postage, and caHnot, in either case, b
forwarded, is the cause Of so many pack
ages never arriving at their destination
Ii is post masters duty to see that NJ
packages go at less than lawful rates O
postage, and parties mailing are alone /
blame when they are not seat forward,