Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-20
SPREADING ITSELF.
The International Money Order System
It's Results and Needs.

It's Results and Needs.
One of the most interesting branches of
the postal service is the foreign money-or-
der business, and by a comparison of the
amounts received from and sent to the diff
ferent countries with which the United
States has postal treaties embracing in
ternational orders, a deduction as to the
closeness of their relations to this country
may be safely drawn. Postmaster Hays,
of the ST. Louis Office, is possessed of a
fund of information on this iect, and a
Republican reporter gathered a
few facts which seemed likely
to prove of general inter
est learning that the system will extend
to Mexico as soon as that republic estab-
fishes an internal money order depart
ment. The postoffice department is max
ing strenuous efforts to extend the inter
national system, which Of late has been
very much simplifed, but until recently
the prospect in Mexico has not been very
encouraging. The distribution of mails
in Mexico is managed by the
separate states under national supervision,
and formerly postal rates were so high
that it is one of the traditions of the de-
partmept that Mexicans at Laredo fire.
quently crossed over with their mail into
Texas to post it there so as to get
the benefit of the international treaty.
There has been, however, an immense re-
duction in rates, and as soon as the Mexi-
can government adds 1.-THE money order
system the United States will make the
effort to establish mutual payment of or
ders between the two states. While inter
national orders were issued on Great Brit
ain something like ten years ago, Italy was
only added to the list year ago last July.
With Russia there is still no money order
treaty, nor is there any with the indepen-
dent South American states; nor does the
system extend to Spain and its dependen-
cles, and to take IN these countries is one
of the most urgent of its needs. The Brit
ish Indies have a system of their own, but
they can be drawn on from St
Louis or any other American city,
through Great Britain. In drawing or
Great Britain the advice is certified
through New York, but orders issued here
are paid direct in England, and vice versa
For money to be sent to Germany the re-
ceiving Office gives its receipt and the
money is transmitted through New Yorl
which will serve for a sample, averag,
about 2 per cent, being so cents on Il sum
not exceeding $50, 20 cents on sums owe
$50 and under $40, and 81 on all sums
over $40 and under $50.
The report of the postmaster genera
shows that to nearly every country tn
United States issues orders, the tota
amount of which is largely in exces:
of the amount received in return, shown.
that the foreigners who immigrate t
America, to whom a large share of thi
business is due, are anything but burden
on their relatives in the older countrie:
On Canada last year S1,07S,641.S2 wa
issued, while but $7S5, 400 of Canadian OF
ders we're paid in the United States.
British orders there were issued $2,740,00
and paid S4O7, 766O9-that is owe
five times as much money was ser
to Great Britain last year as was II
ceived from there. The proportion wit
Germany is not so great, $2,057, 705 haviH
, been sent, and 81, 4O7, 940.77 received
: Switzerland received $205, 320.06 and SCI
back $113,792O5. Italy received frol
America S4OS, 221.eO and sent back $40
616.S7. France received $99, 1880, ar
sent back $57,353.79. From Jamaic
. $917.23 in orders was received, while S.
284.13 was paid. On New Zealand 81, sci
: rs was issued, and $9,202.47 paid; on Ne
: South Wales S2,345.75 was issued, and So
077.06 paid. and on Victoria 81, 283 was
sued and $2,6O3.72 paid.
: The international money order syster
: like every branch of the post Office d
partment. is self-sustaining.