Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-11
CHICAGO LETTER.
Visws Of the Postmaster Gen
eraI on a Suggested Mon
sy Postal Gard"--A Sad
Commentary.
Second Annual Banquet Of the
IrOquOis Club-Distingulshed
Men to Participate.
A Word Of Encouragement for
One Of Cur Well Known
and Talented Citizins.
CHrcAeo. April 5. lses.


oarsl CHICAGO, April 8, 1888,
This is the Sabbath. The day is
genial. after the last few days of cold
and rain, and wind and snow. All
Chicago is out promenading, enjoying
| the sunshine and displaying the spring
fashions. The toilets of the ladies
are all very handsome, and some OF
them rich and lovely. Those of the
gentlemen compare favorably. 1t is
a wonder to me where the money
comes from to purchase so much
fnery. The gentlemen appear to rival
the ladies in the variety and costliness
of their attires. Aside from this, the
moving panorama of humanity, be :
deeked in all its 6nery, makes pleas
ant sight.
The greatest wonder of the age was
illustrated practically in Chicago the
other day. 1t was the testing of the
powers of the telephone between this
city and New York. The experiment
was a grand success, Notwithstanding
the very bad weather. Is it not won :
derful, the virtual transmission of
ones voice toa distance Of 1000 miles,
and that so distinctly as to be recog-
nized by friends at that long distance
from your This, certainly, annihilates
space. Now we may look forward to
a machine that will record the words
of a public speaker as rapidly as he
speaks them on the stage. Will won.
ders never cease?
Before the Postmaster General,
some weeks ago, l laid my ideas, as
heretofore published in the LEDGER,
for money postal card by which
fractional sums could be transmitted
without going to the expense Of a
three cent stamp, an envelOp and a
sheet of paper, etc., merely to send,
say, for a i've or ten cent paper or
other article, to Memphis or New
York. You remember, | proposed
that each postmaster or postofiice
have set of perforating or other
figures as stamps, from to 0. Then,
when | wait to send of ten cents to
Memphis, l go to the office, buy a
postal card, write my message on it,
address it to the LEDGER, hand il
back to the postmaster, with the 10
cents, and ask him to put his official
figures" on it for the amount paid in,
this card to be good at its destination
for that amount, when presented by
the person or his agent, to whom it is
addressed. This innovation | con-
sidered, would be God send of an
accommodation to the country, both
as a grand convenience to the public
and revenue to the Postofice De-
lpartment. The postmaster's views, it
appears, are not like mine. However,
he stops short at this point. What
guarantee or safe ground would the
government have against fraudulent
postmasters, who might issue
Is many cards as they
pleased in favor of confederates at a
distance, and would "only" have to
account" to the department for the
number of blank cards, at one cent,
in their keeping. This appears rather
Unbusiness like argument. First, are
not POstmasters as honorable as trust
d employees In ordinary commercial
pursuits? Second, are they not under
/ eavy bond for their good conduct in
ofice2 And, thirdly, would not the
Iaying Office be a CHECK" on the
issuing" office. If the Postmasters
can be entrusted with money orders
matters, where large amounts are at
stake, surely they can be trusted
to faithfully discharge SO slight an
obligation as that which would be in
volyed in the postal card currency
that | suggest. 1t would seem an
outrage to deny the public such a
boon on the latter grounds OF the
Postmaster General--the questionable
integrity OF the POstmasters. Will the
LEDGER, editorially, ask the opinions
Of the press on this important matteri
Real estate is booming in Chicago.
One piece Of property, in the south
division, near the limits, sold last week
for $1,000 per foot, which fifteen years
ago sold for $25 per foot. Jugt think
OF it. Thirty-nine hundred per cent.
However, building is on a stand on
account Of the bricklayers' strike for
37a cents per hour wages. The bosses
say they will not pay this demand, anc
the men say they will not work unless
they get what they ask.
John Q. Jones lately arrived il
Chicago. Mr.. j. is from Boston; is 8
broker, society man, church goer
etc, and "holy terror" with thu
ladies. Sad to relate, he is now il
| jail, and two detectives are here from
the Hub, watching to take him bach
to that classic and aesthetic hamle
, when Governor Butler forwards tn,
necessary papers. Embezzlement.
The iroquois club is the great Dem
ocratic institution Of Chicago, socia
; bly,. Friday, April IL, it will give i'll
second annual banquet. The oeca
D sion will be grand, and very notable
: Among the guests will be some of tn
S best known and ablest men Of the ma
e ton. Democracy" will be re
: sponded to by Colonel Villas, Wiscon
t sins powerful orator. Temperance
c virtue, prohibition a vice" will b
q handled by Hon. Henry Watterso1
d Of the Louisville Courier Journa
!. and manifest destiny" will receiv
g the attention of Kentucky's talente
e son, Colonel W. Z. P. Breckenridge
e while Hon, Lyman Trumbull, of Iii
t nois, will be entrusted with eulogizin
|, the Constitution" Hon. VIM. N
J, Springer, Congressman from Illinoi
n Mayor Harrison; Hon. j. G.. Oarlisl,
e Of Kentucky Hon. W. H.. Hurlber
i. of the New York World, Hon. T.
g Bayard, Of Delaware; will be anon
Il the distinguished persons present.