The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-10-05
THE NEW POSTAL CARDS.
Into Them-FOr shopping
Purposes.

From the N. Y. Evening Post.l
Washington, Sept. "a. The new
pc tai cards, whose attractions az All
object OF manufacture nerved Mr.. Cap
Daggett Of Brooklyn to proffers OF
such self sacrifice, will be of three
sizes. The first size will be, in round
numbers, 2x4d inches; the second 3x5t
that in use at present; and the third
33x6t inches. They will sell Tor a cent
apiece, as heretofore, without distinc-
ton of size.
Why, then. it may be asked, should
there be three sizes instead of Onep
In the opinion of the postmaster
general, who is the author and finisher
of the idea, the ladies of the United
States want a neal little card, of pretty
tinted board, for shopping purposes.
They have only a few words to say,
such as, 81 shall need q yard more OF
that twiIled silk" or, will MIR. Wan
amaker please add IL paper OF pins
to the list of articles ordered by Mrs.
| Smith this morning" and it will tickle
their fancy to have a sweet, dainty
| card, all of their Own, to write this
message on.
Size number two will be used by
| ordinary people Tor ordinary purposes
of correspondence, the postmaster
general thinks, just as it is now. But
| size number three, be believes, will fill
n long felt want of the mercantile
| community for advertising purposes.
hen the great Wanamaker shop, for
| instance, wants to give a weather.
| report, and a floor walkers directory,
and a long and familiar talk TO its lady
| customers about babies wraps and
| chiIdren's school umbrellas, it ought TO
have room 10 spread itself out. The
cramped dimensions of the old fashion
ed card did very well for the cramped
| dimensions of the old fashioned an
nouncements; but the slap -on-the'
pack style OF advertisement which has
sprung into existence since Phlladel'
phia became the leading retail market
of the world, has quite outgrown sucl
bounds.
Then, as to quantities, the postmas'
ter general has some ideas wholly his
own. He considers that the proptl
proportions tor a first order would be
one hundred million of the shopping
cards, which are experimental wholly
one hundred million OF the advertising
cards, which are sure to AXE WIN al
trades, but two hundred million OF tht
common cards for correspondence. On'
naturally wonders how the government
is going to prevent the use OF the ole
cards for other purposes han advertls
ing. 1t isn't. They may be used fol
any purpose one pleases. Then may
moi some innovators avail themselves
of the larger space on the big cards TO
correspondence? On, certainly. Bu
won't this crowd out a corresponding
number of advertisements vi course
Well, as advertising consumes the grea
majority OF the postal cards which q
through the mails now, why are
smaller proportion of regular advertis
ing cards to be printed on the new
order than of regular correspondence,
cards2 The postmaster-general is silent
The rule of three is evidently not bi
strong point in mathematics.
Naturally, there is a good deal o
amusement abroad over this who'll
postal card performance. The siz
chosen for the largest card is on
which every postmaster in the countr'
will condemn, because it is going L
give him a lot of trouble in making NJ
his VI uldll, ouu .
certain to be torn and broken on tn
edges in transit. Any one OF thes'
functionaries, with a years experience
10 draw on, could have given Mr.
Wanamaker good advice on hat bead
Then. who is going to pay a cent for
small card when he can get a big on
for the same price? 1t is the case o
the philosopher, his CAT and his kitten
over again, there are three holes cut II
the doOr-a large one, q small one. AM
one Of medium ,size. insih:d e'n
through. But Mr.. Wanamaker had
"record" to make IN Office. The op
portunity to ride into a cabinet on tn
back of a huge campaign fund nigh
never come again, and present chance
must be improved. Other postmaster
generals have drawn only upon tn
ordinary stock reforms for the upbuild
ing of their fame. With the instinct
of a great tradesman, MIR. Wanamake
discovered that what the public wante'
was not so much something good a
something new. He has simply trie'
to supply the demand.