Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-04-10
arashlngtun Standard
REGISTERED NATTER.
OUR POSTAL DEPARTMENT NOT
LIABLE IN CASE OF LOSS.
The Government Does Not Pay In
demnity The Business II de-
creasin. In Almost All OtneT
countries Sendcrs Are Rccom-
pcnSed for Losses.


crea>in- In Almost All Other
countries Sendcrs Are Rccom-
pen.ed for Losses.
New York World.
No wonder that the registry business
OF the Postoffice Department is stead
lily diminishing, The people are los
ing confidence in the system as
means of insurance. Though the fee
has been reduced from 10 to s cents,
the number OF letters and parcels reg
istered during the last fiscal year was
less than 100000. Four years ago
the number exceeded 100000 an
nually. What is wanted is safety,
and the system does not give it.
When a mail car or postotlice Is
robbed, it is always the registered
matter, advertised on its face as valu-
able, that is taken. In 1860 the Post
master General OF the United States
advocated the abandonment of regis
tration on the ground that it was
fruitful only OF danger to what 1t
was designed to protect"
The remedy is very simple. The
government ought to grant compensa-
ton for registered letters lost or de-
stroyed. Nearly all foreign countries
give such insurance. In Great Brit
ain, for example. the registration fee
is only 4 cents, and if the letter is not
safely delivered to the addressee, an
indemnity of $40 is paid to the loser.
A graduated series of fees is so ar
ranged that the sender of a parcel can
insure it up to $3.50, this maximum
guarantee requiring the payment OF
% cents. The parcel must be marked
with its value.
1t is stated in the postal regulations
of the United Kingdom, rather quaint
ly, that payment of such insurance
will be made by the postmaster gen.
eral not in consequence of legal liza
bility, but voluntarily and as an act OF
grace" Registration of money or
jewelry is compulsory; such articles
are not permitted to be sent in the Or
binary mails. At the same time par
GELS addressed to foreign parts cannot
be registered, though for India they
may be insured. The British govern
ment pays up to $40 for the value Of
any ordinary unregistered package
that is lost in its mail service. This
applies only in the United Kingdom,
and it does not govern at all if the
parcel is improperly wrapped or con-
tains eggs, liquids or very fragile arti-
cles.
Nearly all foreign countries insure
letters and packages up to $40 in their
domestic service without extra fee.
On the other hand, no indemnity is
paid even for registered mail matter
by the United States, Brazil, Bolivia,
Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, British In
dia, Japan and Kongo. These are the
only exceptions to the general rule.
The Third Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral of the United States in two an.
nusl reports has recommended to
Congress the granting of an indemnify
on registered letters and packages not
to exceed $40. This is sure to be done
sooner or later. Turning to the regu.
lations of the International Postal
Union, one finds that the sender of q
registered package to foreign coun-
try is entitled to $40 in case OF loss,
unless the latter has been occasioned
by "force notwithstanding war.
This indemnity must be paid by the
government that dispatches the pack
age. However, that government may
recover the amount from the govern
ment in whose territory the loss was
incurred.
The adoption by Uncle Sam Of an
indemnity limited to $40 would in.
crease the confidence of the public At
very little cost. During the last fiscal
year ga pieces of registered matter
were lost. Surprising the maximum
payment to be granted in each in.
stance, the entire expense of such in
surance would be $3.50 for the
twelyemonth. This is q trifle COM
pared with the money gained that
would accrue to the government from
the increase in the registry business
that would follow the acceptance of
the indemnity plan. The latter would
take from the ordinary mails vast
number of money letters and would
make the transmission of such letters
much more safe.
The registry system practically pre-
vents dishonesty on the part of postal
employees. Every person who handles
a registered letter or package must
give receipt for it. If it is lost, the
postofice department can put its
hand, so to speak, on the spot where
it disappeared. It can 60 right to the
individual who had it when it van
ished and can hold him responsible.
If it is a case of theft, it is known ex-
actly at what spot search ought to be
begun, and the missing package or
letter is very apt to be recovered.
1t is considered most desirable that
valuable packages should be taken out
of the ordinary mails, where their
presence is constant temptation to
postal employees. Thefts by them in
volve heavy expenses for detective
i y