The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-02-05
REGISTERED MATTER
OUR POSTAL DEPARTMENT NOT LA
BILE IN CASE OF LOSS.

The Government Does Not Pay Indemnity.
The business Is Decreasing-In Almost
All other Countries senders Are Recon-
pensed For Losses.
No wonder that the registry business
of the postoflice department is steadily
diminishing The people are losing CON
fidence in the system as means of in
surance. Though tho fee has been re-
duced from 10 TO cents, the number of
letters and parcels registered during the
last fiscal year was less than 900, 900.
Four years ago the number exceeded
$4,000, 900 annually What is wanted
is safety, and tho system does not give
il.
When q mail car or postoflice is rob
bed, il is always the registered matter,
advertised on its face as valuable, that
is taken. In 1860 the postmaster gener-
al Of the United States advocated the
abandonment Of registration on" the
ground that it vas fruitful only of
danger TO what It was designed to pro
tect."
The remedy is very siml~a The gov
ernment ought to grant compensation
for registered letters lost or destroyed
Nearly all foreign countries give such
insurance In Great Britain, for exam
pie, the registration fee is only 4 cents,
and IL tho letter is not safely delivered
to the addressee, an indemnity of $40 is
! 10 Nl. A t,1 ~, e
fees is so arranged that the sender of u
parcel can insure it up to $3.50, this
maximum guarantee requiring the pay
ment Of 22 cents. The parcel must be
marked with its value.
II is stated in the postal regulations
Of tho United Kingdom, rather quaint
ly, that payment Of such insurance will
be made by the postmaster general mot
in consequence of legal liability, but
| voluntarily and as an act of grace. :"
Registration of money or jewelry is
compulsory; such articles are not per-
mitted to be sent in the ordinary mails
At the same time parcels addressed to
foreign parts cannot be registered,
though for India they may be insured.
The British government pays up to $40
for the value Of any ordinary unregister-
cd package that is lost In its mail serv-
ice. This applies only in the United
Kingdom, and it does not govern at all
if the parcel is improperly wrapped or
contains eggs. liquids or very fragile ar
ticles.
Nearly all foreign countries insure
etters 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, Para
quay, Uruguay, Chile, British India,
Japan and Kongo. These are the only
exceptions to the general rule. The
third assistant postmaster general of the
United States in two annual reports has
recommended to congress the granting
of an indemnity on registered letters
and packages not to exceed $40. This is
sure to be done sooner or later.
Turning to the regulations Of the In
ternational Postal union, one finds that
the sender Of a registered package to o
foreign countryis entitled to $40 in case
of loss, unless the latter has been occa.
stoned by "force majeure"
war. This indemnity must be paid by
the government that dispatches the pack
recovor tha a,nonmt tyo',, .hn noua"' m"S
n,ont =, ,rhoso % .our;tou, A. ,nnO n0 $500
onrrod - - " ' '"o 'o'' "''' -"
Tho ,ao,.;o l., Y,,,o =,
donn;.n ,;p0;to, - sIo ,roria % y ;,anoaa. al ,n
tha oonedanos - " tho w ,,nh,;a y. rov,, oa.o S;t
tIo cost Drr;rn tho ,ast eSoaI ~ go @ az. M
,.;oo s .;Is, ..s Aa'O nsoal yo"' W.
S SnUos;m, as o..S ,.as,..". a'.o, W.. .os'
arantod Is aaoh @ ;nstanna taS tss ea; om.;u W ~
nansa % suoh ~ ;rsnrana~ - '',a .u1 sn s ss 90 eM
for tha tma,ra,,on.h "Tu Ts;a ~ 20 s.,1ao Ia
oo,,rauoa Mi .Sa ,,,o,,a-. LIS .;ss 70 ane .aae
nsnnid aaorn 49, ~ a. oy s:. sa .as snaS
tha ;moraosa =, .ha ~ ro,;str ,rs;',os, % ~ =.
morId M fo,Io,r .ho ' - aoeon.:noo sS 80 ssa 'a' =.
Somn;.n [ n,ar ~ Tha amu 1at.~r ,,,,s ~ sne ,.h. .h
&c., ~ pan nsa;u. o ~ wou.u vAo