Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-15
SEEKING CHANGE IN FORM
Legislation Desired in Regard to the Money
Orders.
Litigation Which May Stop Their Is
Office Department Dissatisfied.

Owing to troublesome litigation ever since
the present form Of postal money order
was adopted and the general unsatisfactory
system in point Ct reliability in the audit
ing Of accounts of postmasters, the Post
Office Department will shortly urge special
legislation by Congress to change the form
as well simplify 1t, the Postmaster Cen
eral being given authority to adopt a FORM
as was the practice prior to 1894.
The present form was adopted by the
Dockery commission in 1894, which had
experts to examine the subject and report
a plan. Shortly after the recommendation
of the experts became law the depart
1nent was brought into litigation for al
legged infringement of the Berry patent,
not directly, but Indirectly the contractors
being enjoined
The lower courts in New York decided
in favor Of the contractor holding the
United States form not an infringement of
the Berry patent. The case was appeal
ed, and, both sides having been heard, the
decision is now pending.
II this decision Is adverse to the con-
tractor 1t means that the United States
cannot use any more money orders of
the current form. Such decision would
be most embarrassing, both to the de-
partment and the country at large, and
its effect would be felt in all lines of
trade.
1t Is to be prepared for just such a con-
tingency that the department is working
to get another form adopted.
The Infringement Suit.
The suit is brought to enjoin the United
States contractors from further printing
the postal ORDERS and asks for an account
ing. Should the decision be unfavorable to
the contractors, the printing Of the orders
will Immediately Geese.
But the other feature-the one which asks
for an accounting-is the serious part, both
for the contractor and the department, and
complicates matters not a little. The con-
tractors are printing these money orders
under the direction of the Post Office De-
partment, which is carrying out an act Of
Congress. And the question Immediately
suggests itself: "Csn the contractor be
sued. being the agent Of the United States?
That question, however, is not worrying
the department as much the possibility
of being enjoilled from using money orders
without an opportunity to meet the condi-
ton.
The patent which the United States pos
tai order is alleged to infringe is used by
the express companies to transmit money.
1t differs in some material respects from
the United States orders, although the
principal Of both Is practically the same.
In the express orders no advice is used,
while in the United States postal orders
the "advice" Is a requisite part of the sys-
tenn. The advice is attached to the orig
iEal order and detached when made out.
II is sent to the paying postmaster notify
Ing him Of the transaction, and by dupli-
cate serial numbers preventing mistakes
that is, mistakes Of names, for 1t is COM
mon occurrence for miAtakes In amounts
to occur owing to the c9relessness or ig-
norance of the. postmaster.
The Postal Order.
The postal order is an ffigeniously con-
triN ed affair, with margin upon which is
printed amounts varying from one cent to
one hundred dollars Similar figures are
printed on the opposite side, the coupon
side, which goes to the auditor of the Post
Office Department. Unless the postmaster
Is dextrous in cutting out the exact amount
mistake is made, which necessitates a
deal of investigation.
IL ne is careful, however, and cuts the
exact amount, the register; that is, the
printing being perfect, no mistake can oc-
cur, and the department has complete
cHeck upon postmasterS. But, as stated
above, mistakes are common, and a re-
porter Of The Star this afternoon found
they averaged 900 a day There was no
doubt crying necessity for q simpler
method. and 1t was acknowledged that
cravings were being prepared to simplify
me FORM and put it beyond the suspicion
OF Infringement.
An official of the department stated to a
reporter OF The Star this afternoon that the
possioifity OF an adverse opinion by the |
courts was not by any means the only thing
"h1ch prompted the department in urging |
a cnange. For four years the present form |
nad been tried and found deficient The
department looked with disfavor upon it,
anc the people and the banks especially !
1o1 "a fault with 1t. Money orders, he said, |
should be popular with the business public.
lhey should combine simplicity and ac-
curacy with compactness of form. If Con-
gress authorizes the change, such form |
will be adopted,