The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-23
MAIL MATTERfORM MANILA
How to Address Letters for the
Soldier Boys.
1T COSTS ONLY TWO CENTS
The Same Rates OF Postage That Are In
Force in the United States Apply
to Mail Matter for the Fight
ing Men.

80 ea bhS
tana troops from San Francisco for the
Philippines dozens of inquiries have
been received at this office regarding
the sending of letters n other mail
matter to the boys of the Montana regi-
ment. For the benefit of those who are
in doubt as to the proper direction of
mail matter and rates of postage the
information here given will be Of inter-
est. The following is a general order
issued by Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith, and explains itself:
Washington. May "a. 1898.
In view of existing hostilities between
the United States and Spain, which ne
cessitate the presence of United States
forces in active service at and near
the Philippine islands, and of the fact
that postal communication with said
islands, as one of the Spanish colonies.
is prohibited by my order 16l, dated the
26th ultimo.
1t is hereby ordered: That articles of
mail matter for or from persons con-
nected with said United States forces
shall be subject to the postage rates and
conditions applicable to similar articles
in the domestic mails of h United
States.
The articles shall be sent to the COM
mandants of the forces by every OPP
p%ortunity offered by the sailing of a
United States vessel for said forces. The
sailing dates of the vessels cannot be
announced in advance. and the articles
should therefore be forwarded promptly
to San Francisco in order hat they may
be dispatched thence to destination at
the first opportunity.
AS appears from the above, the rate
of postage is the same as that between
y,fntg xxt#hfn thu ITnffnA StntAG which
is: For first-class mail matters, letters,
etc, 2 cents per ounce or fraction there
of; for second-class mail matter when
sent by the publishers, l cent per pound
or fraction thereof, and when sent by
others than the publishers, / cent for
each four ounces or fractional portion
thereof. The second-class matter in
cludes newspapers, etc: for third-class
matter, | cent for zach two ounces or
fraction thereof, and for fourth-class
matter. 1 cent per ounce or fraction
thereof.
Therefore, If a person wants to send
a letter to one of the Montana soldiers
at Manila all he has to do is to put on a
2-cent stamp, just the same as If the
letter were going to Butte or any other
place in the United States, provided, of
course, the letter does not weigh more
than an ounce. There has been a belief
that il would require 5 cents for let
ters to the Philippines, but this is no
the case, where the mail is directed to
soldiers of the United States army.
With reference to the address to be
written upon the envelope, the name of
the addressee and the company and regi-
ment TO which he belongs, together with
the destination, is all that is necessary,
To illustrate, a letter addressed to John
Jones, Company X, LIST Montana regi-
ment, United States volunteers, Manila,
Philippine islands," would reach the de-
sired destination.
The latter portion Of the order above
quoted. with regard to forwarding mat
ter to San Francisco, is simply in the
nature of instructions to postmasters
and has nothing to do with the address
ing of a letter.
An order dated June Z reads as fol.
lows: For the reasons given in my or
der No. 210. dated May "a. relative &c
correspondence for and from the United
States forces at and neal the Philippine
islands,
1T is hereby ordered: That articles OF
mail matter for or from persons con
nected with the United States forces a
and neal the islands of Cuba and PortC
Rico, shall be subject to the postage
rates and conditions applicable to simi
lar articles in the domestic mails of th'
United States"
Thus it will be seen that the same con
ditions which apply to mail for th'
Philippines apply likewise to matter sen
to Cuba or Porto Rico.
The dispatch printed in yesterda!
mornings Standard stating that mai
communication has again been opened
between the United States and Santiago
de Cuba, and giving the rates of postagi
at 5 cents for first-class matter is con
strued to refer to mail matter addressed
to persons other than soldiers of tn
I United States.
I Postmaster Alex Devine was aske'
2 yesterday concerning the dispatch o
: mail for the Philippines. He said tina
e he was unable to give the sailing date
I of vessels carrying mails. 1t is MI
Devine's understanding that mail mat
ter for Manila is first sen to Hong KonI
and there transferred to United State
dispatch boats which ply regularly be
tween that port and Manila. As tn
people of Montana will nj doubt max
liberal use of the mails between thi
country and the Philippines for som
: time to come, the fact that only domes
tic rates of postage are charged is graft
vim Money order business has ais
been provided for, and full informatio
concerning this may be had at tn
office.
= In dispatching letters to the boys a
Manila a few facts should be borne /
mind. Always write the address in inl
I This is wise because the letter will prot
ably see some pretty rough usage IN II
long trip and pencil tracings are easil
obliterated. Enclose letters in a stroni
thick envelope, for the same reason. ID
not put too much paper in n envelop
as the latter is liable TO burst. Writ
the address plain or print II, which
: all the better, and do not forget ths