The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-15

deemed IL necessary to impose a charge or
Is for a thousand. which was subsequently,
raised TO Is Cd. and still later 70 Is 6d,
per thousand. The use of private cards with
the ordinary adhesive half-penny postage
stamp was a concession which the pubic
agitated for with conspicuous tenacity for
many years, and the agitation was not
wanting in vigorous supporters in Parlia-
ment. The chief objections 10 their use
were breach Of uniformity and the endan-
gering of the penny letter rate, by the in
clusiOn of cards Of invitation and the like.
The question passed through many vicissi-
tudes and, although il was favorably re-
garded by Mr.. Fawcett. the pOstOftice Off
cials. and a committee of inquiry. IL was
not, owing to the opposition OF the treas
ury. until Sept. l, 1894, that private cards
siZe) were at length allowed to be used
with the adhesive label. The concession
has proved, needless almost to remark. an
immense boon to all classes of postcard
writer's.
The question of charging only face value
for postcards IS still a debated one. Since
1871 the matter has been keenly ventilated
in and out OF Parliament. A select COM
mittee, in 1855. considered fully the merits
of the case, but with the result only Of
causing a slight reduction to be made in
postcard prices. The ground Of objection
on the part OF the government is that, If
postcards were sold at face value, 1t would
be doing "A wrong to the papermakers and
wOuld involve a loss of revenue, IL being
Staten ina a HCdFN COSl HdS 10 Dt pdlu ~
the contractors. On the other hand. it is
to be remembered that in other countries
postcards are sold for their face value,
and even in our own such is the case as
regards the foreign postcard. The matter
is not, perhaps. a very important one, but
II is Just one OF those petty, irksome in
conveniences, If not Inconsistencies, for the
removal Of which the public will never
cease to clamor.
The postcard has undergone many little
changes during its thirty years career,
which, while beneficial in themselves, need
hardly be adverted TO at length. Senders
or cards may now sign the address side, a
concession granted at the suggestion of
Mr.. Gladstone. who was also responsible
Tor the stout card, which was brought
into use in 1874. The court, or correspond
ence, cards were not introduced until over
twenty years later, namely. on Jan. q.
1870, and these will now take the place of
the stout cards, which are TO be allowed
to become exhausted. The foreign post
card was introduced in 1874, being one of
the results of the first convention of the
Universal Postal Union, the twenty-ffth
anniversary OF whose establishment has
just occurred. Perhaps the most useful of
all the changes that have taken place in
connection with the postcard system was
the introduction of reply postcards in Oc-
tober, 1882. The salient feature of these
cards Is, OF curse. that they 90 far toward
securing an answer. The advantages of
such p card are too obvious 10 require
and Ii need hardly be said that
their SAFE mas Deen rapid and has now
reached a high figure Similar cards for
foreign correspondence have been brought
Into use under the auspices of the postal
union. and, as may be imagined, they have
been still more appreciated.
The latest change as regards postcards
as recorded at the outset. is not of a start
ling nature, but. nevertheless, ii will be
received with much public appreciation.
The postcard, with it's entire freedom
from all ceremony of formality, is such an
obvious boon TO thousands. If not millions
of correspondents in these days that any
thing which tends In any degree to en-.
nance its advantages must be hailed with
satisfaction.