The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-23

81.
III said an Old postcfiee inspector
to Washington Star reporter
As there are q few preliminary wrIn-
kles connected with the proceeding
which must be observed before the
leading citizen may afsx the initials
r NJ after his name. they will be
found of general interest If briefly de-
seribed.
The first thing to do is to decide
upon a name. This seems easy. but the
department has snags in the forn of
rules on this point which may cause
several attempts to be made before
nnaliy successful. because they are not
generally known outside of the Office
There must be no postoffiee of the
same name already in the state. nor
one of such spelling as might cause the
postal clerks TO confuse the two For
instance. there is a Mauricetown and
q Morriston in New Jersey. and a
Charlestown and a Charleston in West
virginia The trouble, confusion of
mail and profanity these and other
similar names have occasioned would
stop an express train These Offices
were established before the present
rules went into effect. and neither Of.
fee will now consent to a change
Difficulty in Securing Names.
Also, If there is a name of another
postoffice IN another state the abbrevf.
alton of which resembles the state in
which the Office is sought to be estah-
lished the name win be rejected. II
the people of a community in Teunes-
see agree upon 'Pleasantville.t and i
there is an Office of the same name in
Pennsylvania, they will be requested
to select another name. ecause Ten.
nessee when abbreviated to Tenn.
resembles Pennsylvania when abbrevi.
ated to Penn. it being borne in mind
that all of us do not write a copper
plate hand. The abbreviation Va for
Virginia Is easily mistaken for the
Pa of Pennsylvania. Mail for offices
of the same name in the states of Col
orado and California is being constant
~ missent to the annoyance of the
public and the postal employees, for
the reason that people abbreviate the
states Col and Cal instead of Colo.
and Calf and the same holds true
as TO New York and New Jersey. as
neople are careless in forming their
Is and Us in writing the initials in
dicative of these two states. The rea.
son of the rule thus becomes very an
parent.
Sometimes a dozen attempts will
be made before a name which will
suit the department will be accepted.
1t must be of a single word. unless
for peculiar local, historical or.particu-
lar business reasons a double name is
permitted. Communities desiring post
offices should always submit ten or
more proposed names for selection.
arranged in their order of preference.
During the Spanish war and immedi-
ately thereafter the name of Dewey.
Schiey, Sampson, Hobson. Mckinley.
Manila and Santiago for postoffices
poured int the department by the
hundreds. and such as could be placed
in the different states under the rule
have given were granted.
Recommendation Which Carry.
While there is no prescribed mum
Der of names necessary TO a petition
for new postoffice. there should be
enough to indicate its need a dozen
or two signatures of residents are suf-
ficient. though some petitions have
over one hundred names The name
of the person desired for postmaster
should always be stated in the petit
ton The department accepts the rec
concentration of represent or
senator Of the same political faith as
final usually in the appointment of the
first and succeeding postmasters. In
some states the petitions are forward
ed directly 70 the representative for
his Endorsement This is an excellent
practice. as il saves time unless the
Representative Is one OF the lazy sort
who allcus his mail to accumulate and
then ii causes trouble
If there Is no representative OF the
same political faith as the asimniistra-
ton in thar congressional district. the
department designates one or more
men who are termed referees. and
whose recommendation are accepted
These referees are usually ex-FepTe-
sentatsyes. national committeeman o.
other men OF high standing in the
party ana state.
The department did a land Office
business in establishing postofiees
last year, placing in operation $500.
sn increase of sf5 over the preceding
rear. The department follows the
policy OF establishing p0stoEces IN
sorazitfes where asked for. as i en-
dazsurs 70 give the people ali the rlail
facilities possible Under some pre-
vi0ns adElpE sErafinns the policy has
not been 50 liberal and certain rules
more or less restrictive were enforced.
mainly as 10 the distance 81 oae post
ofEce from another, which shut out
some communities The deuartment
has specially prepared blank for the
establishment Of q postofsce bur Pc
Tisicn sigue1 BY the residents of she
community expressing their desires ~
To name. postmaster and location Of
the ofsee IN almost any intelligent