Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-20

lfer the amount thereof to the navee
the consideration being the fee, and
the public may rest assured that II
the contract cannot be carried out the
lamOunt will be refunded to the re-
mitter il it is possible to locate him.
Money order funds are regarded in the
light of the trust funds to be honored
whenever the corresponding orders
are presented, and ignorance of the
holders of such obligations will not be
construed as laches on the part of the
patrons of the system. 1t is the peo-
Pies system and it is operated in the
interest of the people.
| Private companies and banks go to
no such extremes to place the money in
the hands of the people as does the
government. If you do not call. Won do
not get the money. Private concerns
have millions of unclaimed deposits.
The government desires to effect the
interchange of money among the peo-
pie with the greatest possible dis
patch, and these few figures reflect the
lthoroughness, with which we succeed
in doing so.
I why are not money orders pre-
scented for payment? Oh, for various
interesting reasons. Many persons.
particularly theatrical people. show
men, travelling men and others on the
go, Duy orders payable to themselves,
winch are not known of and never pre-
scented by reason of the death of their
owners. Other orders are lost in ship
wrecks and accidents on the rail when
the orders are burned or lost. and they
disappear from variety Of causes.
from forgetfulness to Indifference to
ask for payment.
During the close and shortly, after
the Civil War thousands were lost by
reason of the death Of the holders. and
the same Is true during the late Span
ish war for the same cause. AS an ex-
ample, an American engineer recently
died in hospital in China, and $1,000
IN money orders over a year old were
found among his effects. Had he lived
they were better than money, for had
they been stolen or lost none but him.
self could have cashed them, and they
were payable to him. We have re-
stored the amount to his heirs. The
largest single amount which has been
found upon one person came under the
observation of the department recent
ly. An American who died in Mexico
was found to have 66 orders of 800
each upon him, or $500, and this sum
will be paid to the proper parties. This
case is a remarkable one.
Public school teachers are instruct
ing their pupils in the use of the mon
ey order system. They take their
classes to the pOstoffice and buy orders
for cent or two, and instruct their
pupils how to secure the orders, and
how they are paid at distant point.
Many people prefer to invest their
savings in money orders rather than
in a bank.
Payments are now effected 80 per
cent. quicker than ever before. No
is sought to be taken of the
public, and it is a reflection of credit
upon our American institutions that
the public have such faith in the gov
|ernment. 1t cannot be expected that
the intricacies Of the money order sys-
tenn can be understood by all. especial
ly foreigners and the uneducated. They
know that when their money passes
over the counter of an American post
Office that the government will cheer
fully do the rest toward getting it in
to the hands for who it is intended,
either at home or abroad, and that they
will get it back without additional ex-
pense.
That the aggregated increase of
money orders issued last year over the |
preceding year amount to nearly $685. |
100000, out of an aggregate of 1884, |
100000, attests the popularity of our |
American methods of fostering the
needs of the people In the transmission
of money In comparatively small sums
one to another"