The Washington times., 1902-07-29
FAVOR EXPERIMENTS
With REPLY POSTAL
Report of Commission on
Proposed New System
ALL MEMBERS URGE TRIAL
Unanimous in Recommendation That
Plan Be Tried in Three Cities for
Period of Not More Than Two Years
Propositions by Corporations.

| The report of the commission, COM
posed of the four Assistant Postmas
ters General and the Auditor of the
Postoffice Department, which was ap-
pointed by the Postmaster General to
| investigate the merits of the various
systems OF reply" envelopes and pos
tai cards which have been presented for
consideration, was made public at the
Postoffice Department yesterday.
All the members of the commission
are agreed upon the necessity of some
such system, and unanimously recon-
mend that If it can be established that
the law permits such action. three OF
the four propositions submitted be ex-
perimented with for a period not ex-
oeeding two years. and in not more than
three cities, to determine which is
most convenient, practicable, and
cheapest. The report also contains the
individual views of each member of the
commission.
First Plan Presented.
The first plan presented was that of
the Return Postage Clearing Company,
Pcstofiice Department large quantities of
envelopes and postal cards bearing spe-
cial designs of postage stamps to dis
tinguish them from other mail matter
not at the face value of the postage
stamps, but at the cost of manufac-
ture. plus 20 per cent, which is esti-
mated to cover the other expenses of
the department in furnishing them.
These cards and envelopes are to be
sold by the Return Postage Clearing
Company to the public at a price fixed
by the company, and are to be distrib-
utod by the purchasers. the object. OF
course. being to secure from the per-
sons addressed reply, or an order for
goods. The special envelopes will be
treated as prepaid matter and addressed
to the Return Postage Clearing Com
pany, which will maintain an office in |
every city where the business Is trans |
acted. Periodically the envelopes and |
cards which have passed through the |
mails Will be counted and the actual |
postage required fer their transmission |
paid TO the postmaster at the office OF |
delivery
They will then be taken to the office |
of the company. where they will be re-
distributed and afterward delivered by
private carriers.
Reply Postal Company.
The plan of the Reply Postal Company
Is practically the same as the first ex-
cept that the envelopes and cards are to
be manufactured with attached coupons.
which will be c'. I'd ant; deposited as
vouchers at the postofice to which the
matter is addressed. and that the redis-
tributed mail is to be delivered by regu-
lar postofiice carriers and not by en-
ployes of the company.
The plan of the Cahill Company differs
from the others in that every I0O
or LOCO cards or envelopes sold will be
accompanied by card or tablet bearing
from l to 100 or 900, as the
case may be. the Idea being that when
the replies" are received the numbers
representing the actual returns of the
day will be Erased from the cards sold
with them When fixed period has ex-
pired the uncanceled numbers upon the
cards may be presented at the postofice
and will be accepted for their full
'alue-determined by the number of can
on the cards-in the purchase
Of new supplies Of the same kind This
plan was believed by the commission to
De impracticable unless greatly modified
and was the only one Of the four not
recommended for trial.
Mr.. Shalienberger's Plan.
The fourth plan is the proposition of
". S. Shallenberger. the Second Assist
int Postmaster General, and is evolved |
n a measure from the others 1t diff !
ers in that it fixes a time limit within 5
Which each sale OF reply cards is valid q
or postage, and contemplates the trans a
citing OF the business wholly through +
ne individual or company in each city. /
The members OF the commission in
heir individual reports all urge the :
doption of some system Of reply post :
.ge, but their views differ widely as to 4
he practicability Of the systems con
idered.
Third Assistant Postmaster General
1adden thinks that the proposition OF
he Cahill Company has more merit than
ither of the two mentioned above, but
he plan presented by the Second As
istant Postmaster General more nearly
meets his views as to what Is possible
o be done under the existing law
Auditor Castle, the remaining mem
er of the commission. also strongly
rges thorough trial of the plan pro-
osed by Mr.. Shallenberger.