The Washington times., 1902-09-10
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO
PROTECT ADVERTISER
New Form of Return Postal
Card or Envelope.
Self-Addressed Matter Will Be Carried
and Postage Paid by the
Addressee.

The Postoffice Department is at pres
ent considering measure which is more
important and interesting from many
points OF view than any measure that
has been submitted to the officials OF
that department for many years.
1t will be Of interest and value
to every newspaper, manufacturer in
surance company-in fact, to everybody
VINO sends out large quantity of mail
with the idea of getting replies thereto.
The plan Will be put into operation II
the department becomes convinced that
there is public demand for it. Many
letters nave already been received in
dorsing the project and urging it's
prompt establishment.
The proposed service is known as the
return envelope and postal card sys-::
tenn, and its working Is very readily
explained. It. takes the place of an
existing system which. instead of fos-
tering. really places an onerous tax
upon, interstate commerce through the
mails.
The Present Plan.
At present, for instance. a newspaper
that desires to increase its circulation
sends out lot OF circulars setting forth
the advantages to be obtained by the
subscribers to that particular paper
and incloses postal card addressed to
itself, upon the back Of which is printed
rfnx ofx
years subscription, asking the recipient
to sign and drop into the mails. In
the case Of business institution seek
Ing to introduce its goods the wording
on the back Of the postal is. of course,
changed to suit the occasion.
Now, each postal card costs one cent.
Each thousand of them, therefore. rep
resents an investment of $40. which, to-
gether with the expense of printing the |
cards and the accompanying circulars
and mailing. the whole sent out to a |
possible customer makes this form of 4
Advertising very costly; it Is all the |
mere sc when 1t is considered that the |
returns rarely, II ever, exceed 10 per
cent, and in some cases fall below that. |
Cards Are Destroyed.
great many people have a habit
when receiving these cards of removing
The printed matter upon them and using
the postals for their own convenience,
Or else they simply throw the cards
away. In this manner about 80 per cent
of the postal cards is dead loss to the |
advertiser. He pays the Government
b10 for each thousand cards with the
idea that 1t will perform the service OF /
bringing those thousand cards back to
aim.
AS matter of fact, however, the Gov
is required to return only |
lbout 100 of the cards and gets $500 on
ZACH 1000 for services it has never
reformed The new system is intended
o obviate this unfair and onerous tax
lponls lponlsttbe the business business community.
Loss to Sender Large.
One newspaper in Chicago. for in
tance, has been sending out 100000
ards each year. Assuming it has re-
ceived returns to the number of 10 per
.ent. this paper is taxed $4.500 a year,
IT is presenting the Government with
hat amount for the privilege of using
his form of advertising.
Under the new system which 1t is
proposed 10 ADOPT, tnlS tax on the peO-
lie will be abolished. The Government
fill receive pay for the amount of mail
t actually carries. For this purpose 1t
s proposed to authorize the use of a
pecial form of envelope and postal
ard. These envelopes and postal cards
rill bear stamp designed to show
hat they can be dropped in the mail.
nd carried to their destination. where
he postage will be paid by the ad-
ressee before delivery.
Government Will Not Lose.
The Government. while thus receiv-
lg pay for services actually performed.
ill be guaranteed against loss. while
ne newspaper or business firm will save
bout 800 per thousand on the cards
e sends out; on envelopes, about $500.
The new envelopes and cards will be
attributed as the present ones are-in ,
rculars, catalogues. or with packages
{ goods, but If the recipient desires
throw the envelope or card away he
IN do so without entailing a loss of
cent or cents upon the sender,
hile at the same time he cannot use
le envelope or card for any purpose
scept that for which 1t was intended