The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-03
IN ORDER BUSINESS.
.re,of DEPARTMENT TRYING
Ps'o1 TO ENCOURAGE IT.
s...res Are to Be Given a Trial
RI rHort to Prevent Loss to
~ the Merchants.

special to The Post)
s' h.s TO try three different plans
Hus. Of reply cards and envelopes.
w. has been before the department
SUI yssrs. the commercial interests
,n,try persistently asking for the
I'm q some system that would facili
p.r order business. Several plans
srs,dy been tried. but none have
.s,,sfactory, owing to the expense
eclyei.
n,sn that would enable the mer-
- ,.uses 10 carry OH their mail order
.,,,, without having 10 stand the loss
!. me failure OF customers TO return
!, e,rds upon which the postage had al.
81 seen paid.
,,st increase Of the mail order ousi.
a department stores and other 'ner-
n. houses In all the large cities has
!. ,ss matter urgent, and the depart.
!, ,os riyen mucl attention to {. Last
~ no postmaster general appointed
,,deus assistant postinasters general
"a auditor of the department, Captain
"A. commission to near all PROPOSE.
l, il regard to reply envelopes and re-
!. ~ them, The commission has had
~ meetings, and has made Its first
~ -Four schemes were reported pre-
III IA the commission. The 6rst pro.
W that The Return Postage Clearing
[rn,nv tbal be allowed to purchase from
ssnsrtnaent large quantities of stamped
,s'enss and postal cards bearing special
,n Of postage stamps TO distinguish
M rom other mailed matter. This mat.
IA 10 be purchased, not at tae. face
ue Of the stamps, but at the man if2ctuf-
cost, plus 20 per cent.
NJ company is then to sell these cards
4 envelopes to It's patrons at liked
\, Prior to sale the company will
n upon the address side Of the envelopes
cards. In bold type, its own name IS
fddressee, to whom such matter IS 20
returned IN thu mails, and, IN small
y. the name of the purchaser. These en-
ma are 10 be distributed by the pur-
I'm and. II in the mails, they sill he
under cover. The object is to secure
N The persons addressed q reply or or
for goods
ellodlcslly these envelopes aud cards,
,ipg passed through the mails and hav-
been distributed to this company's
fes will be counted, and the actual post.
required for their Transmission paid TO
postmaster at the office of delivery.
envelopes and cards are then to be
er 10 the .company's office, where they
10 be relittributed and afterwnrd de-
eed by ths company's private carriers
he persons who originally purchased
N Irou tie company,
Il proposed to place sufficient deposit
the hands Of the postmaster In each city
tre this business is done, or with the
k,ofice department, as a guaranty for
payment Of the postage required to be
tcted Oh each days deliveries to the
npany.
he second scheme presented, that Of
Reply Postal company, is essentially
sane as that of the Return Postage
npany. The third system examined vas
Dxn as the Cahill plan. George +. Cahi,i
patented the device 1T is proposed
der this system to have reply cards and
telopes, with special designs of straps,
be sold by the department to indiyidu9l
,ehasers. Every 100 or 1000 will be ac-
npanied by with q card or tablet bearing
neias from one to 1O0 or 1000, rs the
k may be.
he purchaser agrees to print his name
address under the supervision of the de-
ftmtnt. These cards and envelopes are.
course, actually prepaid, as required ~
When these envelopes and cards reach
office of address, they are separated
ne boxes of the addresses. and before
lye,y sre to be counted and the cards
ablets which were sold with them are
nave eraseG rherelrom numbers repre-
llng the actual returns each day. When
E1ed period has expired, and 1t Is pre-
Sed that no more Of such envelopes or
rs Will be offered for mailing. the TN
eeled numbers upon the cards or tablets
% presented at the p0stoffice and Will
Accepted Tor the value (which Is deter
pa BY the number Of cancellations there
10 me purchase Of new supplies of the
be Kind.
As commission has rejected the Cahill
uecidlhg that II presented opportun.,%
hfge customers 10 obtain their supplies
nalulacturers' cost.
Y fourth plan was devised by Second
stiht Postmaster General Shallclosrger
y IN degree combination Of features
lae other plans. Judge Shallenherger
gOses mat stamped envelopes and postal
q special design be purchased by
'agivilunl or company at the aetnal
" u the stamps impressed thereon. plus
sNt o. manufacture and handling,
envelopes aud cards would be manu-
slsu Win coupons attached, which, at
ouSe Of address, would he clipped
aye until certain period of time lad
NV wnen the purchaser may have re-
~ % MN proper deduction being made
Wy cosl thereop new stamped envelopes
pnlai cards to the value Of those which
aul peeh returned to the mails. and
y nave become invalid If 100 such en-
XIV aaq been purchased. and but fifty
sus were In the possession Of the post
~ Inc expiration of the period for
y uey are valid for postage, the pur-
IN would be entitled 10 reissue OF
nas envelopes, less the COST OF manu-
s. n, ana otner expenses. This plan con-
n,b uansaeting the business wholly
'sa one Individual or company IN each
sse would give bond for the faithful
osMance OF the contract and forfeit
'aue II there be any abuses of the priv
y commission recommends that the
l. %,ond and fourth plans be tried
~ ~ 10 not more than three cities for
iu 81 tTo years.
n ,Ssmoers of the commission give at
IN ~. Views of the plans offered
Y assistant Postmaster General Bris-
wki 70 the experiment of the sys-
El.nsAsn iarm out the supply of reply
i, ahl cards, and insists that what
~ a9ae should be entirely within the
r.s, y. lne department, First Assistant
M central WINNIE urges that any
.bs "nNlner, private or rot. that viii
y excessively wasteful use of The
-Irr rI Luz. ne tried, and says that upGer
cfs,s ,here Is authority for such ex-
csrsrtr saptain Castle, the auditor for
M, rient suggests that, ms the Shall
~. ,s,,plon has Incorporated ideas from
S,rsa .,Nem, Mr.. Cahil should he put
y, the experiments Third as
issir master General Msddcn objects
IN ~, s putting tho business in he
r,st m ~ parties, and favors the ex-
utMANo WAS IRREGULAR,
s = japsn Has Checked Sale,
but Il Still leads