The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-29
THE POSTAL CHECK SYSTEM.

in the Country.

Everybody is aware of the risks in
CURED in sending currency through the
mail, yet nearly every person OF mature
years incurs those risks frequently. The
demand for q convenient, safe means or
remittiug small sums calls attention to the
fact that there are but three methods now
availabe and each is in some respects
faulty. First, n money order, which re-
quireS 4 trip to the pest-oiiice. the ming
out of an application and the payment OF
fee-exactly the same trouble for the
traditional 90 cents as for SO, besides
sanot,ier trip to the post-otlice by the re-
cipient Second. the mailing OF coin, which
is obyiously undesirable from every stand
point Third. the last, and worst OF all,
the substitution of postage stamps for
money: this plan is open to many serious
objections; they are neither convenient
NOR safe, and many commercial and busi-
ness men positively refuse to receive them
mt all: the dampness of many sections OF
THE country, especially along the Atlanuc
coast rendering them almost useless for
their legitimate purpose. In addition to
their Inconvenience, the remittance Of
money or stamps furnishes standing
temptation to theft for each of the many
postal employees through whose hands the
letters must pass.
WHAT THE POST CHECK IS.
devised to meet all these difficulties by
eliminating them. 1t proposes to reprint
all the Treasury notes and coin or silver
certificates of denominations OF So and I'M
der in the form of post-check notes. Lines
are to he printed on the face of the note
in addition to special devices. When
these lines are left blank the notes cir
culate from hand to hand like the present
currency. When the notes are to be re-
mitted by mail the lines are filled in with
the name of the person to whom the re-
mittance is made, and 2-cent postage
stamp, Cancelled with the initials of the
sender in ink, is attached to the desig-
mated place in the lower left-hand corner.
The note in this condition is n money or
der, payable only to the person named
in it, who must be identified and sign
receipt on the note. 1t 10 longer circu-
lates as currency. BY the adoption OF
this plan no one need bother about Sc
curing money order for the remittance
of IS or less. All that will be needed
will be to fill out q p0st-check currency
bill, attaching a twO-cent stamp Qess IN
cost than money order feel. and mail
it 10 the proper person, to whom only 1t
becomes available. Fractional currency is
to be transformed into post notes i'll the
same manner, and only n one-cent stamp
will be required, but this is provided for
in separate enactment, which probably
will not be pushed until the other plan
has been inaugurated and proved success
full.
GENERAL CONVENIENCE.
The institution of the post-check system
woHld be of inestimable convenience to
farmers and all persons who are accus-
toned to sending amounts too small to
warrant the payment of the post-Office
money-Order fee or drawing check. The
extension of rural delivery has placed the
farmer in constant touch with the outside
world, and the substitute of an order good
in the hands of the payee, with the Gov
ernment's guaranty back of it, will
operate practically the same as money. OF
course, the strongest argument in support
of the post-check is its availability for cir
culation without Endorsement, and the ad-
ditional guaranty of safety in transmit
ting money by mail. Its expediency is
beyond question as sound business prop
osition, and it would give the Post-ofiice
Department added popularity. The de-
mand for this change has become so pro-
nounced that it must unquestiOnably COM
mand the earnest attention of the Legis-
lative Branch of the Government.
MAGNITUDE OF INTERESTS INVOLVED.
The original plan for this currency was
devised by Mr.. c. w. Post, of Battle
Creek, Mich, wealthy manufacturer and
public-spirited citizen, who has assigned
to the United States all his claims as in
ventor and asks no pecuniary reward for
the same. He says that of letters con-
tanning small remittances. about 10 out of
20 contain stamps, loose money, silver, or
small checks, and one contains a money
order. We are therefore compelled to
realize that something forces the public to
adopt these unsafe and unsatisfactory
forms of remittance, and that only the
very persistent ones remit at all. The
great majority of people who might do
business if remittances could be made
easily prefer to go without rather than
subject themselves to the trouble and loss
of time incident to securing a money or
der. Newspaper and book publishers par
ticularly feel this hardship on business.
Their letters are filled with stamps and
loose money, but their efforts to secure
subscribers or to induce old subscribers to
pay meet with poor response because of
the inability of the public to secure safe
and convenient substitute for money to