The National tribune., 1903-01-15
8. s. THE U. 5. MAIL.
Benjamin franklin Father Of the System Wonderful Development
Since Chat About Things Not Usually Known.


trace Of him vanished until, many months
later, his remains were identified in the
victim Of an accident in Kansas-and that
''jacketed case" was closed forever. His
methods have been frequently followed by
others, with less success in GLIDING pur-
suit.
There were about 10000 distinct and
issues Of postage stamps
throughout the British Empire during the
reign of Queen Victoria. This number does
not, OF course, include variations OF type
or other trivial peculiarities. Already
there is run on Victorian stamps Of a
high value. For instance. a Cancelled one
pound stamp selling few weeks ago for
% shillings is now worth 50 shillings. An
ella borately perfect collection of the Vic
tOrian era would have to include British
guinea pink circular stamp, which it is
practically impossible to purchase in the
open market. and the Mauritius post office
stamp, which is worth several hundred
pounds.
Thousands of letters reach the Dead
Letter Office after the holiday season,
which have been written by confiding chill
dren and addressed to their dear friend.
"Santa Claus" There are delicately
tinted letters with crests on them. which
plead for pony or carriage; there are
others which ask for candy or a rattle.
Here is one: "Dear Mr.. Santa Clans:
only want pare of skates for Crismus.
and if it amt cold sled will do. My old
ones bust. If they amt no snow, l would
like ennything you think Of. My Mama
says you are poor this year."
Rural free delivery has stimulated coun-
try people to writing more letters than
formerly. when they had to walk some
times eight miles to the nearest post-office
probably three times a month. This in
crease in rural correspondence has, en-
turn call for answers in nine out Of every
10 cases. the whole leading to pheno-
menal increase in rural mail.
Sound writing must have been invoked
when the name Of Hellmetta. n. J.. ap-
pears as Hell Meadow" Duchess juno
ton n. Y. masquerades under the name
Dutch Johnson and Colts Neck figures
as "Cold Snake"
Protest against the abuse of the pound
rate privilege is not directed against reput-
able publications or the daily newspapers
"rd maoaZines which educate and en-
tighten the people, but it is against class
of bogus periodicals in many large cities
and some smaller cities like Augusta. Me.
The legitimate publication has nothing to
fear and everything to gain by strict
Interpretation and rigid enforcement Of the
pGnnd-rate law. The wonder to Post
office people is that legitimate publishers
do not universally recognize where their
interests lie.
Under our present method of keeping
money-order accounts. in spite Of all pre-
cautions. nearly S100000.OOO are always
''in the air." practically unaccounted for
by the issuing POstmasters. This amount
has been received by $4,000 Postmasters
in payment for money.orders sold: whether
it has been retained. paid out or deposited.
according to law. can only be determined
when the vOuchers-tbat is, the orders
shall have been assembled from all parts
Of the country. assorted. checked and veri-
fed in the Auditors Office This volume
Of unandited accounts inevitably accumu-
lates. even when the work Of the Bureau
is current. by reason of the time required
for all these operations. A portion Of this
money is necessarily left in the hands Of
Pnstmasters at all times as reserve for
the payment of orders coming in. This
reserve furnishes an opportunity. and the
known immunity from early detection by
ordinary process. of settlement furnishes a
temptation for defaIcation and embezzIe-
ment. In fact. Declarations and emhezzle-
ments are Of daily occurrence. aggregating
heavy annual losses. Ultimate detection
is certain. but recovery Of the lost funds
from bondsmen is always difficult and
often impossible. This costly experience in
our present postal banking venture should
he warning against the savings bank
scheme. whereby the perplexities, oppor-
tunities and derelictions would be infinitely
multiplied.
Postage stamps and envelopes were in.
trodnced in England by Rowland Hill in
1897. Shortly after they were to a linn
tied extent used in America. but did no,
come into general use until about 1880
Letters were written. folded and addressed
all on the same sheet and sealed with a
wafer or sealing-wax.
On account Of the very small amount
received for books sold at the annual prop
erty sale of the Dead Letter Office. Post
master-General Villas. In 1885, conceived
the idea Of accommodating these books as
nucleus for Department Library. He
asked Congress for an approximation OF
$1,000 for shelving and furnishing and
secured 1t, but afterward when he asked
for money with which to buy such books
as could not be thus procured he was
refused. Books which reach the Dead
Letter Office are held for two years, anG
then turned over to the Library.
We alone. Of the leading nations Of thu
world, show deficit in postal operations
Whether the expenses Of the Post-off1ct
Department are paid from sales Of postage
stamps or from funds raised by genera
taxa ton, the burden of payment in eithe,
case is borne by the people. But there
would be more equity in system of prop
erly adjusted stamp prices to be paid BY
those who use the stamps than there I.
in the present system of National taxation
for supplying the general Treasury.
An Interesting experiment in the use o.
pneumatic tubes for delivering ordinary
parcels by private company in Boston
Is described by the engineer Of the com
pany. The line starts In the midst OF
the retail district and has two branches
One runs to Back Bay, d distance of 6
mile and half: the other runs a mil,
to a point in the South End, whence Q
line continues mile farther to Roxbury
and from there another line extends a mil,
and quarter farther to Dorchester. Ev
cry line is really double. one tube being fol
outward and the other for inward business
The carrier travels at the rate of a mil,
in two minutes. Bundles are collected BY
team for deposit and are attributed BY
team from the other end. The success Of
this scheme may well be carefully oh
served by postal officials.
The average Fourth-class Postmaster
begins to argue that II one-cent letter post
age Is to come with Its Inevitable result
Of either doubling his work or halving biz
c"mpensation he must have protection !,
the way Of new rules for uniform ad
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