Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-09-03

a .AN4 A4 HAAa
The Sentry sees much complaint il
the newspapers at the failure Of Goa
gress during its late session 10 estab
, lish the Post Cheek currency system
This measure has been before it fot
two years; has been strongly endor@.
by numerous commercial bodies: Ia.
been petitioned for BY thousands Of
business men and has the practically
unanimous support OF the press Of the
country without distinction Of party.
1t was approved by the House post.
office committee Of the previous con.
gress, but no legislative progress vas
made during the session just closed.
largely because the postal scandals
monopolized attention.
The money order system Is con
fessedly ergde and complicated
faults which the post cheek would
promptly cure. There are numerous
other glsring defects almost equally
important, which it would remedy.
The river that is a mile wide and
only ten inches deep may Intricate
many reefs and boulders, but will
nourish few humming marts Of trade.
A public function which is filed with
contradiction and complexities will
flourish chiefly as a breeding place for
scandals and a field for efforts at re-
form.
Such Is the postal service Of the
present day. A reminder Of one Of
its Inconvenience is found in some
recent complaints in regard 20 the spe-
cial delivery stamp. That stamp. it is
said, does not guarantee any special
protection for the letter to which it
is Affixed, neither does it secure added
attention for the letter at the for
warding office, although it implies
prompt delivery at the fanl destina-
ton.
People are undoubtedly confused in
regard to the functions OF this system.
There is a prevailing notion that a
letter bearing the special delivery
stamp has as much protection a. a
registered letter. As a consequence.
many people send money and valua !
bles by this means and thus merely
advertise to dishonest postal employees
the fact that something Of value is
enclosed in the package. Z
The result is that an undulv large
proportion Of special delivery mail is
lost in transmission. Such mail is
detained and examined by those
who are inclined to Pilfering among
clerks or carriers who handle il.
and often the money or valuables en-
,losed are promptly eonfseateI. This
'ecurs because the senders fair 10
the purpose Of the stamp.
'r because the department fails 20
ogieally carry out the benefits which
he special delivery system il, sup
10 confer.
All this, while confirming the de-.
nand for greater simplicity and Ell.
.ieney throughout the service. also |
Emphasizes the necessity for the post
heck currency. That reform would
a perfectly safe means Of paving
due al a distance from the send.
r. because, since the post check is
'ayable only to the person named
herein no one else could cash IL;
.enoc no one would care to steal il.
II the post check were in common
Use, much Of the necessity for register
ng letters would be obviated and eon-
equently much OF the confusion which
E'sts between the registry and special
systems would be- avoided.
there are innumenble postal reforms
which could be -inaugurated. but the
entry does not know Of a single pro-
.osition which would work SO many
Z these reforms in actual practice. As
'oold the proposed post check eur :
eucy.
An eight cent stamp PAYS FOR regis
~ and a ten cent stamp for special !
eliYery, but the operations Of these I
"o forces are entirely distinct and il
iAy be said, somewhat a-ntaeoui.tie.
While the Especial delivery" evpe. 4
ltes the transmission cf a letter or i,
20 the hand Of the addressee =
be registry system actually DELAYS il. 4
his results from the fact that regis :
'red matter is receiptel from hand a
hand through all postal employees :
with It's custody. Hence. r
a long route with many e~onuee. Il
.ons the passage Of registered natter
frequently delayed in handling. a
.hile unregistered mail goes riaht :
long. A letter from New York ,o
an Francisco viii sometimes he two n
ass longer in reaching the htterlc =.
can't under the registry arrangement v