Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-08-18
FOR A NEW POSTAL CARD.
Postotflce department. to Issue One
Of New Design.
ITS USE IS NOW DECREASING
And Uncle samlwill Make an Ell
fort to Win Back Business Card
Will Be Delicate Blue.


Washington, D. G., August ia
new form Of postal card, nearly
square. and printed in delicate blue,
is beginning to make its appearance.
II bears an excellent likeness Of
President Grant. la form and appear.
ance it is decided improvement over
the card now in general use
For several years the postoflice de-.
partment has noted that there has
been general falling off in the nse
OF tile ordinary postal card. A strong
Discrimination has been manifested by
the people TO the use of the postal
card for personal communication or
even for such business communion
tions as IL might be supposed to be
desirable. In other words. It is not
fad to employ postal cards for any
sort of communication by mail.
When business house desires to
write communication. it writes a
letter and puts ON il a two.cent
stamp. Among people. generally, ii is
not fashionable TO use postal cards
even for the most ordinary of com.
munication.
This idea does not appeal to the
officials OF the postoflics department.
TO carry postal cards in the mail is a
profitable enterprise for the govern
ment. Such cards net TO the govern.
inert more than q dollar pound and
1t is hoped by the department. officials
that the people may be induced to EN-.
ploy more of the cards in communica.
ting with their friends
Among business and personal friends
1t is scarcely regarded as good fotm to
employ postal cards, although it is
evident that the great bulk of busi-
ness communications consisting. as
they do consist. of wledgments
or the making OF engagements or SINH
lar transactious--could be put on pos.
tai cards. 1t has been noted at the
postoifice department. however. that
business concerns, as rule. have
ceased to use the cards in any way
and the sale of them has dropped eff
to such an extent as TO cause some con-
Germ in the department..
II finally was determined to issue a
smaller card Of more fashionable
appearance in the hope that the people
might be induced more generally to
use it. OF course, the profit 10 the
government Ia carving these smaller
cards will be greater than it has been
on the larger cards.
The chances that the new card will
be used more generally than the old,
is not regarded as likely bo.many If
those who have studied the situation.
The American people will not eoono.
mize in matters of that kind They
would rather use sealed envelope
and two-cent stamp and be assured
that nobody will see their communi-
cations than to spend simply one cent
for postal card with realization
that ANYBODY might read what they
have written. 1t is not q question so
much of money as it is of pride.
In France and in other countries. a
folding pest card is used. That pro
tects the communication as absolutely
as an envelope. but is not quite so
expensive as letter.
Postmaster General Cortelyou has
had bis attention called 10 q project
for the quick delivery Of special COM
munications. particularly in large
cities. at cost considerably less than
the present cost Of the delivery of
special delivery" letters. 1t is re.
garded by postal officials as probable
that in a. few years some such plan
will be adopted. The plan-or SINH
lar one--is now in use in Paris, where
one may send special letter to any
point in the city and he practically
assured that it will be delivered as
quickly as telegram would be. per-
haps more quickly. and at minimum
of expense. The expense TO tile gov.
eminent Of snch a system IL not
great. in view of the use of pneu.
matte tubes, aud where such M ans OF
mail Transportation are in use in this
country it is quite likely that the
scheme will be adopted