Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-03
SAVINGS IN MONEY ORDERS
$S,1O4,447 so DEPOSITED IN
POST OFFICE.
Used as Bank in 1913, 146 Instances
During Past Year-Second-
Glass Matter Costly.

AS an evidence of the demand for
postal savings banks, the creation of
which the Postmaster General has so
strongly urged in his annual report and
upon the stump, the third assist mt post
master general in his annual report
states that replies sent out from his Of
flee indicate that during the twelve
months ending March l. 1908. lbs 146
money orders were bought by the public
simply for the purpose of avo ding the
de; osit of sS1oi.441 in the banks Tor
savings purposes.
In other words large number of per
sons resort to the practice buying
money orders to protect their savi"@s 'or
a limited time at least rather than de-
poSit in banks ev-n Wuen rn,cte.., .4.d
be allowed.
The third assistant postmaster gene al
also combats the allegation which is said
to have been made in the pa t tina the
money ord system is conducted at a
fin ncial loss OF 81. 900 day to the gov
eminent. During the fiscal year ending
June 20. 1907, the total receipts exceeded
by more than half million liars tn
total expenses properly chargeable TO
the money order system.
Based on the cost of handling and
transporting second-class mail matter o!
s 2-3 cents p pound, the report states,
tn6 rust olilce CpdTlluSni. uuIiIS tit
year 1905 gave to the people through
the publishers o. newspal ers and periodi-
Gals entered as seconded ISIS matter (upon
which the rate of postage is one cent
pound) approximately ffty-seven million
dollars in uncompensated Sc vice, this
amount being the cost o. handling and
transporting 1882 pounds Of second
class matter over and above the direct
revenue derived therefrom'
Legislation is suggested which will per-
10 tIn hoes fr,ty nf
under certain conditions. upon envelope
blanks furnished by printe- and indi-
viduals to meet the complaints. of COM
mercial envelope manu- acturers and 9TH
ers against the compel ton of the de-
partment in the matter of furnishing
stamped envelol eS and wrappers.
With reference to the abuses of the
second-class mailing privileges, the re-
pot states:
1T is the opinion of this office that the
abuses of the second-class mailing pivt-
leges cannot be reduced to minimum
until the practice o. offering premiums
and other extraneous inducements fer
subscriptions is effectually stopped.
Recommendation is made for lsgisla-
ton that will enl BILE payment o. indemni-
ty for the loss o. any class of registered
domestic mail matter the same as is pro-
vided TO. foreign registered matter. At
present indemn ty is provided for the
loss of first-class or lelter-rate matter
only. The rate OF loss in the registered
mails Is given at one piece o. mail
matter in every 1914 registered, both
paid and : ee.
The report ST ties tFan Gays
concerted effort has been made to remedy
the defects n the I. patI.4.1.., go
ing methods within the limitations pre-
(, ribed by law. Refer nee is made TO
the work o: the new division of ac-
counts recently established by the Post
master General To enable tn department
TO seCu rom its own records an admin
istrative review ol its financial OF rttlons
and condition at any time.