The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-05-27
New Mail Service Proposition.

In the June Libbinc0tts Colonel
Willard French tells OF a new plan
which seems likely to be adopted
by the Post Office Department and
which should prove of great
benefit to the public. 1t is at pres
ent known only as "the return ell
velope and postal card" plan, but
it has already gone through all of
the preliminary examinations of the
Congressional Committees OH Post
Offices and Post Roads, and COM
missions appointed by the Postuas-
ter general, aud has not only been
approved but by legal authority
has been pronounced something
which the Department has power
to inaugurate without legislation.
Colonel French says:
The system is something which
applies chiefly to advertisers who
use the mails i'll distributing circu-
lars with enclosed envelopes or pos
tai cards, soliciting correspondence
or orders. A careful investigation
has resulted in the report that
where the enclosures are unstamped
very little is ever heard from them,
And where the cards or envelopes
are stamped, but one i'll ten ever
returns. This results in III liking
each reply which the advertiser re-
ceives cost him twenty cents for
postage alone. And, yet, under
the discouraging conditions, there
are sent out, annually, hundred
million envelopes and as many pos
tai cards.
The law requires that all post.
age shall be prepaid, SO that any
plan which has been devised will
require the co operation of outside
agency, to the extent of securing a
deposit of hundred thousand d OIL
lars with the Department, as a
postage fund. The Department
will manufacture envelopes and
cards, bearing peculiar stamp
which can easily be recognized, dis
tinguising it from ordinary mail.
These the Department will sell to
whatever form of syndicate may
represent the deposit, at the regu-
lar price less the price of the stamp.
The contractor will distribute them
as they may be ordered by advertis-
ers, after haviag return address
printed on them, with notice that
the stamp is void if the address is
changed. Such envelopes and
cards endorsed by advertisers may
be returned to them without affixing
additional stamp, but on arriving
at their destination they will be
held by the post Office till the ad-
vertiser pays the regular postage
on all such matter as he actually
receives. The moment the enve-
lope or card is mailed, the stamp
which the Department impresses
becomes legal stamp and satisfies
the law, while it is of no value if
the address is changed, and no loss
! to the advertiser if thrown away.
When the advertiser pays the a
mount of regular postage on all
such mail as he actually receives,
he only keeps the original deposit
intact.
1T is net unusual for the Depart
ment to rely Oh, outside co-opera-
ton. Pneumatic tubes, for exam
ple-and in fact almost all trans
portation - are accomplished
through private cooperation, and
it is not anticipated that there will
be any delay or difficulty in arrang-
ing with some form of corporation,
as a reasonable profit will be allow
ed by Government contract to the
receiver and dispenser; while ii
will be greatly to the advantage OF
the Department to have an active
agency constantly at work encour-