Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-06-09
INGENIOUS PLAN
FOR RETURN MAIL
POSTAL DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS
PROJECT DESIGNED TO SAVE
ADVERTISERS MONEY
ANSWERS WITHOUT OUTLAY TO
ORIGINAL SENDER, EXCEPT
WHERE RESULTS OBTAIN.

In Lippincott's Colonel Willard
french tells of new plan which NAV
be adopted by the postofice depart
ment and which, it is claimed, will.
prove Of benefit to the public. II is
at present known only as the return
envelope and postal card plan, but it
mas already gone through all of the
preliminary examinations of the CON
gresslonal committees on postofices
and post roads, and commissions an
pointed by the postmaster-gener
ana has not only been approved but by
regal authority has been pronounced
something which the department has
power to inaugurate without legisla-
ton. Colonel French says:
The system is something which an
plies chiefly to advertisers who use
the mails in distributing circulars
with inclOsed envelopes or postal
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 only
one in ten ever returns. This results
III making each reply which the adj
vertiser receives cost him 20 cents for
postage alone. And yet, under the
discouraging conditions, they are sent
out annually, 100,000,000 envelopes
and as many postal cards.
What the Law Requires.
1T is required by law that all post
age shall be prepaid, so that any plan
which has been devised will require
the cooperation of outside agency, to
the extent of securing a deposit of
100000 with the department as a
postage fund. The department will
manufacture envelopes and cards
bearing a peculiar stamp which can
easily be recognized, distinguishing it
from ordinary mail These the de-
partment will sell to whatever form
of syndicate may represent the de-
post, at the regular price less the
price of the stamp.
The contractor will distribute them
as they may be ordered by advertis-
ers. after having 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 re-
urned to them without affixing addi-
tional stamp, but on arriving at their
destination they will be held by the
postoffice till the advertiser pays the
regular postage on all such matter as
he actually receives.
Stamp Satisfies the Law.
The moment the envelope or card
S mailed, the stamp which the depart
ment impresses becomes legal stamp
and satisfies the law, while it is OF no
value if the address is changed, and
70 loss to the advertiser if thrown
AWAY. When the advertiser pays the
amount of regular postage on all such
mai as he actually receives, he only
keeps the original deposit intact.
"I is not unusual for the depart
ment 10 rely on outside cooperation.
Pneumatic tubes, for example-and, III
TACT. almost all transportation-are ac-
comi;Iished through private co-opera-
ton. and it is not anticipated tnat
there viii, be any delay or difficulty IN
arranging with some form of corpora
ton. as a reasonable profit Will be al
lowed by government contract TO the
receiver and dispenser; while 1t VIII
no greatly to the advantage of the de-