Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-01-06

which are sold in postofices all over the land, This
takes no account of the souvenir or picture postcards
which are sold in the United States by the millions ev-
cry year. OF course, there is nothing official about these
illustrated postcards. They do not bear on their face,
as do federal postcards, a stamp emitting them to trans
mission through the mails, and such souvenir card is car
uied in the mails only when a one-cent stamp is affixed
to it. Consequently it is the enormous swelling of the
sales Of onecent stamps and not the expansion of the
governmental postcard trade that indicates the enormous
and widespread popularity of the souvenir postcard fad
in recent years.
The postmaster general is going to pay upward of a
million dollars for the postal cards which will be issued
to the patrons of our postal system between now and
New Year day, 1915. However, this new contract is char
-acterized by several features of great interest aside from
6he large amount of money represented. Foremost among
these is the fact that Uncle Sam is. in effect, contract.
ing to supply himself with postal cards of his own manu-.
facture. Heretofore all the postal cards required in this
country have been turned out by private manufacturers
and, indeed, for years past, the manufacture of postal
cards has been the principal industry of the little city
of Rumford Falls, Me. Henceforth, however, the gov
eminent will print its postal cards at the great govern
ment printing office in Washington, the largest printing
plant in the world.
The ~postofice department will continue to pay for
che postal cards, just as 1t did when they were obtained
from private manufacturers. but the process will amount
to Uncle Sam taking money out of one pocket and put
ting into another. AT the same time the government
will save money by the new plan of obtaining its post
card supplies. 1t has been realized for some time past
by the postofice officials that it would be a great con-
venience IL the government could print its own postal
cards at Washington (the point from which they are
distributed to all parts of the country instead of hav-
ing them manufactured in Maine, with the consequent
loss Of time in sending them to Washington for distri-
button. The government had proven by years Of practice
that 1t could produce its postage stamps and its paper
money more cheaply than If the work were given to out
siders. and accordingly Postmaster General Hitchcock,
who is a live business man, determined to see If a SINH
lar saving, combined with more efficient service, could
not be effected In the case Of the postcards. The gov
ernment printing office submitted competitive bids on
the same basis as it's outside rivals and 1t underbid
them all.
"A second important feature in connection with the
new contract for postal cards is found in the fact that
this new deal contemplates cards Of better quality than
have heretofore been in use. Especially will there be a
marked improvement in the surface Of the card and this
swilI enable 1t to take ink more readily. In future, prob
ably, there will be few complaints from people who are