Evening journal., 1911-02-16
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Incident That Led to
TwO-Cent Letter Postage
By "HOIIand.v

In the spring OF 1883, a few weeks
after the adjournment of Congress,
had a good opportunity to chat with
John Hill OF New Jersey whose term
as a member of Congress expired on
March 4th. OF that year.
HILL" | said, Il presume you feel
greatly gratified over your success In
persuading Congress TO adopt the two
cent rate for letter postage. / presume
you have been congratulated, and
want to tell you that / have heard
members OF Congress say that your
triumph Is the only one they know OF
the kind, for II was exclusively a one
mans fight from the beginning TO the
end"
Yes" replied Mr.. Hill" l have re.
ceived many expressions OF congratu-
lation. aud some from quarters where
| least expected them. | am absolutely
certain that all that l predicted as a
result Of reducing letter postage from
three cents to two cents will be found
70 have been accurate within the next
two or three years
AS we walked along / observed that
Mr.. Hill was q much larger and heav-
Ter man than he appeared TO be when
of Representatives He was clean
shsven and of large features, and had
especially clear and penetrating eyes
II was easy to see In the lines of his
face that patience and perseverance
we're fundamental characteristics in
his nature, and as I studied him At
close range | began to realize how II
was that he, who in 1881 had intro
duced q bill which was almost laughed
at and generally deemed absurd-a
bill which called for reduction Of let
ter postage from three cents TO two
cents--stuck 10 that purpose until at
last. he persuaded a majority of Con-
gress to agree with him. | asked Mr..
Hill when and how the idea Of two
cent letter postage had occurred TO
him.
"I think that the first suggestion of
two-cent letter postage came to me
while | was serving as Postmaster in
my native town of Boontown, N. j."
he replied, zone Of my friends said TO
me one day: Why don't We cut a
three-cent stamp IN two, and then
with each half send an open letter?
At the moment / thought this remark
no more than a joke. but it set me 10
thinking, and | speedily became per-
suaded that II the government should
issue blank cards, bearing a one-cent
stamp, they would be purchased in
enormous quantities, for they could be
used either for advertising or for open
letter-writing purposes.
"The more I thought Of that the
more persuaded ] was that the idea
was a sound one. I determined to take
It up. I began to agitate what is now
called the postal card. At first the idea
did not take with members of Con-
gress, but at last the committee on
post Offices and post roads thought II
was worth while to make the expert.
ment, and in that way we got postal
cards.
What followed made it clear 10 M
that # we we're to reduce letter post
age from three cents to two cents
there would be such an increase II
the use of the mails for correspond
ence as would more than make goot
the loss of one cent. ] decided to de
vote myself to this plan. Il was th'
only reason why | was willing TO sta.
in Congress | sacrificed everything
else 90 II. believe that is the way (
succeed in securing favorable actor
upon any measure before Congress-
stick to one thing
We'll. | stuck to two-cent lettel
postage. presume ] bored my friends
but at last I compelled the COMMITTEES
TO study my statistics, and It was per
susded that my view was correct. Tha
after all. was nothing but the adap
tlon Of ordinary business methods
The cheaper a thing, the greater th'
sale. The cheaper postage is, the largel
will be the use Of the mails II were
a Younger man / should begin agita
ton In favor of universal one-cen
postage for all letters. It won't com'
I'm my day. but It may in yours
Having brought about two-cent let
! ter postage, Mr.. Hill gradually return
ed to his peaceful life as a banker a
| Boonton, New Jersey, gratife1 tina
his name would be identified with
sweeping reduction in the price Of let
ter postage TO any part of the Unite'
States.
Copyright. 1911, by y. J Edwards. al
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell q
"The Inyeterate Smoker Who COuldp