The Washington herald., 1912-08-29
OPINIONS DIFFER
ON POSTAL LAW
Business Men, However, Favor Hon.
delivery of Mail on the
Sabbath.
BUSINESS WEEK ENDS
SATURDAY, SAY MANY
Hotels Are Indifferent, As the Pro-
visions Of the Measure
Favor Them.

ment of Sunday post-offlce services. as
provided under Postmaster General
Hitchcock's plans based upon recent leg
islation. vary from the sentiment that to
distribute mail to lock boxes of news
papers and hotels, as proposed. and to
none else. is an unwarranted discrimina-
ton. to the feeling that 10 give the dis
tributing clerks rest on Sunday is
nothing more than what they ought to
have and nothing more than what the
public ought to give them very willingly.
Most Washington business men inter-
viewed yesterday were pleased with the
new order of things. They said they
believed that very few persons would
be inconvenienced at any time by the
plan to make no distribution OF mail to
the lock boxes between midnight Satur-
day and midnight Sunday, according to
the new system.
Views on Subject.
Isaac Cans, a prominent member of
the Chamber OF Commerce and the Re.
tail Merchants Association, said:
1T think 1t is a very good thing so
far as the stores are concerned. and we
are very much pleased with the new
orders. We do not send to the post
office for mail on Sunday now-we have
just gotten out of the habit. We do no
business on Sunday, and therefore have
never really needed the mail on that
day. And we are very glad the clerks
are to have a real Sunday every week
d. S. Porter, chairman of the Board Of
Trade committee on industrial interests,
stated that he had had no expression
from other members of the committee
and Of the board upon the new regula-
tons.
II do not feel that I have looked sufi- |
ciently far into the matter to determine |
its merits" Mr.. Porter stated. Per |
sonally. think that the nondelivery of
mail, except special delivery mail. on |
Sundays, as bringing relief. to Sunday |
workers, Is all right"
Mr.. Porter, who is division manager Of |
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone |
Company, said he expected the curtail- |
ment OF the Sunday service would not af
feet the company's business.
1t was recalled by members Of both |
the Board OF Trade and the Chamber |
Of Commerce that those bodies had fav-
ored the rules by which delivery and col
lection of mail by the carriers on Sun
day was discontinued. Their sentiments,
as expressed on that issue. were that the
resultant inconvenience to citizens was
while the accrued benefits
to the carriers were cheaply and cheerily
bought at so slight loss.
Similar sentiments were expressed when
the Sunday service at the carriers win
dows was discontinued.
Some Objections Made.
Two objections to the regulations just
however, were especially not
able. They came from James E. Oyster.
president of the Chamber of Commerce,
and a well-known merchant. and Thomas
Grant. secretary of the Chamber OF Com
nerce.
Both declared that they saw no reason
Why citizens who rent lock boxes should
lot get their Sunday mail.
If citizens pay for special boxes they
,ught to have the privilege of getting
heir mai" President Oyster said. Il do
Tot see any reason for a discrimination
n favor Of hotels and the press. II
hey get their Sunday mail there is no
eason why others shoul1 not"
The objections of Capt. Oyster and
dr. Grant had few echoes in Washing ;
on, but in other cities there was far .
more adverse than favorable criticism.
he hotel men here say:
IF We can get our mail on Sundays we i
ave no reason to complain against the ,
ew regulations. But II we can't, then ,
re are in for trouble. 1t is stated that
Te are not included in the provisions of
he new legislation as 1t will be put ,
1to effect, and If we are not, then, of :
curse, We shall not be hurt. But IL :
re are excepted, our business will be :
lied with many almost incalculable diff .
ulties"
Saturday Ends Business. Z
The hotel men in other cities, making Q
o allowance for any exception that may
e made in their favor. are up in arms
gainst the regulations. So are bankers
nd other business men. which is not the
ase here. There are few Of them op- 7
osed broker said that he did not 5
ant mail on Sunday.
''If we get mail on Saturday afternoon, ID
fter the half days work is done. we n
ont open it. We couldn't do anything b
18th II IL We did open 1t and read 1t
Henty times. n
Even Saturday is getting to be some p
hat of a dies non in business. Business T
beginning to cease practically on Fri
ay afternoon
II the general delivery is closed Sun
avs, as is possible, there probably will 4.
e many complains, especially from m
ansients in the city. Officials of the -
Washington post-office said yesterday s.
ley did not know il this would be done. 3
No expressions of opinion by people of
lie District have been received at the es
post-ofice. 1t was said by
ficials there yesterday. The officials
elieve that the complaints will be few
Oficials of the Post-ofice Department sr
lid they, too, had not had any ex- at
-essions from the public as to the ef-
cts of the new service. A SUNDAYS A.
ying out, it is thought, will be the Al