The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-31
HITCHCOCK POSTAL LAW.
WILL NOT MOLEST IMPORTANT
MAIL NATTER
Will be Sorted on Cars-NaiI for Ho.
tel Guests and Newspapers Will
be Delivered on Sunday as UusaI.

washington, Aug. 27.-Plans were
perfected by Postmaster General
Hitchcock today whereby the admin.
istration of the new law prohibiting
the delivery of mail on SUNDAYS vii
nave no serious effect upon the han.
ding of important mail matter. Hold
ers of lock boxes at first and second
class postOffices will have access to
them as usual, although no mail de-
llverieS Will be made by carriers on
the street or postoffice windows. Mai
Tor MOTEL guests and newspapers will
be delivered through their lock
boxes by simple arrangement of
having that mail sorted on the rail
way mail cars before it reaches IFS
destination. Such mail will be re-
garded as transit matter and will
be distributed Immediately upon its
arrival at the offices of destination.
thus practically insurng a speedier
delivery to the addresses than here
tofore has been the case.
This distribution will require a min
imum Of Sunday work and the dis
tribution of other mail received on
Sunday will be made after midnight
of Sunday so that it may be deliver
ed by the carriers on their first tour
on Monday.
After all day conferences with the
experts Of his department Postmaster
General Hitchcock tonight issued a
statement explanatory Of his admin
istration Of the new law. His assu-
rance is that there will be no en-
barrassment to the business public
and that. through the arrangements
he outlines. urgent mail matter will
reach its destination promptly. Or
ders necessary to carry Mr. Hitch
cocks plans into effect will be issued
Immediately.
The postmaster generals statement
said in part:
There appears to be some misap-
prehension as regards the provision
In the postal bill relating to the de-
livery Of mail on Sundays This pro-
vision does not require the closing Of
postofiices on Sundays which would
be quite impossible. owing to facc the
transit mail has to be sorted and also
the mail collected in cities for dis
patch to other destinations. To s1op
the movement Of this mail wouSld
mean a serious clogging of the whole
system and consequent Inconvenience
to the public.
AT present most of the mail re-
ceived Sunday for delivery by car
rier Monday morning is worked after,
midnight on Sunday and therefore,
the law will affect this mail. 1t will
be delivered as promptly as hitherto.
Mail received up to midnight; on. Sat-
urday for lock boxes will be distrib-
uted to the boxes and will be avail
able to box holders on Sunday as
usual.
"There is at present no street de-,
livery of mail by letter carriers ON
Sunday and therefore the law makes
no changes in this regard. In short.
the only mail that will be affected UNI
der a reasonable construction OF the
new law Is that received at the post
Offices on Sunday hitherto distributed
on that day to local lock boxes.
''As the purpose of the law, which
was clearly enacted in the interest of
employers. is to reduce as far as
practicable the amount Of Sunday la
Dor the work of distributing Sunday
mail to lock boxes will be limited 10
certain classes of mail that can not be
held until Monday morning without
serious inconvenience to the ad-
dresses This mail will include that
for newspapers and hotel guests.
'1n order to give the new provis~
ion as liberal a construction as pos
sible, pOstmasters will be Instructed
on application. to have their employees
sort out, in emergency cases on Sun
day letters Of special Importance
This will supplement the present
privilege of having all mail delivered
on Sunday that carries a special de-
livery stamp.
"By the proposed changes in the
method of putting ny mail in the of
fees of origin and in its handling OF
the railway mail trains it is believed