The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-11-28
POSTAL SERVICE !
MUCH IMPROVED
POst0ffice Department Educating PEG.
pie, to the Great Facilities
They Enjoy.

AHcy HAyOys
The Postal Department at Wash
ington, with q view Of educating the
public to the facilities offered by the
p~ostoffice service to induce them to
cooperate more fully with the post
office authorities, has started a cam
paign.to that end.
! Such a campaign is, a good thing.
Every citizen in the United States
should be well versed in the benefits
that we enjoy The average citizen
knows more about every other lire of
business in his home town than he
does about his postoffice, in which
he is more vitality concerned.
The postal service has progressed
and developed in recent years more
than any other department of the Ma
tional government. It was the first
department in which any elasticity
was shown. Only a few years ago the
Postoffice Department became self
sustaining, when it should have been
at all times.
The parcel post is handling approx
imately 1,100,00O,OO0 parcels q year,
and the end is not yet. The people
are just nov learning to depend upon
the parcel post.
In a statement sent to Congressman
Rainey Of Illinois, who read it in the
House, the Postmaster General speak
ing of what the postal service has
done, said in part:
When the parcel post was first es-
tablished the rate of postage for the
first zone was 5 cents for the first
pounds and 3 cents for each additional
pound; it is now 5 cents for the first
pound and l cent for each additional
pound. For the second zone the rate
was s cents for the first pound and 4
cents for each additional pound; it is
now S cents for the first pound and /
cent for each additional pound. The
rate for the third zone was Z cents
for the first pound and 5 cents for
each additional pound; it is now 6
cents for the first pound and 2 cents
for each additional pound. The rate
for the fourth zone was 3 cents for the
first pound and 6 cents for each addi-
tional pound; it is now 7 cents for the
first pound and 4 cents for each ad-
ditional pound. The rate for the fifth
zone was . cents for the first pound
and z cents for each additional pound;
it is now 8 cents for the first pound
and s cents for each additional pound.
The rate for the sixth zone was 10
cents for the first pound and 9 cents
for each additional pound; it is now 9
cents for the first pound and 8 cents
for each additional pound. The rate
for the seventh zone was 11'cents for
the first pound and 10 cents for each
additional pound; this rate has not
been changed. The rate for the eighth
zone was IL cents for the first pound
and IL cents for each additional
pound; this rate has not been changed.
The principal reductions in rates
were made effective August Is, 1918,
and January l, 1914.
Postal Savings.
The number of postal savings de-
positors has increased from 10000
at the beginning Of March, 1918, to
100000 at the end Of June, 1916, while
the amount deposited has increased
during the same period from $30,OO0,-
600 to $50, 600, 900. The gain of
nearly 80 per cent in the per capita
deposit is convincing evidence of the
prosperity of the working people Of
this country, who are the principal
patrons of postal savings banks. 1t is
also noteworthy that 50 per cent Of
the total number of depositors are
foreign born, and that they own "
per cent Of total savings deposited.
This indicates growing confidence on
their part in American institutions.
Many of these people formerly were
patrons of foreign postal savings sys-
tens. A recent act of Congress, rec
by Postmaster General
raises the limit of deposit
by any one person from $500 to
1000, exclusive of accumulated in
This Immediately resulted in
pronounced increased in deposits. It
is estimated that the $500 limit placed
in the original postal savings law Of
1910 turned away almost as much
money as was accepted. The Postal
Savings System as a whole has been
brought to a s~elf-sustaining basis and
for the past three years has yielded a
substantial profit.
Money Orders.
Postal money orders have been
made payable at any postoffice in the
United States, thus adding materially
to the convenience of many thousands
If postal patrons. Formerly they were
payable only at the office upon which
drawn.