Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-10-06

give a total of 51.e47 post offices In
the states and territories of the coun-
try as compared with 52,16S for the
fiscal year ending July 1, 1921, and
52,63S for the fiscal year ending July
l, 1920. The records show that the
decrease In the total nmber of post
offices began 81 years ago and has
continued steadily. The year 1901
saw the greatest number Of post of
fees. when there were 76,945. Begin
ming with 1902 a decline started. the
number of post offices falling of
consecutively at an average OF 235
per year, until 1922, when the total
showed 5l.947.
The smallest number Of post offices
In the history of the department was
during the first year of the establish
ment of postal service 1t was the
year 1889, and there were exactly rs.
After 1901. when the territory Of the
United States began to expand west
ward, the demands for postal service
and for new post offices became so
urgent that during the first half CEN
fury of 1900 1900. tho number of post
offices practically doubled every ten
years. During the last so years of
1S00-190G the increase every ten years
continued steadily at smaller rate
until 1901, when the pinnacle was
reached.
Due to Rural Route Extension.
Postal authorities attribute the
gradual decline in the number Of post
offices since 1901 to the extension of
rural routes throughout the country
districts, which made 1t unnecessary
to maintain many Of the smaller Of.
| fees.
The proposal to change the design
on stamps of certain denominations
has brought an influx of suggestions
to the Post Office department. Every
one has an idea which he or she thinks
should be reproduced on the new
stamps. Many of the suggestions are
well taken, and possibly may influ-
ence the decision as to the various
designs. Others, however. range from
the ridiculous to the purposely face
tious. The suggestions also range from
portraits Of prominent men in history
to views of famous American scenery
and to patriotic symbols.
While Babe Ruth and Charlie Chap
lin and other stars of the baseball
and movie worlds are not receiving
majority vote in the suggestions, they
are not entirely neglected by persons
who would like to see their favorlte
hero immortalized on postage stamp.
Among the suggestions for prominent
men by far the largest number are
coming in for Theodore Roosevelt,
with Abraham Lincoln and General
Grant next. Others suggest Niagara
Falls, Fanueil hall, Mount Shasta, yell
lowstone park. Washington cross
ing the Delaware, signing the Declar-
alton Of Independence, the petrif1ed
forest Of Colorado, and so on.
Odd Designo Suggested.
Another suggester sought distinction
in shape to meet the difficulty in dis
tinguishlng present issues by having
one denomination at least made In the
shape of rainbow, with care that
all colors be reproduced in their ex-
act shade. Postal employees have been
unable to determine whether another
suggestion for a stamp depicting a
fiivver with an eagle rampant upon
the radiator was made seriously or
was meant to merely add another
joke to the list. They are all posi-
tive, however, that the suggestion for
'1ove stamp" was made In all sim
certify, because the author of that sug-
gestion went into considerable detail
to explain his Cor her) idea. The de-
sign of this particular stamp was left
to the best judgment Of postal officials,
but the idea was to protect tender
missives of love" from rough handling
and dissertation by the carriers and to
insure their passage "tenderly through
the mails"
Mourning stamps, printed In black
ink, to be affixed to death notices and
letters of sympathy Is another sug-
gestion coming from more than one
source. A delayed Christmas stamp"
Is another suggestion. Under this idea
Christmas packages could be mailed
at any time during the year and held
in storage at the post Office until Kris
Kringle again walks throughout the
land. Present storage facilities, how
ever, would make this plan unwork-
able.
The number of inventors" with
weird Improvements for the postal
service is really amazing. Each
change of administration and the ar
rival of each new postmaster general
is signal for the return of inventors
whose inventions were declined by
previous administrations and who hope
the new official will reverse the de-
cision Of his predecessor.