OUR POSTAL BUSINESS
Up to a few years ago, it was the city, town and village dweller
who reaped the greatest benefit from the post office.
In dense communities carriers leave the mail at the place to which
it is addressed. Where this is not done the walk for the mail is
not far.
Now the purpose of our Government, which is of the people and by
the people, is to treat all the people alike.
However, up to a few years ago the farmer, our most essential
producer, had not a fair deal.
Fortunately things have changed and are still changing for the
better.
Rural Free Delivery was an idea as just as it was grand, and as
welcome as it was necessary.
The good work began October 1, 1896.
The purpose of rural free delivery is to accommodate dwellers in
the country, whether farmers or not.
Through this branch of the service mails are carried daily, on
fixed lines of travel, to people who otherwise would have to go
long distances to reach a post office.
The Government requires that the states or counties shall keep in
good condition the roads traversed by the mail carriers.
Gates must not obstruct, and it is required that every unfordable
stream shall be bridged.
It is further required, as a condition for establishing a line for
rural free delivery, that each route of twenty-four or more miles
in length shall have at least one hundred families resident on
either side.
CLASSIFIED MAIL MATTER
Mail matter is divided into four classes. For each class a
different rate is charged.
First Class:--All letters, and all other written matter, with a
few exceptions, pay two cents for each ounce, or fraction of an
ounce.
Second Class:--Newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals, one
cent for each four ounces or fraction of four ounces. Publishers
of periodicals, sending direct from place of publication, get a
lower rate,--one cent a pound.
Third Class:--Books, circulars, and other printed matter, one cent
for two ounces or fraction of two ounces.
Fourth Class:--Merchandise and miscellaneous articles, weighing
not over four pounds, one cent for each ounce or fraction of an
ounce.
POSTAL RULES
1. On a tag, or the paper on which the address is written, the
sender of third class matter may write "from" and add his own name
and address.
2. On the blank leaf of a book, forwarded as third class matter,
the sender may write a dedication or inscription, but it must not
be in the form of a letter.
3. Fourth class matter must be so wrapped that the postal
authorities can examine the contents without much trouble.
4. Such articles as glass, nails, needles or other matter that
might work injury if it came loose, must be enclosed in two
separate wrappings, or a double case.
5. Poisons, explosives, inflammable substances, and live animals
are excluded from the mails.
6. Firearms may only be sent in detached parts.
7. All alcoholic liquors are regarded as explosive.
FOREIGN RATES
The rates to Canada are the same for all classes of matter as in
the United States, except that seeds, scions, bulbs, cuttings, and
roots are one cent per ounce.
To Cuba all the rates are the same as for domestic matter.
Rates with Mexico are the same as if mailed between our own
states. Packages are limited to 4 pounds 6 ounces, except that
single books may weigh more. Merchandise must be sent by parcel
post.
To all other countries, in what is known as the "Postal Union",
the rates for letters are five cents for each half ounce or
fraction thereof.
Postal cards two cents each, double four cents.
Registration fees or letters or other articles, four cents each.
Ordinary letters for foreign countries, except Canada, Cuba and
Mexico, must be forwarded, whether any postage is paid on them or
not.
All other mailable matter must be prepaid.
Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Tetuila, the Philippines and Porto Rico are
regarded as insular or territorial possessions of the United
States, and are entitled to the same postal rates.
STAMPS
Postage stamps may be purchased at any United States post office,
or at any place authorized to sell them.
Anyone may sell postage stamps as he would any other personal
asset.
If stamps are bought to be enclosed in a letter, they should never
be of a higher denomination than twos and ones, as they are easily
disposed of.
Letters should always be stamped on the upper right-hand corner of
the envelope.
Packages should be stamped in the same way and on the addressed
side.
The using of cancelled stamps is a felony.
Foreign stamps have no value on letters or parcels mailed in the
United States.
A domestic, unstamped letter will not be forwarded.
If a stamped letter is found to require more postage, the amount
lacking is stamped on the letter, and must be paid by the
receiver.
Stamped envelopes and stamped wrappers are sold by the post office
at the usual rates of postage, with the cost of the paper added.
If a stamped envelope or wrapper is spoiled, the stamp must not be
cut off and used by pasting on another envelope or wrapper, for it
will be treated as if no postage were paid.
Such spoiled wrappers or envelopes will be exchanged, without
charge, by the postmaster, for stamps of the same value.
POSTAL CARDS
Never use a postal card to dun a debtor.
Never send a confidential message on a postal card.
Foreign postal cards, that is those bearing a foreign stamp,
cannot be used in the United States.
An international postal card can be bought.
Postal cards and letters may be redirected and forwarded without
extra charge, where the address of the receiver has been changed.
Packages require a renewal of payment in such cases.
REGISTERING LETTERS
A letter or a parcel may be registered to further insure its safe
delivery.
When a letter or parcel is registered, it must have the sender's
name and address written across the left-hand end of the envelope
and on the reverse side.
In addition to the stamps required ordinarily, eight cents in
stamps or in a regularly prepared stamp, is the registration fee.
The clerk, receiving a registered parcel, gives the sender a
receipt for the same. After the letter has reached its
destination, the sender gets a second receipt, through the post
office, signed with the receiver's name.
The receiver of a registered parcel signs two receipts, one for
the post office and the other for the sender.
SPECIAL DELIVERY
The purpose of what is known, in connection with the post office,
as the "Special Delivery System", is to insure the delivery of any
letter or package to the person, to whom it is addressed, as soon
as it reaches his post office.
In addition to the regular post charge, a fee of 10 cents is added
for special delivery. This is in the form of a special stamp,
though when this cannot be had, the same amount in ordinary stamps
may be attached.
In the case noted, the sender should write in line with the
stamps, "special delivery."
Special delivery messages are delivered, not by ordinary carriers,
but by special delivery messengers.
The special delivery letter is used when immediate knowledge is
necessary. It saves a long telegram.
MONEY ORDERS
Money, in limited sums, may be sent through the post office. One
advantage of sending money in this way is that it practically
insures the sender against loss.
All post offices are not money order offices.
A post office money order may only be sent to those places where
there are such offices.
At all post offices, authorized to send money orders, proper
blanks can be had on which the sender can write his order.
Any sum may be sent by postal order, from one cent to one hundred
dollars.
The fee is from three to thirty cents.
Read the blank carefully; it is simple, but be sure you understand
it before filling out the order.
If in doubt, ask the clerk.
Having filled out the order, hand it to the clerk with the sum
required, and the additional fee.
The clerk then prepares and hands out an order for the amount, on
the postmaster of the town to which you are sending your letter,
and this you enclose to your correspondent.
CASHING POST OFFICE ORDERS
The money order never contains the name of the sender; this the
postmaster of the office from which it is sent supplies in a
separate communication to the postmaster who is to pay.
No money passes from one office to the other.
A post office order is like a draft drawn by one postmaster on
another. The one credits the sum, the other debits it.
The holder of an order will not get his money unless he is known
to the paying postmaster or is identified.
Before paying an order the postmaster requires the holder to
receipt it.
A post office money order, like a check or draft, may be
transferred to another for collection.
Banks receive transferred money orders as if they were cash
deposits.
The party to whom orders are transferred must go through the same
forms at the office, where payment is made, as if he was the
original payee.
ADVICE
It is not necessary to register letters containing checks. Never
write "personal" on a business letter.
Always enclose a stamp for reply when writing to a stranger.
See that the addresses on your letters are distinctly legible.