The New Postal Law

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Sep 26, 1912

The New Postal Law

It becomes more and more apparent that the motive back of the effort to secure the passage of the Sunday-closing proviso attached to the Post-office Appropriation Bill was a religious one. While some who favored the proviso disclaimed any such idea, yet even they can not prevent this action of Congress from being interpreted and used as legislation in favor of the religious observance of Sunday. The general secretary of the Lord's Day Alliance, Dr. George W. Grannis, engineered the movement to secure this law, and regards it as a great victory in behalf of Sunday observance. This is clear from his statements in the public press. From an article by him in the Christian Advocate of New York (Sept. 12, 1912) we make the following extracts:—

“The outcry of the secular press of New York City against the action of Congress closing all first- and second-class post-offices of the country to the public on the Lord's day ought not to pass unnoticed.

“The reasons for this action, in common with most of the great movements which underlie the moral and spiritual interests of the nation, are not understood by those who deal almost exclusively with matters, secular and temporal. The fact is, conditions under the law that went into effect last Lord's day, will differ but little from what has been in operation in over ninety per cent of the offices for more than a year. The only difference, what has been gained depended almost entirely upon the will of the Postmaster-General. A word from him could have changed all. We had no fear of the present administration's going back to the old order, but we had no way of knowing how long the present administration would be in power, or what the attitude of a new administration might be. To make sure, Congress was appealed to, and saw fit to put its seal of approval upon a movement that has resulted in greatly increasing the efficiency of the service, and resulted in a great moral and spiritual uplift to the men in the service. We have the assurance from postmasters in many of the leading cities that since the men in the service have been relieved from unnecessary Sunday labor, there is a marked improvement in their moral tone. In further proof of this, the Hon. W. G. Haskell, postmaster of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said to the writer in June last, that since the men in his office had a chance to attend church, eight of them had become Christians, and that he, though not a professed Christian, was daily helped and inspired to better living by their example. The Lord's Day Alliance of the United States, through its general secretary, has led this movement, and everywhere the men in the service express their gratitude through arrangements for public meetings, banquets, receptions, etc.

“The following letter from Mr. Grandfield, First Assistant Postmaster-General, proves that the restriction of Sunday delivery of mail has not been the great hardship that the press of New York City would have people believe:—

“Nov. 11, 1911. “Your letter of the 10th instant, enclosing copy of the program of the twenty-third annual meeting of the Lord's Day Alliance of the United States, to be held in New York City on Monday evening, November 13, has been received. I regret exceedingly that the pressure of official business will prevent my attending the meeting.

“The success that has attended the department's efforts to reduce Sunday work in post-offices is very gratifying, and speaks volumes not only for the tact displayed by our postmasters, but for the strong sentiment of the American people in favor of observing Sunday as a day of rest. The department has received thousands of letters commending this action to one protesting against Sunday closing, and the employees of the postal service throughout the country owe a debt of gratitude to your organization and similar organizations that have brought about the wonderful change in public sentiment. “Yours very truly, “C. P. Grandfield, “First Assistant Postmaster-General.”

“We could lengthen this story beyond all reasonable limit; but why should we? The mail service under the new order is better than ever in its history. The men in the service are a unit in declaring that it is the best of all reforms that have come to them. Business has not suffered, and the traveling public has in no sense been inconvenienced.”

In spite of the outcry of the secular press, it is hardly likely that this proviso will be repealed. It is more probable that further legislation will be demanded and secured, now that the first step has been taken.