Sunday Closing of Post-Offices by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Aug 22, 1912

Sunday Closing of Post-Offices

By Editor

After being in the hands of the Committee on Post-offices and Post-roads for some weeks, the Post-office Appropriation Bill has been reported to the Senate. The bill, as passed by the House, contained the following proviso:—

"*Provided, That hereafter post-offices of the first and second classes shall not be opened on Sundays for the purpose of delivering mail to the general public. But this provision shall not prevent the prompt delivery of special-delivery mail."

As has already been reported in these columns, an effort was made to secure a hearing upon this subject, but without success. A statement, however, was submitted, setting forth the reasons for opposition to this proviso, but in submitting the bill to the Senate, the committee, in its accompanying report, took pains to recommend that this proviso be retained. We quote from its report:—

"In making appropriations for the compensation of postmasters and clerks, the House bill provides that post-offices of the first and second classes shall not be open on Sunday, but that this provision shall not prevent the prompt delivery of special-delivery mail. The Senate committee joins in recommending the adoption of this provision.

"While it is true that Sunday closing of post-offices of the third and fourth classes would greatly inconvenience the people in rural communities who are accustomed to go to town on Sundays and get their mail, this inconvenience is not felt by patrons of first- and second-class offices, who are almost entirely residents of cities. In a large number of first- and second-class offices the distribution and delivery of mail either at windows or from boxes has been discontinued already and without any material complaint from the people.

"It has been suggested by some that the provision be changed so as to permit the delivery of mail for one hour or for delivery of mail through boxes on Sunday, but on a moment's reflection it will be readily apparent that the delivery of any portion of the mail for any portion of the day necessitates handling and distributing the entire mail, and, consequently, the employment of a considerable number of clerks, thus defeating the purpose to be accomplished. We believe that so long as the law applies to all alike, and does not permit one man to secure his mail while denying it to others, this provision, which insures post-office clerks one day's rest in seven, is a wise one, and should be adopted. Senders of mail reaching its destination on Sunday can insure prompt delivery by affixing a special-delivery stamp."

As soon as this report was laid before the Senate, a letter was prepared and sent to each senator, stating in a brief form the grounds of objection to this proviso. The body of the letter follows:—

"The Post-office Appropriation Bill, now before the Senate, contains the following proviso:—

"In behalf of this association, I beg to submit the following reasons why we are opposed to this proviso, and request that you use your influence to have it eliminated from the bill.

"1. The proposed legislation is unnecessary. As pertinent to this case we quote from the report adopted by the Senate in 1829, in reply to petitioners who asked that the mail service should be discontinued on Sunday:—

"‘It is the opinion of the committee that the subject should be regarded simply as a question of expediency, irrespective of its religious bearing. In this light it has hitherto been considered.

Congress has never legislated upon the subject. It rests, as it ever has done, in the legal discretion of the Postmaster-General, under the repeated refusals of Congress to discontinue the Sabbath mails. His knowledge and judgment in all the concerns of that department will not be questioned.’—American State Papers, page 240.

"We wish it to be clearly understood that we are in favor of the observance of the Bible Sabbath, and are not urging that employees of any service be required to work seven days in the week; but we believe that this whole matter ought to be left within the discretion of the Postmaster-General. If he should decide to direct that post-offices be closed on Sunday, we should make no protest.

"2. The proposed legislation would violate a precedent which has been followed for over a century.

"Congress has thus far consistently refused to legislate upon the question of Sunday rest, and we urge that it should not now depart from this wise and well-established principle.

"3. This proposed legislation will commit Congress, to a certain extent, to taking sides in a religious controversy. This is the position maintained in the House Report of 1830 on Sunday Mails as stated in these words:—

"‘If Congress shall, by the authority of law, sanction the measure recommended, it would constitute a legislative decision of a religious controversy, in which even Christians themselves are at issue.’—Id., page 250.

"The designation of Sunday as a day of rest in the Post-office Department makes a distinction between that day and other days of the week, which, in the last analysis, is based upon the supposedly religious character of the day. In view of the difference of opinion which exists as to which day is the Sabbath, it would be highly proper for Congress to refrain from any legislation which could be cited as tending to settle this question, or could be appealed to as a precedent for a law requiring Sunday rest.

"I hope the reasons here given will be deemed by you sufficient to warrant you in making an effort to have this proviso stricken from the Post-office Bill."

The most of the replies received to this letter were of a mere formal nature, but one senator expressed himself as being in hearty accord with our position.

At the present writing, the bill is still before the Senate, but inasmuch as it is one of the large appropriation bills, it must be acted upon before adjournment.