Where I Stand 1981 — Hank Greenspun: Rising stamp costs just don’t make sense

Friday, Feb. 9, 2001 | 9:17 a.m.

Note to readers: This column by Sun founder Hank Greenspun appeared on March 12, 1981.

Past, present and future.

If the 15-cent stamp is a thing of the past, how can I answer the present questions of my oldest grandson?

The other day he was in my office and picked up a letter. Looking closely at the stamp, he asked, "Who is Oliver Wendell Holmes?"

I explained that Holmes was one of our nation's greatest Supreme Court justices and judicial scholars.

Then I decided to give him a little test.

"Whose picture is on the 1-cent stamp?"

He gave me a bewildered look and asked, "What's a 1-cent stamp?" Giving him the benefit of his youth, I passed over that one and questioned him about a 3-cent stamp.

He tried to humor me, but admitted he didn't know what a 3-cent stamp was, either. And a 2-cent stamp brought a blank look.

Just to prove that I wasn't imagining things, I told him that George Washington's picture was on a 1 cent, Thomas Jefferson's face graced the old 2-cent stamp and Abraham Lincoln was featured on the 3-cent stamp.

My grandson had never seen stamps of such low denominations.

But he did know about 15-cent stamps and he wanted to know why the flag was on one. I explained that it represented our country, which seemed to be a very good reason.

It also reminded me of the famous, funny story comedian Morey Amsterdam told and I passed it along to my grandson. "The reason for the 15-cent stamp is that it costs a nickel to mail the letter and 10 cents for storage."

I never could understand why the postal service finds it necessary to give in to the whim of every special interest group, state official, governmental body or organization that wants a stamp printed. On my desk, there are six 15-cent stamps. They have pictures of two kinds of windmills, a Christmas scene, Holmes, the flag, flowers and W.C. Fields.

There are so many requests for new faces and things, no wonder the postal services decided on a new dimension.

While there is natural resentment to raising the cost of mailing a letter, most persons blame it on inflation and buy the new stamps.

The problem, as I see it, is that the higher rate is going to give us the same old service -- rotten. Will they guarantee one-day delivery on a letter mailed in Las Vegas, or the usual five days for a cross-town delivery?

In the 2- and 3-cent stamp days, the postman was part of the family. He came around every day, delivering the mail. The kids all knew him, and many times he would arbitrate a fight. He was like a cop on the beat and knew more about the neighborhood than the people who lived there.

We don't care about going back to the good old days, but it sure would be nice to have the assurance that increased rates will provide improved service.

At one time the postal service held the same place in our hearts as mother, apple pie and baseball. But it has fallen into disrepute. The affection and awe we had as kids for the Pony Express carried over to the post office. But it's gone now. Today we curse slow delivery and turn to optional services for quick mail.

Whatever caused the postal department to reach this sad state of affairs -- labor, inflation or poor administration -- let us hope the increased rate will solve those problems.

Rain, sleet, storm and other natural catastrophes, according to legend, could never stop the postman on his rounds.

If the 18-cent postage stamps is going to turn things around, we're not against it, although the cost of mailing a letter is traumatic to those of us who used to paste a 2-cent stamp on the envelope and send the missive on its way. But those were the days when a loaf of bread was a dime and a cup of coffee a nickel. It's all relative.

I hope my grandson will be able to learn whose picture is on the 18-cent stamp before it goes to 20.

We don't mind paying the 18 cents -- providing the mail doesn't go into storage for a month.