MAIL GOES THROUGH

There are few organizations that have been the butt of jokes more than the U.S. Postal Service. It is a fact that employees of the massive, national mail service endure for the most part. But a careful look at the Postal Service's track record shows that the foul-ups and mail snafus are the exceptions, not the rule. In fact, the nation's letter carriers get good marks for such things as on-time delivery of first-class mail.

During last week's meeting in Cape Girardeau of some 300 postmasters from around the state, there was a good deal of justifiable pride taken in the latest reports on on-time delivery. Nationwide, 90 percent of the overnight first-class mail reached its destination on time. Still better was the report for deliveries handled by the Cape Girardeau Post Office: 94 percent.

In a complicated world where technological advances affect every facet of life, the mail still goes through because the men and women of the Postal Service go from mailbox to mailbox to make sure birthday greetings, letters from relatives, business bills, government checks and advertising material reach their proper destination. While the Postal Service is taking advantage of technology to speed deliveries, the human factor is still an important part of the mail system.

Americans tend to get grumpy every time postage rates go up, but 32 cents to send a letter anywhere in the country with a 90-plus percent assurance of on-time delivery is a bargain by almost any standard. Postage rates in virtually every other country are considerably higher and, in many cases, less dependable.

In addition to taking advantage of computerized systems for hurrying the mail along (bar codes on envelopes can automatically route mail to the very carrier who will deliver it), the Postal Service also has made some prudent business decisions that should save money. For example, soon the Postal Service will no longer deliver postage-due mail, hoping the recipient will pay the difference. In the first place, the recipient often doesn't want mail that comes with insufficient postage and is reluctant to fork over even a few cents extra. In addition, the process of collecting extra postage after the mail is delivered is time-consuming and costly.

Now it will be up to mailers, whether it is an aunt in Milwaukee or the business down the street, to make sure proper postage has been paid before the mail is delivered. This commonsense approach to the financial side of the Postal Service is yet another improvement in the way the nation's mail is handled.