New-York tribune., 1886-03-08
HIGHER POSTAGE OPPOSED.
THE PROPOSED FOURrH-CLAss RATES.
MERCHANTS WHO DGNoUNcE SENATOR WILSON'S

all fourth-class mail matter introduced n few
days ago in the United states Senate by Mr.. VIII
son. of Iowa. has made quite stir among the large
retail dry goods firms Of this city. Senator Wilson's
bill puts fOurth-rate matter exactly on level with
first-rate matter. Before 1872 this fOurth-Tatc
natier-samples, patterns models, printed enve-
lopcs paper, etc and articles of merchandise in
parcels of not more than four pounds weight-was
carried in the mails for cents a pound. Then the
rate was changed to 16 cents Now there Is a
deficiency in the postal service of SiO,COO.OOO n
year and Senator Wilson proposes to make it good
by still further advancing the charge 10 80 cents
This exceedingly high freight rate-for fourth
class matter is practically treated as freight
would throw large part of the present mail bus-
ness INTO the hands of the express companies and
would incidentally protect the retailers in the
smaller towns against city competition. The
large dry-roods firms in New-York ard other cities
who have built up enormous trade by corTe-
spOndencc III the last ten years. are naturally in
dignant at bill which strikes &c this system,
which puts city and country customers almost on
par MS regards ease of selection and cbeapnrss of
delivery, and has increased and stimulated high
class shopping to tho benefit of everybody but the
express companies ald the local dealers.
Henry O'Neiil, of II. ONeill & Co.. SAID on Sat-
urday to a TRIBUNE reporter that the passage OF
Senator Wilson's bill would do a great injury to
the retail dry-go,ds trade here and to the country
consumers generally. lie continued:
do pay the charge goods In small parcels.
either by mail express II tho rate is doubled the
loss falls on the oui-oftown customer But dearer
postage. course. will less cripple the mail
TespOndcnce part or our business. The express com
retailers put their Ths rate ought TO be
lowered not increased II Is much higher now than In
any other commercial country In England parcels or
not more than pound I'm ~ci2ht the pOst for
six those between one and three pounds for IL
..tfa. l.ft ltrsn nd la
five ana seven for - cents. In Germany the postal
rate for packages OF seven pounds To all parts Europo
and ASIA averages only about - cents. In Canada,
scts rlJnts aud samples etc, charged only cents
"A pound The SlO. .OO0 900 OF deficit Will not he
come by charging double ratc' The Government makes
money hy carrying fourth class matter short dist! ncc
but loses on long distances. II Wilson's bil
passes the great proportion Of fourh-class matter
ried will De long distances, the express com
T' c%cf ae g%e fha fa 3 @ sH, 4S. 'pSS5 pogSd rns
Government viii lose. therefore. not only the
profit on short distance traffic. bnt the increased
amonnt spent on long distance service. An ohcsr in
the Ncw-NorG Post Oilcc has made a calculation which
slows That II the biI becomes law IL wiz cettay Wld
So 0uOO 900 year to the postal service deficit The
creased II the hll becomes law Under the new rates
the meTchaIt would he allowed 10 nclo-e his blh aud
other written matter with the merchandise thus avoid.
ing additional sealed letters at hrsclass rates. Tho
merchants here viii take some concerted action on this
bill soon"
Mr. Jewett the head OF the mailing department
at Macy's. said that his firm did not pay either
postage or exprcs,age on good, bought by Out-of-
town customers. He said
"Thc passage of Senator wilson's bill viii damage our
country trade however, seriously. There j. no good
matter and registered ttcrs are the most profitable
paris OF the postal service don't see how ourth-cass
could nay Rt - pru.d. The express companies
Will get all the business and tue registered letter depart
ment and hrsi-clAis mail VIII shucr Inc express com.
p,ul,- doing AL they 10 beat tho mail aud
they often pounds 10 certain points cheaper
man the mail carries four -ome compaur- now carry
onnI parcel Tor 5 cents mink u Il time TO rrIucc
tho u,rt postage tu cents. should also Ike to
see AL packages sealed. ~ temptation to human
ma
mo raj question IN THIS natter protection country
merchant. They may gain something bg THIS tax ot -
cents pound, but ou'-oftown p1rcn t,ers Will suier.
think H. biu has very h.ile chance We nave asked
Senator Iyar's TO onpo-c u 2ud WI oiu Win The other
firms IN further measures - XII Il OIL
I ne head of the mailing dcpa umcnt At Arnold.
Constable a Co.'S. Mr. Cooper. declared thar the
bIli of senator Wilson # p1,- ec, would have httlc
effect on that house. adding:
I'VE d. very htuc business by correspondence and
samples. oar wholesale department hnds that II Is bet
ter to avoid couic; with the country retailers. aud
goods by mail and express only % old customers.
such Things gloves laccs and rihbon- arc mailed
The heavier articles gn 10y cHpres Tue bill Will put eN
press rates mp. AOWoVcT
James McCrrcrv. Of James McCrecry IS CO..
thonpht Senator Wilson's blil an unfair piece of
special legislation. lie said:
There la Congress who may support such
measure In the Of tac express complnic, But
patriotic aud that the bill mas almost 40 chance OF pass
The double rate wonll make goods
dcarcr to the public"
Isaac Stern Of Stern BROTHERS. said:
ave are opposed to this bill WIN prevent
shopping by people out OF town They VIII have to pay
larser prices to local dealers for uuMbcrlcss small
aud put mp with an Inferior quality OF goods Then
there hundreds of places which can't be reached by
express companies which now supplied largely by
pnren Tp viii o,e money II tn" law passes For each
fouthcn,s package sent have to use several letters
postal cards. that the general postal business has
been largely Increased hy the system purchase by
rrnoudeucr Since chcap letter postage mas been Intro
cd IA IA q ~.
cheap service to maintain H. The woman who
shops town shop, OF course, almost chcIpy
hy express. bu n one lives dist uce away, the
our senators and several Representatives and think
the bill will not got through IN f., present shape"
NJ Frcdsarl Of B. Altman s. Co.. re marked that
the Wilson bill struck especially at their Western
and Southwestern trade adding:
I'VE u.e the mail whenever can. aud any Increase
In postal rate. viii los. OF al our customers
Tho Government viii not make any more by charging 81
cents pound. for all the bnsncss Will then 80 10 tho
express companies. Goods viii be higher, and neither
the producer nor consumer benefited
T. J. Denning said
Tlc passage Of the Wilson bill would be hardship to
all the large dry goods houses For Instance we sell all
our goods postage and press free We send parcels
Alaska Indian Territory or Texas and pay the freight
lust the Same IL delivering I'm New York city
bill Ike this IL fraud on all our customers for tho
benefit OF tae small dealers and express companies It's
Just question whether the people VINO shop Dy samples
letterOrders 10 be OOligod To pay royalty 10
Otherwise they will hays to buy what they want In the
country stores, and any one who has tried city shopping
pound. is certainly high enough. Ishgher than
that any other commercial country. sixteen cents
pound-Sl6a hundreds an enormous freight charge.
Thirty-twO dollars hundred ought carry packages
from here tho Eisht dollars hundred Ia much
thing about IT, and don't to Let this bill slip
through easily Tho loss TO tho New-York merchants
alone woud amount TO several millions a yoar, II We
have fall back on tho express companies for eyery
thing"
STILL RAISING MONEY FOR PARNELL