The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-02-10
PARCEL POST.


Britain the postage on parcels is six
cents for the first pound aud three cents
for each additional pound up to eleven
pounds, which is the limit, thus max
Ing the cost OF sending an eleven pound
package thirty-six cents. The postal
service of the United States has def
eli now OF 100000 year for opera
ting expenses, and that deficit would
be two or three times larger If such a
law was enacted, and the people would
pay the shortage. 1t IL q scheme of
the big department stores of the larger
cities to ruin the trade of the country
merchants.
= The above item, taken from a
Kansas paper, is being submitted
generally to the newspapers of the
of the State for publication and
comment. We understand that
some papers refuse to publish it
because they favor the parcel
post, and others refuse because
they fear that if they do they will
be charged with favoring the
railroads. THE TRIBUNE hap
pens to be so constituted that it
has no scruples about expressing
itself on any subject of public i'm
portaAce, and it believes that the
best way of getting at things is TO
state the plain facts. The ex-
press companies, which are vir-
tually the railway companies, are
sending out the foregoing item.
1t is clearly in their interest that
the proposed parcel law should
not be enacted. That is one side
of the question. On the other
hand, it is we'll known that the
great department stores are urg-
ing the enactment of. the law, be-
cause it is clearly in their interest
to have such law. That is the
other side Of the question. There
are yet two other sides. IF law
shall be enacted which will! enab! e
the great department stores to
send to any part of the United
States an eleven pound parcel for
thirty-six cents, the people will be
enabled to get great many
things cheaper than they are now
getting them. There is scarcely
a thing in the way of wearing APP
parel which could not, under the
proposed law, be sent by mail to
any part at atrifling advance over
the cost in Chicago or New York.
That is a powerful argument in
faYor of such a law. On the 9TH
er hand, it WOULD result in the
absolute destruction Of about half
the small stores in the country.
i would practically destroy about
one half of every small town.
The great department stores,
which are, no doubt, among the
most powerful monoplies in the
world, would in a short time
crush out all the dry goods stores,
all the boot, and shoe and hat
stores, all the ladies' and gents
furnishing stores, all the book
and stationary stores, all the job
printing shops, all the millinery
stores, all the drug stores, in short
about every kind of business ex-
cept the hardware and grocery
stores. Even these would not
wholly escape. We find quoted
in n department store catalog,
cutlery OF all kinds aud descrip-
lions, meat hooks, sausage ma
chimes, skates, screws, bolts, nuts,
soap, oatmeal, candy, coffee, tea,
tobacco, cigars, yeast powder,
Spices canned goods and hun
dreds OF similar; things. People
will beNiscte consider whether
or not.s:they. should encourage a
law the effect of which will be
the destruction of half the bust
ness 10 every little town IN the