Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-20
A PARCELS POST.

We take pleasure In calling the atten-
ton OF the readers OF the Deseret News
TO the following which appears In the
orange Judd Farmer They should urge
the passage of the bill mentioned there
In, and ask our Senators and Repre-
sentative In Congress to give It their
support, Farmers, read the extract and
set accordingly;
Note what the postoflce Is doing to-
day for the farmer, Free rural deliv-
cry now serves a population Of about
100000, BY June 80 1t viii serve s.
100000, Within four years, according TO
Postmaster General Smith, 1t viii cover
million square miles OF territory and
WIN serve 2l,0OO0O0 people, or over a.
600 600 families.
What does this mean2 On an aver
age there are 1873 families on a rural
POSTAL route, Under the old regime,
they Travelled from two to four miles
going to the postofilce. II the cost In
time and other factors, wear and tear
OF teams, etc, be reekoned at but ten
cents n day for each family II Is clear
~ moderate estimate, that makes an
aggregate of $3.50 per day per route.
The government can deliver the mail at
the doors OF all for 81. The aggregate
cost 10 40O0,000 rural families going to
the post0iiice represents the enormous
sum OF $l25 ,2O0O 900 a year, The rural
postinen are going to do this service for
these farmers az net cost 10 the gov
eminent Of less than $4,000, 900, So says
the postmaster general.
Hut II this be- true Of our present mea-
ger mail service II the mere transport
tation OF letters, newspapers and mag
azines between the homes Of the farm
ers and the stationary postollces will
save the farmers $685. 200 900 year, at
n net annual cost To government Of but
$4,000 600, what would not be the value
of the magical benefits that would aC-
Crue 10 our whole population from a
house 10 house parcels service carrying
the farmers produce to their city Gus
toners and the city manufacturers to
he farmers homes In parcels from a
pound to goo pounds and from q pint to
a barrel, at rates from one cent a
FOUND tthc present periodical rate) on
pound parcels down to one-fourth cent
a pound on hundred pound parcels?
Wouldn't the establishment OF such
I scheme make the farmers laugh? our
| present free rural service we are told.
increases the value OF farm lands from
| - to 81 an acre. Our new parcels post
would certainly add double az much TO
the value OF our farms. And Congress
man Henry Of Connecticut has intro
| duced a bill III. r. 651S) TO this end.
| Mr. Henry's bill makes all matter re-
| curing the quickest dispatch first
class matter. at one cent an ounce, or
half the present rate Everything else
goes parcels post at one cent on n
pound parcel, and only 26 cents on a
100 pound parcel to any house within
our imperial domain A very low
| Charge 'nsures these parcels, There s
TO be a postal currency too-5, 10, q
and 50 cents, 81, 81 and 81 notes-tc
make IT easy to pey small accounts by
mail
Now our farmers can have this mag.
| ical service Just when they will. What
| viii It be worth to the people? Surely
| not less than thousand million dol.
| lars a year Suppose It should create
postal deficiency at first, what of II
| " It answers thousand millions TO the
| puhllc2 Write 10 your c0ngressmer
and senators and ten them TO pass this
| blll Germans, Engllshmen, the Swiss
have a parcels post. Why not Ameri.
cans? Nothing you have ever dreamed
cf viii DO as much for your comfort
and your prosperity,