The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-02-24

Perhaps it may be described more
nearly as paralysis of the governmental
nerves produced by conflicting private
interests.
If Rochester manufacturer sends a
package of shoes weighing four pounds
Il distance of ten miles out, he pays
sixty four cents Il pound. If the shoes
happened to weigh four and one-half
pounds. his messenger would be COMPEL
al. a. | have stated, to carry them back
from the postoilicc. refused. But if,
instead of being in the United States,
this manufacturer had lived in Germany
he could have sent box of shoes. weigh
ing up 10 twenty-five pounds, the same
distance of ten miles for six cents. or
less than onc.fourth of a cent Il pound.
Because we are foolish enough in this
country to give representation to our phi
yatc interests i'll congress, our merchant :
and manufacturers pay tariff for par
GELS by post six thousand per cent. great
er than in Germany!
While We absolutely refuse to accept
I package greater than Tour pounds IN
weight, Germany has found it good bust
ness to extend the limit to one hundred
and ten pounds. These one hundred and
ten pounds VIII he sent ny the German
lroNnrnmnnt fron, nnp nnl pf Germany In
the other Tor thirty cents, or about one
fourth OF cent pound.
b'l' even th"t l. not all. When II ar
rives at ITS destination, the one hundred
ahd-ten-pound packag" Is delivered AT
the home.
And that Is not all. For from two to
SIX cents extra, the government lhsures
the package and guarantees ITS safe de-
livery.
And again, even TINS much Is not all
II, instead OF to Germany, merchant
IN city OF North Germany wishes TO
'h'p package OF one hundred and ten
pounds TO clty Ill the southerhmost
part OF Austria. ne may do even TINS for
thirty cents, about ohe'lourth oil cent
pound-that Is, the merchants OF
Rochester pay SIX thousand per cent.
more to the United States government
for sending parcels from Rochester to
Buffalo, than do the Germans even to
the extreme limits oil iore'gn country
VI course, one large package may he
shipped Tor less than many small pack
ages. Any one VINO handles material
knows that. Bnt the officials OF the
post Once department, lest they should
be tempted into also discovering TINS
tact, have carefully limited TINS greatest
OF all conVeniences Tor the manufacturer
and merchant to the insignificant weight
OF our Pouhds-eqnlValent III effect TO
nuill1ying me carrying OF parcels at all
II Marshal Fleid or John NahamaKer
OF any oneof twenty able organizers
known to the American people could
States postoihce with free hand,
he could adapt the convenences
OF the American merchants mat
there would be an annual saving to the
American people OF sum when may be
represented by two million OF dollars and
still be within bounds.
How lar we are hampered by lack
OF advanced postoiiiee organization Is
illustrated in some measure by these
facts. But these, though striking EN-
brace only small part.
Here Is another phase OF the subject.
II merchant wishes to make his snip
ments {, q. D'-a thing impossible under
our postal system and possible only by
express at payment OF Il fee OF at least
twenty-five cents-he may do so III Ger
many by small additional fee OF few
cents. In Austro- Hungary this idea has
been elaborated INTO an almost perfect
system, by which both merchant and pur-