The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-21
NEW RULES WILL BE
HARD TO ENFORCE
Postal Regulations Governing
Rural Free Delivery Car
rlers Are Stringent
Globe Special Washington Service,

I4II q Street
WASHINGTON. ID. c.. June 2O.-Tnere
is some speculation as to the complete
ability of the postofice department to
enforce the new rules and regulations
recently adopted for the government Of
rural mail carriers. There is no doubt
whatever that these regulations will
cause serious reduction in the revenue
derived by many carriers who have been
al liberty heretofore to perform all sorts
of services for pay. The new rules will
impose large task on the postal au-
thorltleS, for certain carriers will prob
ably try to evade the regulations. and
constant inspection by the federal au-
thorft1es Will be necessary. Where the
temptation Is great and the excuse for
violation Of the rules so plausible, in
fractions are expected to be common
According to the new rules, the ex-
press package privilege formerly en-
Joyed by the carriers is completely wiped
our, and through a combination of the
provisions of sections l and 2 the privi-
lege OF carrying merchandise for hire "at
the request OF patrons is reduced to a
mailable matter'-namely merchandise
not exceeding four pounds in weight and
not specifically excluded from the mails
Dy law (such as liquids, glass, etc) may
be handled by rural carriers while serv-
ing their routes, unless the proper postage
has been prepaid
Must Pay Postage
This requirement will prohibit carriers
II olh oASCullnS COMMISSIONS Tor the pur-
chase. of articles weighing less than four
pounds, except upon payment by the
supper Of the full rate of postage which
Is 10 cents per pound. In doing errands
or this kind, carriers will be limited to
transmitting written orders by letters or
postal card, on which postage must be
paid by the sender. and to the delivery of
the merchandise which must be deposited
IN the pOStoffice by the merchant from
whom the goods are bought.
Inc poStoftice department takes the
position that the rural carriers cannot be
permitted to enter into competition with
the government in the CARRYING Of mail
able matter, and the privilege Of carrying
merchandise for hire is therefore limited
to non-mailable articles.
The two points that stand out most
prominently in the new rules are that
the carriers shall not compete with the
federal government in the mail carrying
business, and that the carriers when
doing legitimate errands shall act for
the patrons and not for merchants. com
mission houses, Or other business organ
izations.
Commissions Abolished
1t had been the original intention of
the department to require patrons of
routes to indicate the establishments
where they. desired purchases to be
made, but the necessity of this provision
mas been obvlated by the third section
OF the regulations which requires that
the hire for merchandise carried on the
request of the patron of rural delivery
must be paid by the patron
II Is specifically provided that carriers
VIII not be permitted to receive any com
pensation from the seller of such mer-
chandlse. In short. the department
wishes to break up the practice of car
riers in acting as the representative of anv
particular firm at the expense of a COM
peting firm. Waiter e. Clark.