Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-23
POSTAL PROGRESS LEAGUE,

The Postal Progress league is ma
tioual organization, with branches cs-
tabished or intended to be established
In every state rs object is to create
a public sentiment which shall oXtort
from a reluctant Congress such postal
privileges as are enjoyed by nations
Ike Mexico, Great Britain, Japan and
other countries whosc Inhabitants are
really civilized, 1t is the assumption
Of those interested IN this movement
that the condition OF the postal servlcs
is an iufallible index Of the state Of
civilization In any country and that the
application Of this test shows the Unit
cl states to be just emerging from bar
barism Whether this contention be
absolutely true or not, the following
statement OF facts shows that there is
a good deal Of foundation for IT,
The German pOstoihce carries an Sls-
ounce letter for 2is cents, while our
postolilce charges cents for a LOUNGE
letter. The German postonlce carries a
ll-uound package 4G miles for cents,
or anywhere In Germany or Austria.
Hungary for - cents, and win carry 40
pounds for so cents The British post
office carries and delivers to the domi-
Gle Of the addrcssee l-pound parcels for
6 cents a 2.pOund parcel for centSI
and so on up by a sliding scale to an
ll.pound package for "a cents. our
postoilice will not carry a parcel eX-
cceding four pounds at any price unless
II be a single book and for packages
except books Its rate Is IL cents
pound for any distance, These are
merely examples, Of which sufficient
could be had to mn a column or two
from nearly all countries In the world
where rail transportation Is established.
The foreign parcels post Is still worse.
There is an international parcel post
union Of which most civilized nations
are members, but which this country
Steadfastly refuses 20 Join. although we
have some sort II parcels conventions
with a few countries. 4 resident Of
England can send an ll-pound pack
age almost anywhere In the world for
a few cents, while Americans. whose
government provides no such facilities
pay our express companies from 81 20 s.
or may not perform. 4 letter from
Consul James W. Davidson, at q port In
Formosa, states that Of four pack
ages known % have. been forwarded to
his consulate from this Cuuntry--aud
the only ones sent so far AZ the consul
koWs-one reached him In five months,
one In seven months ANA two never
got there at ALL And he states that
TO be the usual rule, All goods from
this country are ordered shipped by
freight, and goods which are desired In
small quantities boy Americans and 9TH
crs IN foreign countries are ordered
from Great Britain, Germany Japan or
some other civilized country and get
them by mail for trille. Great Brit
ain, getting tired Of trying to induce
this country 10 arrange parcels post
convention, has arranged one with our
express companies. the rate being %
cents IN addition 20 the rate to New
York, for an ll-pound packages 20 any
point In the United states, The rate
which Americans pay To the same COM
pauies on package Of the same weight
between here and Nov York Is 1886 and
prQportionatoly for less distance
Al these countries, so FAR as known,
make % profit from their parcel service,
They carry anything anywhere Fam
HES order tubs Of butter, dry goods,
ploWs, or anything else not dangerous
or likely IN injurc other merchandise,
and get them by mail, The reason why
we do not enjoy similar privileges is
that congressman Of both or all par
ties are controlled by the corporate
interests which procure thor nominal
ton. contribute 10 their election eX-
penscs end give them free trOnsporta.
ton, free expenses and free telegraph
ing, and these corporations prefer
things as they are and vote their con-
gressmcn and senators accordingly.
They cannot SO vote them however.
IN the face II a determined public de-
mand FOR reform and this sentiment the
Postal Progress league Is seeking TO
create,