Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-06-30
Privilege of Carrying Express Mat
ter Almost Wiped Out-.Carriers
Cannot BE Allowed to Enter In
10 Competition With the Gov
rrnment.

will do its best to see that they are
strictly lived up to.
According to the new rules, the ex-
press package privilege is completely
wiped out and through combination
of provisions of sections one and two
the privilege of carrying merchandise
for hire lat the request of patrons is
reduced to a minimum.
The postoffice department takes the
position that the rural carrier cannot
be permitted to enter into competition
of mailable matter, and the privilege
of carrying merchandise for hire is
therefore limited to nonmailabl arti-
cles.
New Regulations.
For the information of carriers, mer-
chants and other patrons. the new reg
ulations are here given in full:
/. Under the law rural carriers are
not permitted to solicit business or re-
ceive orders of any kind for any per-
son, firm or corporation, and cannot,
during the hours of their employment,
carry any merchandise for hire, except
that they may carry merchandise for
hire for and at the request of patrons
residing on their respective routes, pro-
vided the same shall not interfere with
the proper discharge of their duty, and
under such regulations as the postmas-
ter general may prescribe.
2. No mailable matter may be han
died by rural carriers while serving
their routes, unless the proper postage
has been prepaid, with the single ex-
ception of county newspapers, which,
under the law are permitted to be car
ried free throughout the county in
which they are published, to actual
subscribers and such newspapers ad-
dressed to subscribers resident OH rural
routes must be deposited at the post
Office the same as papers carried for
other subscribers.
3. The hire for nero handise carried
on request of the patron of rural free
delivery must be paid by the patron.
Carriers will not be permitted to re-
ceive any compensation from the seller
of such merchandise.
4. Articles or packages which are
mailable which are handed to the car.
rier or deposited in the postoffice or in
"A rural letter box or in collection
box located on a rural route, with re-
quest that the rural carrier deliver the
same, are subject to the rules regulat.
ing mail matter, including the pay
ment of postage thereon.
S. Articles or packages that are
not mailable, which the patron desires
the rural carrier to carry, must be de.
livered to the carrier in person, and,
in carrying merchandise for hire rural
carriers are not allowed to leave their
routes as officially laid out or to accept
anything that will in any way delay
the delivery of the mail or in any way
interfere with the effic iency of the
service.
8. Carriers, while on duty, are not
permitted to carry spurious liquors.
either for themselves, for sale, or for
the accommodation of their patrons.
Z. Rural carriers are required to
permit postoffice inspectors or other
duly accredited agents of the depart
ment to accompany them on their reg
ular trips over their routes. They
must not carry other passengers nor
permit any person other than author
lied postal officials to ride with them
or have access to the mails.
8. Rural carriers must not engage
in any business during their prescribed
hours of service, or conduct any bust
ness after hours which offers the tenn
ptation to solicit patronage on their
position in the government service
gives them special advantage over
competitors, such as book canvassing,
soliciting insurance, selling sewing
machines, or other kindred occupations
3. Carriers must not, either in per-
son or through others, directly or in
directly by any method whatever, So
licit money, gifts or presents; nor is
sue for profit, souvenirs or postal hand
books; nor cooperate with or assist
publishers of the same to secure pat
ronage of the public; nor compile di-
rectories for public use or assist pub
fishers to compile them; nor furnish
the names and addresses of patrons of
their routes, for pay or favor, to any
business establishment or to any indi-
vidual, except to those department Off
Gals who, under the law, are entitled
to receive it.
No Commission From Merchants
It will be noticed that the two points
which stand out prominently in these
rules are that carriers shall not COM
pete with the federal government in
the mail carrying business, and that
the carriers, when doing legitimate
elrands, shall act for the patrons and
not for the merchant. commission
houses or other business organizations.
It is specifically provided that carriers
will not be permitted to receive any
compensation from the seller of mer-
chandise. In short, the department
wishes to break up the practice of car
riers in acting as the representatives
of any particular firm ut the expense
Of q competing firm.