The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1904-02-06
Full Text of the Above Measure
Now Pending in Congress.
CLAIMED THAT IT IS CLASS LEGISLATION
Would Drive the Small Merchant and
Manufacturer Out Of Business and
Provide No. Benefit to Consumers.


may thoroughly understand the pur-
poses of this proposed bill, it is given
in full as follows;
VI. B. POPS. A bill for the estab-
lishment of Parcels Post.
BE it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled, That mail matter shall be divid-
ed into three classes: First, sealed
matter; second, periodical publica-
tons; third, merchandise.
Sec. 2. That mailabe matter of the
first and second classes shall embrace
the matter now included therein by
law.
Sec. 8. That mailable matter Of
the third class shall embrace mer-
chandise books, all documents styled
commercial papers by the Universal
Postal Union Convention, and all 9th
er matter not embraced in the first
and second class, not hereinafter pro.
hibited, and not above the weight pro-
vided by law, which is hereby declared
to be eleven pounds for each package
thereof
Sec. 4. That all matter Of the third
class shall be subject to a postal
charge at the following rates: On par
GELS not exceeding three ounces, one
cent; on parcels over three ounces
CT
cents; on parcels over six ounces and
not exceeding nine ounces, three
cents; on parcels over nine ounces
and not exceeding twelve ounces, four
cents; on parcels over twelve ounces
and not exceeding one pound, five
cents; on parcels over one pound, two
cents for each additional pound or
fraction thereof No parcel shall ex-
coed in length three and one-half
feet, nor in length and grth combined
six feet.
Sec. 5. That for the greater secur-
ity Of mail matter Of the third class
the postmaster.general may establish
uniform system Of registration, and
as a part Of such system he may pro-
vide rules under which the sender or
owners Of third-class registered mail
matter shall be Unidentified for loss
thereof in the mails, the indemnity to
be paid out of the postal revenues. On
all such unregistered prepaid parcels
without declared value an indemnity
up to $40 shall be paid for loss thereof
in the mails, but in no case sh"ll the
indemnity exceed the actual value of
the parcel. On all such registered
parcels Of declared value on which
fees for registration, insurance, and
postage have been prepaid an indem-
nifty for loss thereof in the mails shall
be paid amounting 10, but in no case
exceeding, the actual value Of the par.
eel Fees shall be charged for such
registration and insurance as follows:
Eight cents for registered and insur.
ance up to S25; 2 cents for each ad.
dtional $50 Of insurance.
Sec 6. That the following matter
Is declared to be unavailable Poisons
and explosive or innammable sub
stances; substances which exhale
bad odor; articles which are calcu.
lated to damage or destroy the mails
or injure persons handling them
matter appertaining to lotteries or
fraudulent schemes or devices; mat
ter which is declared unavailable I'M
der the provisions Of section thirty.
eight hundred and ninety.three Of the
Revised Statutes, as amended by the
act Of July u, 1876,
Sec 7, That all acts or parts of
acts inconsistent with the provisions
OF this act are hereby repealed
sec s. This act shall take effect
six months from and after It's er<ct.
ment,"
One OF the strong arguments
against the measure Is that It fayors
the big department stores Of the large
cities TO the detriment Of the small re-
taller and jobber It Is argued that
these large department mail order
houses would be enabled to sell direct
to the consumer cheaper than the re-
taller could have the goods delivered
to him In bulk by freight, and on the
face Of these sales, 1t would appear
that the consumers prontcd thereby,
but in the long run the people would
pay the freight indirectly There Is
not n shadow OF doubt but what con.
hl VA
pirate millions annually to cover do
hciency In the revenue from this sys'
ten, In other words, the govern
ment, by appropriation Of the peoples
money, would pay at least 30 per cent
Of the cost Of transportation Of NOR.
chandIsc delivered under tho parcels
post system, and the 80 per cent would
20 into the Golfers OF the monopolIstIc
department stores OF New York city
and Chicago
That tho revenue provided In the
bin quoted above would provo made
auatc, Il " only necessary to point to
the fact that there Ia q tremendous
annal deficiency In tho appropriation
Of the post once department, no mat
ter how much II II annually increased,
az the distances In this country are
10 great that the service can not pos
sbly be performed at the price named,
The natural most economical and
safely progressive method OF dIalFlb.
utlng merchandise Ia from manufae.
turer In carload or large lots TO whole
sale dealer, and from him in smaller
lots to the retail dealer,
Another and very strong argument
against tho passage OF this bin Ia that
Il would bankrupt and drive out OF
business thousands Of village mer'