The Monticellonian., 1904-02-04
THE PARCELS POST BILL.
Full Text of the Above Measure
 Now Pending in Congress.
CLAIMED THAT 1T IS CLASS LEGISLATION
Would Drive the Small Merchant and
 Manufacturer Out of Business and Provide No Benefit to Consumers.

pending before congress none is being more wildly discussed than the parcels post bill. In order that the reader may thoroughly understand the pur- poses of this proposed bill, it is given in full as follows:
 "H B. 2oZS A bill for the estab- lishment of a 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 diyid ed into three classes: First, sealed matter; second, periodical publica- tions; third, merchandise.
 Sec. 2. That mailable matter of the first and second classes shall embrace the matter now included therein by law.
 Sec. 3. 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 oth- CT 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. 1. That all matter of the third class shall be subject to postal charge at the following rates: On par cels not exceeding three ounces, one cent; on parcels over three ounces and not exceeding six ounces, two 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- eeed in length three and one-half feet. nor in length and girth combined six feet
 Sec. ,. That for the greater secur- ity Of mail matter of the third class the postmaster-general may establish a 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 indemnified 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 s10 shall be paid for loss thereof in the mails but in no case shall 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 nity for loss thereof in the mails shall be paid amounting to, but in no case exceeding, the actual value of the par eel Fees shall be charged for such registration and insurance as follows: Flight cents for registered and insur- ance up to S25; cents for each ad- ditional s50 of insurance.
 Sec. 6 That the following matter is declared to be unmailable: Poisons and explosive or inflammable sub stances; substances which exhale a 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 unmailable un- der the provisions of section thirty eight hundred and ninety-three of the Revised Stautes. as amended by the act of July 12, 1876.
 Sec. :. That all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.
 Sec. &. 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 favors 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 10 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. it would appear
 
 but in the long run the people would pay the freight. indirectly. There is not a shadow of doubt but what con gress would be called upon to appro- priate millions annually to cover de- fciency in the revenue from this sys- tenn. Tn other words, the govern ment, by appropriation of the peoples money, would pay at least 50 per cent of the cost of transportation of mer- chandise delivered under the parcels post system and the 30 per cent would go into the coffers Of the monoDolistic department stores of New York city and Chicago.
 That the revenue provided in the bill quoted above would prove made quate, it is only necessary to point to the fact that there is a tremendous annal deficiency in the appropriation of the post office department no mat ter how much it is annually increased. as the distances in this country are so great that the service can not pos ! sibly be performed at the price named.
 The natural, most economical, and