The Mankato free press., 1904-03-25
hat made people think they sold cheaper


and found that they received an inferior
article. Any local purchaser ceuld do
lust as well in Mankato as he could
by sending off anywhere else. He didn't
know of a single instance of local
buyer getting the same article one bit
cheaper by sending away for it. The
proposed new system would work a
positive harm everywhere except in few
BIG cities. The local merchant delivered
his own goods. The big catalogue houses
wanted the government to deliver Their
goods. If the farmer wanted a continu-
alton of the rural mail delivery he should
oppose the new parcels post idea. Pack
ages would so multiply in number and
size as to kill off the rural delivery
system altogether. The proposed meas
rres increased the weight of PACKAGES
shat the mails would take up to fifty
pounds.
H. A. Patterson remarked that IT was
pretty generally conceded by local bust
ness men that all efforts should be made
to defeat the series of bills against which
the resolution was aimed
M. G. Willard said he had net real
lied that the proposed measures would
increase the size of the packages to be
transported up to fifty pounds. The
situation was different from what he
had supposed.
Carl Dice said that the new system
would necessitate the pulling of huge
dray wagons through miles of the
country mud The farmers should
realize that it is for his own benefit
to build up the little cities, thus getting
better market for his own produce.
The parcels post system would tear
down a little town like Mankato. If
the farmers would buy in Mankato in
the same quantities as they were prone
to do from the catalogue houses, the
Mankato houses could give them as
good or better rates. If they would
buy 25 pounds of rice or tea at his store
he could give them just as low figure
as they could get it at in Chicago.
Thomas Hughes said he would be op-
posed to the raising of the. limit of
weight away up to fifty pounds. He had
in mind five and ten pound packages.
Yet the resolution was so sweeping in its
character that he was opposed to it.
c. n. Andrews remarked that the
transportation of first and second class
mail matter helped to maintain the post
office department. The third and fourth
class matter was what produced the de-
felt Now the proposed legislation would
vastly multiply the amount of the third
and fourth class matter. How big would
the deficit become then2
Mr.. Currier observed that the maxi
mum weight on merchandise today was
four pounds. The government charge a
cent an ounce to transport merchandise.
If the maximum package should be in
creased to so pounds, the postage would
amount to $S on such a package. The
third class traffic was not now self-sup-
porting. Yet IS was more than the ex-
press companies would ordinarily charge
for the transportation of the same pack
age, over the distance that such pack
aoe would as a rule be carried under the
proposed parcels post system.
The resolution was now adopted by
viva voce vote and the secretary was in
structed to send copies to Minnesota's
two senators and nine congressman.
Secretary Taylor read letter from
Congressman McCleary, written in re-
sponse to the resolution adopted at the
recent banquet of business men in sup
port of the Brownlow good roads bill.
The congressman said that he had al
ways been very much interested in the
cause of good roads and had made quite
study of the subject. He thought the
sum that the Brownlow bill proposed to
appropriate, $24,OOO,0O0, was an enor-
nous amount for the general government
to expend. At the same time the effect
of the expenditure upon the roads of
the country would be very slight. Even
with the local additional money re-
quired to be appropriated in order to get
the national aid, all the money thus Sc
cured for the cause of good roads would
have little practical benefit. In the Sec
ond congressional district for instance
the money would be sufficient only for
the construction of one mile of good
road in each couaty The letter was
placed on file.
F. NJ Currier reported on the Farmers
institute recently held in the city. The
institute was a success as far as ne
Ieould ascertain. He had taken upon him.
self the responsibility of getting the A
o. U. w. hall for two or three meetings
of the ladies' auxiliary to the institute
It would cost SIS or $40 per meeting.
The board indorsed all that had beer
done by Mr.. Currier and his COMMITTEES
and directed the committee to reques
the city council to pay for the use of tn
A. o. U. w. hall.
! At the suggestion of Mayor Taylor
) the mayor and the secretary of the boar'
were instructed to correspond with K. L
Polk & Co. of st. Paul with view t.
having the rural routes and the name
of the farmers along them published i
the county directory for which the can
: vass of names is now being made.
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