The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1904-02-05
The PARCELS POST BILL
Full Text of the Above Measure
Now Pending in Congress.
CLAIMED THAT IT is CLASS LEGISLATION
Would Drive the Small Merchant and
Manufacturer Cut Of Business and
Provide No Benefit to Consumers.

Among lne numerous measures now
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. 202S. A bill for the estab-
lishment of Parcels Post.
Be it enacted BY the senate and
house Of representative 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 publiea-
tions: third. merchandise.
Sec. =. That mailable matter Of the
! first and second classes shall embrace
the matter now included therein by
law.
Sec. s. 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-
yided 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 postal
| charge at the following rates: On par
GELS 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-
coed in length three and one-half
feet. nor in length and girth combined
six feet
Sec. 5. That for the greater secur-
ity of mail matter of the third class
the postmaster-gen 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 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 indemnify
up to $40 shall be paid for loss thereof
in the mails, but in no case shall the
| IN ay ,,,f4 10
| 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 to- 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; . cents for each ad-
dtional $50 of insurance
Sec. g. That the following matter
/ is declared 10 be unmailable: Poisons
and explosive or infammable sub
stances; substances which exhale a
/ bad odor; articles which are calcu-
i 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 II. 1876
Sec : 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 its 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. 1t 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 it would appear
that the consumers protted thereby.
/ but in the long run the people would
pay the freight. indirectly. There is
not shadow of doubt but what con
| gress would be called upon to appro-
pirate millions annually to cover a de-
| ficiency in the revenue from this sys-
| TEN. In other words, the govern
ment, by appropriation of the peoples
| money, would pay at least 80 per cent
| Of the cost of transportation of mer-
| chandise delivered under the parcels
post system. and the 80 per cent would
go into the Golfers of the monopolistic
| department stores of New York city
and Chicago.
That the revenue provided in the
bill quoted above would prove made
quate, il is only necessary TO point to
the fact that there is a tremendous
ANIMAL deficiency in the appropriation
Of the post Office department. 10 mat
for how much IL SC annually ir4raaSad