The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-11-10
ADVOCATES PARCELS POST
SYSTEM PRACTICED By ENG
LAND AND GERMANY.
c. A. Mast OF Boston, In LectHre In
Denver, Explains the System
and Its Advantages.


At q meeting OF the knights Of
Columbus in Denver, Colo, last Fri
day night, Charles A Mast Of Boston,
advocated the parcels post The ex-
tOrtiOn OF express companies is every
where complained Of He spoke in
substance as follows:
1T has become the order Of the day
for the common people to demand
what Is theirs While abuses still ex-
ist on all sides. all the rights and
privileges We enjoy have been secured
only by fighting for them and forcing
legislation favorable to the masses.
AT the present moment we are
busy investigating the big insurance
companies, and on every side there is
legislation against restraints Of trade
But while We hear a great deal about
adjusting railroad rates and freight
tariffs We, as q people, have been
singularly silent upon a matter which
touches directly each and every one
Of US. and which, in my opinion, is
the most vital question 70 be consider
ed in the near future
''NatiOnalists have argued for gov
eminent ownership Of railroads and
other public carriers; and municipal
ties the world over are wrestling with
the question OF ownership OF public
utilities; but II we had all these mat
tiers adjusted, there would still be the
question Of an extended and cheaper
parcels post system for the people in
business and those out Of trade.
Silently but effectively, and with
the growth OF years the express COM
panies OF the Unitd States have be-
come 50 thoroughly entrenched that
the hope Of dislodging them seems
chimerical. Our only relief is in ma
tionsl legislation. The postal laws
regulating the sending OF merchant
ise through the mails must be so
amended that trade will not be ham
pered, as IL now IS. by limitations OF
weight and excessive charges.
such action must be taken with
out consulting the interests Of private
interested corporations, which, IN
der our present laws. are doing the
work which our own postal depart
ment could do just as well and better.
by what equitable right does this
government make its citizens pay IS
cents per pound on merchandise sent
anywhere within the union, and then
charge only II cents per pound on
merchandise sent abroad-across the
ocean into Germany?
ITO send a four-pound package to
LittietOn costs 81 cents; TO send the
same package to Germany costs only
As cents.
Like the rural delivery, which Is
now an assured success, and which
was first tried only after long-cOn-
tinUed and strenuous opposition, 50
the introduction OF the parcels post
in this country IS meeting with insid-
iOus but no less successful opposition
from the express companies.
Like all other new departures and
innovations, this will become an as
sured fact only after the people have
Enthusiastically demanded it In this
free country we get less and pay more
for what We do get than the down
trodden masses who live in the shad-
Ows Of mouarchies.
The people should have postal saw
ings banks, with the guarantee Of
Uncle Sam back Of them Other cOun-
tries do have them. But whenever
a bill Is introduced to provide for such
a scheme it is promptly stihed-
Just so with our parcels post
This country a few years ago refused
to join with all other civilized coun-
tries in an international parcels post
when It was proposed by the postal
union, and for the reason given by
7 y
was an infringement on the business
Of the express companies
Postmaster General Payne might
have gone further and proposed, with
equal consistency, that the govern
ment should no longer control the
sending Of letters, for that Eas at one
time also business OF private persons.
History shows that private citizens
and corporations the world over have
organized and monopolized public SER
vices OF all kinds until the govern
ment for national affairs and cities
for municipal ones were obliged to 90
into the business themselves for the
protection OF their citizens
while the first postage stamp was
printed In 1S47, for many years there
after no merchandise whatever eX-
cepting newspapers was carried. It
was not until 1883 that a fourth-class
strictly observation-disclosures was
recognized by a special rate Of one
cent per ounce, limited to four
pounds. The government was driven
to this by the extortion 1of private
messengers or express companies, who
made fortunes out OF Il while per-
forming public services for less rate
than the government rates
IN Germany parcels up to eleven
pounds are carried anywhere in the
empire for - cents. The weight limit
Is 10 pounds. carried for so cents.
In Great Britain the weight limit Is
eleven pounds, which costs, anywhere
in the empire, Is cents.
''In this country the cost is 16 cents
per pound. and the limit Is four
pounds. In England q man can send
a fOur-pOund package for s cents to
South Africa A man in Germany may
send TO this country & package weigh
ing four and a half pounds for IS
cents: an American sending q pack
age Of four pounds and six ounces
Cthe limit 20 Germany must pay so
cents. the rate being II cents per
pound or fraction thereof.
For Sale Cheap