The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1905-04-01

That the interests opposed to the
parcels post are much alarmed is
shown by the violent editorials
against the system which are APP
pearing in the prominent papers.
The editorials are doubtless in.
spired and paid for by the express
company trust, and other organized
interests that the parcels post
would doubtless in degree injnre.
The editorials suggest that a par
cells post is rank socialism and
while it might work in countries of
small territory like Great Britain,
Germany and Belgium, that one
rate for long and short distances
would not be suitable to a country
of great territory like the United
States. In other words, that one
and the same rate from New York |
and Philadelphia and from New
York to San Francisco would be
economically wrong. The third
objection is that it would ruin the
small shop keepers in towns and
villages. The word SOCIALISM" is
used with more or less effect to
alarm timid people. To some, it
is Synonymous with anarchism,
A parcels post no more savors of
socialism than letter post. A mum.
Der of cities supply their own wa
ter works. their own gas, electric
lights and street railway systems
to the great advantage of the ex-
chequer of the cities and with a
great lessening Of rates to all the
inhabitants. Nobody! is hurt but
the monopolists who would like to
have the franchise for furnishing
water, light and, air, If they could
monopolize it, and to charge their
own prices therefor. AS for the
second charge, there is necessity
for having the same rate for trans.
porting a parcel from New York to
Philadelphia as for transporting it
to Salt Lake City or San Francisco.
1t would be quite easy to have
what may be called "zonal" rate
or, for example, so much for each
thousand miles distance. This
could still be done with the great
facilities that the government al
ready has in its postal system at
about one.tenth the rate charged
by the express companies and with
the result of making the postal
service of the United States not
only self-supporting but profitable
to the whole country instead of
merely profitable to the express
companies as it is now, bringing
f the country through its postal de-
partment, into dept of from five to
fifteen millions of dollars a year.
4 The third charge is that it would
be ruinous to small local
, dealers. To this it may be an
q swered that the small dealer in
9 European counties has never been
r driven out. He still aourishes but
he has doubtless to be more
3 economical and to figure on small
scale of profit, However, this
would be, in any country, the con-
Germ of the small dealer who is one
- in thousand and not of the nine
hundred and ninety who will
profit by the change. The theory
that the country ought not to avail
n itself of the most improved modern
q methods for getting articles cheap.
ly in order that individuals may
have the pleasure of paying great
profits to local dealers, is not to be
tolerated. The small local dealer
will always exist. He is necessary
y to furnish fresh meat, vegetables
and bulky articles. The parcels
post will serve only TO check the
It exhorbitant prices charged by local
II dealers and it will force the ex,