Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-02-16
Farmers Cannot Afford
AnnihalatiOn of the
Business of Their
Local Towns.
PURPOSE OF PARCELS POST!
1t Means the Destruction of the
Small Country Cities and
Towns and Upbuiding of
Foreign Catalogue
Supply Houses.

Supply Houses.
In its editorial columns of January %
the Sioux Falls Daily Argus-Leader
contains the following very apt allusion
to the conditions and purposes Of the
purposed parcels post law, with a ven-
tured opinion Of the inevitable results
of it's enactment. The ideas ~ expressed
through it's columns, are in oocord with
the Herold's siews that we reproduce
the article in full, it says: Under the
beading. ~
eve Mast Deciine."
"The Argus-Leader has received q
comley letter from the Postal Reform
league, with headquarters ct New York
which says that tbs Legislature Of South
Dakota has besn asked to adopt, . mem.
orial to congress, praying for tho estab-
iishmens Of . parcels post, and urging
the ,Argus-Leader 10 use its great infiu.
ence' 10 promote the oausss 49, 4 IS
1.-THE writer suggests thasit would be
a good method to mark with . blue PEN
Gil the articles published. and lay copy
OF il, impresssively marked with Q blue
pencil, on the desk Of every member.
"The Argus-Lesder 10 nattersd BY the
reference to its great influence but
oflce 10 very low on blue pencils Just
now, and the editor 10 o bit short for
time. Besides the Argus-Leader is not
in favor Of the parcels post..and it will
do all it can to prevent such law being
passed.
THE proposition is to extend the
weight limit on packages, now four
pounds, to eleven pounds, with mimi
mum rate Of five cents on pound par
eel and q maximum rate of twenty five
cents on an eleven pound parcel. This
should he entitled q bill to help the
department stores of the cities to crowd
the country merchant out of business.
"The Argus-Leader is the friend of
the country merchant. His advertis-
ing fills Its advertising space. And the
paper goes into his home. He helps to
pay the taxes of the state. He is one Of
our people. His business has already
been cut into by catalogue houses of the
cities--institutien which pay no taxes
in South Dakota, and which constantly
drain OF the money of the state. With
such change IN the postal law, these
department stores would be supplying
our people with large share of their
purchases, and many Of the country
mere ants would then find themselves
crowded to the wall.
And 90 we must decline. We trust
the legislature, if it takes action, will
vote protest instead of memorial.
Such . law would hurt the state. II
would be fine thing for the catalogue
houses, but it would spell practical ruin
for many country merchant in South
Dakota, and SO the Argus-Leader is not
in favor of it," ri
In commenting on the above article,
the Alexandra Herald has the following
to offer:
The Country Town a Necessity.
1.-The Herald believes the existance of
the country town necessary to the
material prosperity of the whole
country, and without the conveniences
it affords the rural inhabitants of the
country, the operation of the proposed
parcels post, even although it is pro-
vided for the transmission of packages
to the maximum of eleven pounds
twice eleven pounds-Absolutely free to
the purchaser, could in no manner COM
pensate for the great loss on the other
hand.
without the country town there
could be practically no competition in
the home market. Let the country pro-
Queer depend exclusively upon commits
sion houses, located at considerable
distance away, for the sale of his pro-
ducts, and how, think you, would he
fare? Take from the total tax receipts
of the county the amount paid by the
business representation of the small
towns, and the deficit would not only
be difficult to supply, but operate as a
direct burden to the residents of the
the country. And greater than all
would be the damage to the country in
the depreciation of land value which
must inevitably follow any unfavorable
condition of the local business element
of the country.
1.-The town is quite as necessary to
the success of the country as is the
country to the town. Neither can aquire
the greatest measure of success without
the cooperation of the other. Without
the cuuntry merchant there could be no
town, and without demand for his
wares, upon what shall the merchant
~.xh.sato