The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-02-22
SAYS PARCELS POST IS
IMPOSSIBLE IN THE U. S.
John Wannamaker Tells of the Compe-
tition the Government Has in the
Six Great Express Companies.

Washington. ID. C.. Feb. IS Especial
correspondence John Nanamaker, the
merchant prince of Philadelphia and
New York was Postmaster General dur
ing the administration of President
Harrison and one of the hest Pnstmn--
tiers General if not the very best the
country has ever had. He strove To
make reforms and improvements III inc
post office department but soon found
that he could not do much. lie sad
recently that there were four reasons
why we cannot nave parcels post ana
other postal facilities that have long
been enjoyed in Germany, France, Eng
land, Italy and other countries. The
four reasons were the four great Amer
lean Express companies. There were
express companies then; there are six
now. They arc amalgamated into
trust. They are the successful rivals OF
the United States government in its
own territory and in its peculiar do
main monopolizing the most important
part of the postal carrying business,
compelling the people to pay many
hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly
and bringing the country through the
postal system into debt when if it were
not for these express companies there
would be yearly surplus to the credit
of the postoilice. This condition OF al
fairs could not exist in an alleged Tree
country and under republican form
of government. 1t could not exist mere
were it not for the fact that it has be-
hind it the boss OF the most powerful
state of the Union-a state that furnish
cs thirty-nne votes in the electoral col
lege and that represents large pro
portion of the wealth of the Union. con
tains the largest city in the Union and
with over twelve hundred miilionaircs,
many of them rich in express company
stock.
In the great inaugural parade on the
fourth of March, $4,000 men will march
on Pennsylvania avenue. OF these five
Thousand will be United States rcgu-
lars, 10000 state militia and about 5000
civilians from all parts of the country.
The four great races will be represent
ed, for Indians. Filpinos and negroes
will march beside the white man. The
president will be escorted by squad of
his own trough riders" and this with
the other features of the show will
make it more bewildcring tnan three
ringed circus. The route of the parade
however, will he contingent on the con
dition of Pennsylvania avenue. That
thoroughfare is occasionally under wa
ter and it may be that the procession
will have to make dctour TO reach the
capitol. The snow fall of this winter
is almost unprecedented, and wncn the
waters begin to rise they may sub
merge the avenue. March 4th is an cs-
pecially favorable time for food and
the inaugural committees are anXiously
awaiting the date. Stands are to be
erected along the avenue and for from
fifty cents to a dollar person may
buy seat from which to view the par
adc. Many thousand dollars are in
vested in these stands which are uncov-
cred and the investor risks all his mon
ey on the state of the weather. If the
sun shines he sells his seats and makes
q haul. If it is cold and snowy he
draws blank. Windows in hotels and
business houses along the avenue are
all engaged in advance. The prices
range from five to fifty dollars win
dow, the latter being the price asked in
the New Willard and Raleigh hotels for
room with window on the avenue
for the day. In these high priced sta
tions prominent officials or residents