The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-01-25

explanation was that ne carriers were
deiayoa and domorai1ed IN The perform
nnce Of their duties and that this pri-
vaie express husincss wne temptation
for thcm to make money Tor themselves
and diacrimlnalc N favor Of certain
citizens and neglect others Jealous and
spisrful merchants who were not pat
ronized complained to members Of con-
gress. ana they made trouble about 81
and frequently filed charges 80 that tho
department was very much annoyed. In
order 70 satisfy these grumblers. the
entire $4,000 carriers were put under
the ban
At present carriers are allowed TO ham
die merchandise that is not mailable--
that Is. they can get n prescription mn
ed at n drug store TO oblige any farmer
on their route because the law forbids
the sending Of liquids through the maii
but they cannot buy sheet Of paper
or a spool Of thread or n yard Of cotton
cloth now because those are mai.abic
This, Of course Is jrst and right, all
though II looks a little Inconsistent and
Il would be great qualification to more
than thirteen millions OF people II he
carriers were authorized to do errands.
At the same time II the government
could collect a low rate Of postage upon
the purchases OF the carrier or upon
packages Of merchandise ordered other
wise II would undoubtedly produce a
very large revenue.
This Is done in Europe everywhere.
For example, Germany as system OF
delivering parcels through the mails
within distance OF forty-s'~ miles at
the following rates:
Five pounds and under ........ 3 cents
Between and 10 pounds .,.... G cents
Between 10 and 20 pounds .....i2 cents
Between 90 and 80 pounds ......1S cents
Between 30 and 40 pounds ......2i cents
Between 80 and 60 pounds .4... 40 cents
Between 60 and 100 pounds go cents
Similar rates are charged for similar
service in other parts OF Europe. In
Switzerland and Belgium the rates are
nearly one-half those OF Germany
VIE have "A similar arrangement with
several foreign nations under the regu-
latlons OF the International Postal un-
ion, and today a groceryman or a gem
eral storeaeeper Ia any village In the
United States can send a package Of
merchandise, excepting explosives OF
liquids, to Calcutta or Zanzibar o. Lady
smith, South Africa, or potosi, Bofvia,
for less than one-half the postage he
would be required to pay 81 he sent the
same thing to farmer living two Tcile-
from his store.
This seems incredible and absurd, but
II is nevertheless true. When ! was
returning from n trip around the world
two year ago wrapped up all the guide
books and other books that had accu-
muiated during the journey and naiied
them to my address In WRshinseon from
Hongkolng, because II ! had kept them
until I reached San Francisco l would
have been compelled to pay double the
amount OF postage. From Hongkoing |
was allowed to send eleven pounds in a
package; from San Francisco or any 9TH
er part OF the United states l could not
have sent more than four pounds.
We have parcels post treaties with
nearly all OF the European countries,
but we have no such arrangement be-
4 tween the states; and. although we car
send packages weighing not more than
four pounds as fourth-class matter, we
are compelled to pay very much high
er rate OF postage than on foreign mail.