The Florida agriculturist., 1906-04-18
The Parcels Post.

parcels post that we have seen. was
from the Farmers Voice. The writer
has a new idea about writing to mem
bers of congress- 1T is a good one
but we should modify it by advising
that you divide your pOstals between
the member from your district and
both senators from your state. If
you buy quarters worth, you will
have an odd one, send that to Hon.
Jesse Overstreet. NJ. c., Washington
u. G.. He is chairman of the House
Committee OH pOStOfficeS and post
roads. and is said to be opposed to
even the little change advocated by
the Postmaster General. that is the
consolidation of third and fourth class
matter at the rate of cents per
pound. Write to him and let him know
that you favor a parcels post. but that
just now you specially want the 8
cent rate as proposed.
The Farmers Voice article is as fol
lows:
The rural free delivery is a great in
stitutiOn. We know this, for it has
been repeated thousand times. Yet
If the farmer orders Il casting for his
mchine. a package of seeds or mer-
chandiSe of any sort. in most cases it
goes to him by express and he must
make a trip to town for it and then
pay gOOdly sum for its tranSDOrta-
ton
This country needs the parcels post
system and the farmer most of all
Under this system the postal depart
ment carries merchandise at a reason
able rate and the carrier delivers it at
the door. The present rate for mer-
chandiSe. sixteen cents pound. is
practically prOhibitive for Il great ma
jority of people.
The people of the United States
want lower rate on this class of
matter. Why does the postal depart
ment not conform to this well-knOwn
wish? Because the express companies
do not wish it and Senator Platt. of
New York, is at the head of the great
express companies. powerful lobby
at Washington kills any effort to lower
the postal rate on parcels
The whole matter is summed up in
the statement that it is a fight between
the whole citiZenry of this country and
the express companies; and the latter
are winning because they are alert and
spare no pains to hold the tremendous
pIOhtdD1c privilege lHeN now ENJOY,
while the folks who pay the bills are
cOmplaisant. apathetic and perhaps do
not know how to go about it to rem
edy the trouble.
There is way. 1T is to let your con-
gresham know what you want. If
enough voters in any community do
this, their representative at Washing
ton dare not ignore such a demand
Any farmer would gladly give
twenty-five cents to see this parcels
post plan enacted. If he will take that
quarter, buy postal cards with it. send
one at frequent intervals to his mem
ber of congress, saying briefly that
I'VE want the parcels pOst-a low rate
on merchandise and we propose to
have it." it would not be long before
congressman would be falling over
each other trying to enact a bill pro-
viding for it.
The voters have the power to make
legislation. They usually forget all
about their civic duties when the last
tOrchlight is out. Each one SAYS.
whats the use? One don't count. Of
course if everybody would act together
we might do something. but | can't
WELD any influence by myself" So he
goes his way and carries the same old
load
The fact is the only way a great re