The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-02-16

be covered with one roof-Ex.
NORTHWEST MERCHANTS MAKE
PROTEST TO CONGRESS.
w. J. Rouleau, business manager OF
the st. Paul Trade Journal, filed with
Congressman Stevens, for presenta-
ton to the postoffice and post roads
committee of congress, a petition con-
tanning the names of majority of the
general merchants, wholesale mer-
chants and manufacturers of the
Northwest, protesting against the en-
actment by congress of any form Of
parcels post legislation
The petition, as presented by Mr..
Rouleau and filed with the committee,
is as follows:
Whereas, there has been recon-
menced for consideration and action
by your honorable body, legislation
providing for the consolidation of the
third and fourth classes of mail mat
ter, and the transmission of the same
at less cost than now is provided
for by law; and,
Whereas, we are profoundly i'm
pressed by the knowledge that such
legislation would prove inimical to tho
best interests Of the people of the
United States as a whole and to tho
retail merchants, wholesale mer-
chants, manufacturers and others en-
gagged in commercial traffic, particu-
| larly, and, in our opinion, based upon
experience, would work great hardship
| upon and place the above mentioned
| interests at great disadvantage in the
| pursuit of their business calling by
favorins centralized interests in tho
shipment Of merchandise direct to
! consumers through the mails; now,
| therefore.
I'VE, the undersigned, general mer-
chants, wholesale dealers and manu-
| facturers of the United States, do
hereby numbly petition your honor
| able body not to ena~t any law that
will admit of the institution by the
! government Of a parcels post, so call
| ed, or any law that will in any way
tend to reduce the present cost of the
transportation OF merchandise through
the mails"
The petition is the first to be filed
| from this section against the parcels
post bill. known as the Henry meas
ure, and is the largest ever filed BY
country merchants.
| Speaking of the results of his triD
to Washington, Mr.. Rouleau said:
while the petition that filed is the
only petition of its kind to be present.
| ed thus far. it is we'll known that 9TH
ers are being circulated in various
parts Of the United States and that
! several others will follow the one that
| the st. Paul Trade Journal has fled.
| In addition, there is not member OF
congress who has not received person
! al letters from his constituents among
the merchants, protesting forcibly
| against the proposed Henry bill, and
! in addition resolutions protesting
| against the measure have been filed
by practically every retail merchants
association that has held q convention
this year.
The general merchants. wholesal.
ers and manufacturers of the country
| fully realize. however, the great force
| that is back of the proposed parcels
post legislation. and they are in readi-
| ness at any time to bring all the in
! f1uence that they have to bear against
such legislation. For there is no ques-
ton but what if the government I'M
dertakes to transport merchandise
through the mails at a low carrying
cost, such action soon will cause the
retirement from business OF major
ity of the retail merchants of the coun-
try, and with them the jobbing inter-
ests. The business of the country
will be carried on by vast aggregations
OF wealth, centralized in one or more
of the chief distributing centers of the
United States, and, as their field is
thus increased. they soon will be man
ufacturing their own goods, which will
also certralize and monopolize great
manufacturing interests of the country.
This is not a pleasant picture to
look upon, but il will be the inevitable
outcome Of the cnactlon in this coun-
try of parcels post law, which will
serve to do away entirely with tho
recognized method of doing business,
l. e., from the manufacturer to the job
Der, through the jobber to the retailer,
and from the retailer to the consumer.
it being proved that this is the most
equitable and most satisfactory way
Of placing manufactured products in
the hands Of the people."-St. Paul
Trade Journal.
cording to the grade And at that
price it is mighty hard to get.
I'm regard to hemlock lumber. the