The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-04-26


anything landing the value Of post
Parcels and kindred schemes?
Now. who pays for all this?
"Four.fifths of every two-cent star,p
you put on your letters goes to make
up the deficit occasioned by the haul
ing by the government of these peri
odicals. Some of these have a circu-
lation of million copies, and pair
of scissors for an editor, ana are fllec
to overflowing with advertisements.
Another has circulation of one ana
half million copies per month. A
subscription of ten cents per year and
charge of $S4 per inch for advertise
ments. During the year 1904 there
was hauled 600,000,OOO pounds of sec
ond-class matter. Three hundred mir
lion pounds of that was advertise.
ments. The loss to the government
for hauling this mass of stuff was
over $12,0O0,000. Is this advertising
of such value to the public that The
government is justified in paying such
an amount? Look in the magazines
and see. Why, even the magazines,
in spite of the profit of the advertise
ment, are beginning to have scruples
as to the wisdom of allowing any
kind of advertisements going into
their publications.
Beer, whiskey, champage; cures
for all the ills that man is heir TO, ana
n tboneand opd ono ;ndoFa,,yil,fa
schemes to inveigle the public and
rob them of their money. Why
should the government help, by pay
ing four-ffths of the expense, to
spread this advertising over the coun-
try?
And now, in addition to this graft
and favoring some to the exclusion
of others is always graft-it is pro-
posed to foist another graft on the
public, in the shape of Post Parcels
that will carry parcels up to eleven
pounds that shall not exceed three
and half feet in length, nor in length
and girth combined six feet. 1t is
proposed to carry one pound for five
cents, and for every additional pound
two cents, up to eleven pounds,whieh
shall go for twenty-five cents.
"A scheme started by the third as
sistant postmaster general to consoli-
date third and fourth class matter, II
carried through, would make an elev-
en-pound package cost eighty-eight
cents. Even at that rate it is admit.
ted that it is carrying merchandise In
the mails at loss.
where is the sense OF the govern
ment undertaking to carry any more
in the mails at a loss? Is there any
business equity in such proposition?
"our magazine writer goes on to
say what a fine thing Post Parcels
would be for the manufacturer. In.
stead of having to carry great stocks
scattered over the country In the
shape of extended credits to the job
bers they could ship direct to the con.
sumer. This method would wonder.
fully simplify the business Of the Job.
Der, for all that he would. have to do
would be to send the orders to the
manufacturers and they would pack
and ship the goods.
'If the scheme proposed Of letting
the manufacturer pack and ship the
goods to retail dealers is such fine
thing, why is it that very loud and
vigorous protest is being made by
manufacturers on this very point?
"Our magazine writer goes on tc
say further what boon It would be
for the merchants in the large cities.
The drain of brain tissue in the 6elly-
cry departments Of the large city
stores is enormous, and is one Of the
most expensive items in the cost or
operation of great establishment.
az wonder, If it is such strain on
the brains of the delivery depart
ments Of the big stores, If it would be
any less on the brains of the postal
authorities. ......
"Then our magazine writer adds
what a fine thing it would be for the
railroads. Instead or having thous-
ands of cars lying idle there would
be constant stream of packages, IN
stead of internationally by car loads or
train bulk. Would this constsnt
stream of packages go by train, and
if they did, would there be any more
trains than now??
''Last, but not least, says cur maya
zine writer, comes the farmer. He is
the victim of bad government, both in
bad roads and lack Of postal facili-
ties. Rural free delivery is ridiculous,
unless coupled with Post Parcels.
Why, how nice it would be if the far
mer could send to the country mer-
chant for such goods as he may want
and in a few hours nave them deliv-
cred to him! Would the. enactment
of Post Parcels law make the roads
any better? Who makes the roaus in
the country? The farmer has just
such roads as he makes-no better
no worse. viii there be rural route
man at the Office to grab any package
that may come in and rush away u
deliver it, or will the packages wait
and go out on the regular trip at the
regular time?
"The argument of our magazine
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