The Florida agriculturist., 1906-01-03

DOSIO1Ilce uo thC NOiN' e'N'
if is done in other countries. 1t seems
strange to us that President Roosevelt
has been so silent on this matter, in
view of the fact that he has urged
railroad legislation so earnestly and
persistentiy. Had he taken hold of it
with the same energy and determlna-
ton the parcels post bill would have
had fair chance this coming session
of Congress- But ROOseveltS silence
is no more to be wOnde ed at than
the Iukewarmness and Indifference of
the people Here is just where the
trouble is The people have not de-
manded the parcels post in an en-
phatic and unmistakable manner.
Whenever they do this, it will come.
The press is responsible, largely, for
thiS Sl1pineneSS of the people. Very
few of the influential papers, COM
paratively have ever attempted to en-
Tighten their readers on this question
and thus create and foster public sen
timent. Recent elections, last year
and this. show that the people are
aroused on the graft question, but
they fail to realize that The express
company trust is one of the most out
rageOus graft combinations in eX-
iStence The Merchants association
of New York. after careful inveStga-
ton declared that the express service
of this country paid a profit of 100 to
175 per cent on the actual investment,
and that it favored large shippers and
Disseminated between patrons most
outrageouSly. Just the other day the
writer sent a package of less than
four pounds a distance of 10 miles,
direct through. and paid 80 cents. In
Germany it would have cost but II
cents to any point in Germany and
AuStria-Hungary. and in Great Britain
the rate is the same. In Germany and
Austria Hungary. any package up to
II pounds is carried for - cents, and
to any point within 46 miles. for 6
cents In Switzerland the general rate
is 8 cents on II pounds. The charge
on our package. mentioned above. is
almost 800 per cent more than the
English and German parcels post
charges And this eXtOrtiOn is prac-
ticed upon every ordinary shipper in
this country When will the people
get their eyes open to the fact that
they are being fieeced out Of millions
of dollars yearly by an unrestrained
monopoly? Will not the readers of
The Ohio Farmer start the agitation
now? There are enough of them to
create breeze that will reach Wash
ingtOn and blow the dust out of the
eyes of Congressman and enable them
to see right from wrong in this marter
When Congress meets let every reader
who believes in the parcels post send
a letter TO each of the two Senators
from his state and to the Congressman
from his district. urgently requesting
them to work for and vote for the
adoption of a general parcels post
system with rates similar to those
that are i'm force i'm other countries
The bill proposed by Col. Albert A.
Pope. president of the Postal Progress
League. and Introduced by House
Resolution 1874. two years ago. en-
bodied rates as follows: Up to 3 or,
one cent: from 3 TO 6 o.. two cents:
q TO 3 or. three cents: 9 to - OZ. four
cents: - to rs or. five cents: for each
additional pound. > cents UP to a limit
of II pounds. on which the rate would
he p cents. If. after investigation.
these rates are found to he too low TO
pay cost. they can he increased. If they
are placed at half the present eX-
press charges the public would be
satisfied and it would pay the govern
mppt ItrOtit pUOIIpI tO ,oVpr tbn I,cu.