The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-20
A PARCELS POST

There has been d great deal OF ael-
tation off and on for a parcels post.
During recent years the argument has
been advanced that a parcels post
would eliminate the country merchant
the business man in the average town
because it would enable the mail or
der houses to do business so much
cheaper then he could afford. The rural
merchants are aroused from time to
time to object to a parcels pCst-that
is, allowing considerable packages of
merchandise to be sent by mail at
comparatively low rate-but the real
opposition to it comes from the big
express companies whose business would
be hurt by it.
AS an abstract principle the State
Journal does not take much stock in
the arguments against the parcels post
on the ground that it would hurt the
country merchant The up-to-date
merchant can certainly compete with
the mail order house if he has the
goods and uses printers ink in telling
his customers about them. The mail
order house would have to pay postage
rates where the country merchant
would bring in his goods by freight and
the merchant who could not compete
with the mail order house under such
conditions would not be much of a
business man. There is danger, how
ever that the rates on a parcels post
might be made so low that they would
not pay expenses, which would not be
right
Congressman Ellis, of Kansas City,
has devised a sort of semi-parcels post
that eliminates the mail order argu-
ment and would be a positive advan-
tage to the country merchant He pro-
poses allowing the mailing of packages
UP to five pounds in weight if they are
to go out on a rural delivery route from
the office at which they are mailed.
That would make the rural mail car
rier a delivery man for the country
merchant 1t would also be a great
convenience for the farmer and would
/ doubtless increase the revenues from
the rural mail service. In speaking of
his plan Mr.. Ellis says:
"This system is entirely different
from the parcel post that has been ad-
vocated for years and which the coun-
try merchants so seriously opposed.
According to the parcel plan. reduced
I postage would carry packages to any
/ part of the country and thus the mail
! ing houses in large cities could greatly
extend their business at the expense
Of the country merchants. The plan I
/ propose is to cOnfine the transportation
| Of packages at a reduced postage to
/ single rural route With the establish
ment of rural delivery and the extern
sion of the rural telephone system a
| demand has developed from patrons of
/ the rural service for the delivery of
| packages of merchandise such as gro
ceries, meats and dry goods on an or
/ der to a local merchant by telephone.
/ The cost of these packages usually is
small and under the present rate for
such mail matter one cent an ounce
the merchant cannot deliver them with
out loss. At the reduced rate proposed
( by my bill the delivery could be made
at slight expense. This would mean
that the government would furnish the
| country merchant with a delivery wa
/ gon system and receive a fair return
for such services. 1t would not only in
crease the business of these merchants,
but would also stimulate the patroniz-
ing of the local business houses