The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-24
Mr.. Meyers Speech.

Mr.. Meyer said, In part:
The parcel post exists today. What
shall recommend to Congress is that
the Postofice Department be given au-
thoritv 70 abolish an injustice to our
people, a policy that is un-American,
namely. that of charging is cents a
pound on parcels which are sent 10 our
own citizens, when only y cents a
pound is charged on parcels sent to for
eign countries
Il am asking fer a reduction of I
cents "a pound IN order 10 equaliZe the
rate ! am also advocating an increase
in the weight limit TO eleven pounds,
because that is the maximum which is
allowed 10 twenty-five foreign COun-
tries with which we have parcel post.
conventions.
In the past the country retail mer-
chant has been opposed 10 the extension
of the parcel post because he felt that
II would work 10 his disadvantage. In
my recommendations TO Congress for
the establishment Of a parcel post on
rural routes, / have met the objection
of the retail merchant and the country
storekeeper. The rate which I advo-
cate is > cents for the first pound and .
cents for each additional pound. or 3
cents Tor an eleVen-pOund package.
This viii enable the farmer and the
patron of the rural route to order his
supplies by telephone or postal card
when il is not feasible for him ALWAYS
to drive 10 the town. 1t will increase
the consumption and in that way i'm
prove the trade OF the country mer-
chant.
Would Increase Pay.
The establishment Of such a post
viii reduce the cost Of the rural service
by Increasing the revenue to the Coy
eminent, and last, but not least who
also benefits by this? Why. the most
masters Of fourth class offices. There
were 41,369 postmasters of fourth-cIass
Offices June 80. 1866. receiving 500 or
less per ahnunl, and 1858 pOstmasters
or tOurJh-ClaSs offices receiving $50 or
less per annuTn- The adoption of MARCEL
post would increase their cOmDeuSaf5DT
without any further action by Congress
' espeGlally nose postmasters giving
suppose the cancellations Of an office
should thereby increase 50 cents a day,
On the basis Of ninety days. this in
crease would amount to S45 a Quarter
BY largely increasing postal re-
celpts the salaries Of pOstmasters would
increase automatically with the parcel
post scheme. At the same time the
vantage over the department store a.
II would cost the country merchant hut
. cents 10 deliver an eleVen-pouud
package, while the charge to the mail
age OF the same weight.
~-E--@--S 0sAFA4ABs 0auks
The object Of a postal savings banlr
viii be to bring into the channels Of
commerce and trade the money that is
today being boarded by large class of
our people In all parts of the cOuntryy
Inc great majority Of the fmmigranfs
VINO come here are ignorant of our Ian
guage and are not familiar with chr
institutions, but have absolute CONF
Qence IN tie Government The moneys
u5AL Lney sent abroad last year amount
60 10 &DOut $4,000, 600 in money orders
alone Besides. these foreigners there
are many people who have not HE
savings such people as are living In |
Vul-oI-Jhe-Way places and in parts of
me country where savings banks are
NOT accessible. One-third Of the savings |
banks IN the country are located in New
hilsldnu, and that section also con-
Jains one-third Of the total number of |
deposiJors in the country.
IN ORDER 10 get this money into cir
c4l2uon after II IS brought to the post
oinCe, l propose 10 place IL with the
national banks IN the districts where the /
money IS deposited, that is. in those
banks which are Government depositOr-
les. The rate of interest which I shall
recommend VIII bet2 per cent, or uer
cent semi-anuually. thus giving evil
denee that the Government does not de- I
sire oI Wish 10 compete III any way with /
the existing savings banks
Every national bank president with /
whom have spoken has assured me of /
MS readiness 10 allow on these SpeciaI 4
deposits Ia postal savings banks a rate /
OF ~ and . per cent. Consequently, il |
back IL q safe manner into commercial /
uses we shall be mutually benefiting /
labor ana the industries throughout the /
land %