Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-05
Postal improvements

Postmaster General Meyer is a prac-
tical man Of ideas, who wants to do
something to increase the benefits that
the people of this country may desire
from the postal system without doing
harm to any present legitimate inter-
est
In an address before the postmasters
association of New England at Boston,
Mass, last month, Mr. Meyer announc-
ed two matters of policy on which he
is working, which seem to be of vital
importance to the people as a whole
and which are worthy Of general sup
port.
The postmaster general wants to Sc
cure the establishment Of a parcels
post system, and a postal savings bank
system.
The greatest opposition to these in
novations heretofore has been coming
from the independent savings banks,
from the express companies and from
the retail merchants. All Of these in
terests have objected because Of what
seemed to them ruinous competition;
but Mr. Meyer has plans which he
thinks can be carried into effect with
out hurting anybody, but the express
companies, and If nobody suffers but
the express companies, the balance of
the country will not grieve a great
deal. We would not suggest injustice
even to the express companies; but
they have been having their own way
for such a long time, and they have
been taking advantage of the people to
such an extent, that it is matter or
satisfaction to know that there Is at
last some hope of relief.
The proposed savings department
contemplates the limit of aggregate
deposits to only few hundred dol
lars and the limit of the rate Of inter-
est to be paid on the same to l or
per cent. The savings banks generally
pay or 4 per cent, and the postal
savings system would be arranged so
as to drive savings, after they have
reached a stipulated sum, either into
the independent banks or into various
forms of investment.
But 1t is the parcels post that Mr..
Meyer is most interested in. Under ex-
isting laws, while Americans have to
pay 16 cents a pound to send four
pound package from one part OF the
country to another, they can send an
eleven pound package to any one of
the twenty-five foreign countries in
the postal union for only II cents
pound. Smaller sized packages go at
the same rate; but package heavier
than four pounds is not mailable as
between postoftices in this country at
all.
There would have been an American
parcels post long ago had it not been
for the express companies and the re-
tail merchants. Mr.. Meyer is not con-
cerned about the express companies,
but he thinks he has hit on plan
whereby he can attain the end desired
and at the same time secure the hearty
endorsement and support of retailers
everywhere.
The retailers have been worried about
the competition with mail order
houses. There is no doubt about the
fact that these concerns manage to
get large quantities of inferior goods
off an the farmers at big prices. Even
as matters now stand, mail order con-
Germs do a tremendous business with
the population of many rural districts
in goods that could be bought from To-
cal dealers in better quality and at
lower prices. Under a flat rate parcels
post system. the mail order houses
would have still further advantage.
But this trouble Mr.. Meyer proposes
to obviate by charging II cents a
pound for parcels mailed at city Of
fees and allowing parcels to go from
country offices over the rural routes at
cents a pound for the first pound and
cents a pound for each additional up
to II pounds for % cents. People liv-
ing along rural routes may send pack
ages 10 eacn otneT OF 10 tne ollceS dl
which their routes originate at this
same rate; but if their packages are
destined to the city offices, then the
rate will be u cents pound. BY this
plan the country merchant will have
on an eleven pound package an advan-
tage of 81 cents over mail order
house from anywhere, and packages
may be sent between the small towns
81, ha