The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-24
TUX fAKCELs rUol
RECOMMENDATION WILL HE MADE
 TO CONGRESS-.
Assistant Postmastcr General DeGraw. Wants System in Connection With Rural Routes--Oppositfon of
 Hx press Coa,uaniex

Washington, Oct, 23.--( Especial )--Ir his Forthcoming annual report F. " sDetiraw, Fourth Assistant Postmaster General. will recommend to Congress that A parcels post system be estab- lished practically in connection with the rural free delivery system.
 Country merchants and those in the smaller cities and towns of consider able size. 1t is said. generally favor this departure on the part of the gov ernment but as a rule they are opposed and will oppose in future, a genera. parcels post such as exists in all of the larger countries of-Europe.
 It Is argued that If the latter were to be organized the department storcs in the great cities of the country would gain an advantage over tho smaller traders in the various States .hat would damage immensely their busi- ness. and in certain sections would uit- doubtedly wipe out of existence taous- ands of concerns with Hmited capital and which depend entirely upon tlls country people for patronage.
 The plan which MT. DeGraw win recommend. he thinks will be a fair and equitable one. as the parcels post will be operated only from what the ,lepart- ment calls the ofIice of emanatlon' The average length of a rural route is about twentytwo miles. smany of the families receiving mail live so far they cannot go frequently to the country store, If there is parcels post they can order articles which can be sent through the post. and the rates wiil be sufficiently low to encourage the de, velopment of much business for tsn government and at the same time be 8 convenience to the patrons of both the government and the stores in the rural districts.
 Much pressure is being brought to bear upon Postmaster General Meyer to recommend to Congress tho parcels post system that prevails in Europe, but 1t is understood he is as yet unde- cided For ten years or more numer- ous bills have been introduced in Con- gress along these lines, and it is known CTS in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and St. Louis favor the scheme.
 The express companies of the United States have always been violently op- posed to the parcels post, and whenever a movement Is commenced in it's favor they have used their influence to side track the bills in Congress. It has never been recommended earnestly by any Postmaster General. although sev- eral in their reports have touched in- directly upon the subject and intimated that it would be good thing for the country. But up in Congress the leg islative leaders as rule seem to think the department officials make so many demands that they should come out in the open If they want anything. and therefore, Congress is not likely to act upon mere suggestions.
 Undoubtedly there will be agitation of both subjects at the coming session. Tn the House. where the postoffice ap- propriations originate, Representative Moon. of Tennessee. is the ranking Democratic member of the Post Offices and Post Roads Committee. For his party, he, of course, is constantly at the front when postal matters are be-