The Jasper news., 1907-12-19
!. G. e. CAMPBELL.

merchants in small towns 10 our coun.
try should suffer any more than else
where.
In your discussion you overlooked
one important point: theconsumors will
send parcels as we'll as receive them.
Under our new present postal regula-
tions no article weighing over four lbs.
can be sent by mail. The result is that
larger parcels have to be expressed,
subject to such extortiopate rates that
the cost OF expresage is greater than the
value OF the article sent. 10 places no
larger than our county-seat you will
frequently seq two or three express
compani,s competing for businesp,
maintaining separate establishments
resulting in an expense to the public al
most totally unnecessary. With the
parcels post this useless expense would
disappear, for nearly ali the express
business would become part Of the
post office, traffic, requiring fewer men,
fewer establishments aud correspond
ing saving to the people.
The establishment OF the parcels post
would remove o striking anomaly from
our present postal system. A package
exceeding four pounds in weight and
addressed to person living in United
States will not be received by the post
offices; but IL addressed to person IN
Canada it will be received and forward
ed. This discrimination against our
own people would disappear. Articles
great OF bulk and weight will be as
readily received as our letters aud news
papers.
or one thing the people may rest pet
fectly assured-all the express COM
panirs will line up solidly against such
a measure becoming part Of our post.
Office system. They will oppose it this
time ss they have done ia the past, and
tho reason is they do not want ths pub
lie to reap it.. benefits.
As to mail order houses am not their
champion Or patron. Every commun'
rry ywou'u DO >InUyu puospuTvus-
consumers you'd spend this money Mt
home instead of sending it elsewhere.
But'human nature among consumers is
much the same as among merchants.
Merchants are supposed TO buy where
they can with the best results to them.
selves. CONSUMERS are aotuated by the
same motives. Az long as consumers
believe they can get more for their
money by sending away than by buy
'ng at home, just 10 long they will con.
tinue doing SO 1t IS common occur
r.nce to hear such parsons say how
much they ssvs b, tins practice, and
could mention scores OF such talks, il it
were necessary.
These people may be deceiviug them
selves, their savings may not be nearly
so large as they think, perhaps they
do as well or better at home with their
money, but they will keep On sending
until they can do better at home.
Who are TO do this? The local mer.
chants. II is up to them to convince
their patrons that the home merchants
will do as well Tor them as mail order
merchant. Let the home merchant
keep mail order firms catalogue ut
hand, and il need be, show it to his
patrons and prove to them that no mail
order house can do more for them than
he is willing and ready to do. Then and
not till then will the so called mail or
der establishments go out OF existence.
AS for myself 1 have this confession
tp make: During residence of nearly
thirty years in Jasper county. l have
g'veu to the local merchants oil my
trade except to the value OF less than
five dollars.
d. MATTHEW'S