Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-08
SECRET RATES GIVEN
Do Express Companies Thus Aid
the Mail Order Houses?
CONGRESSMAN so ALLEGES.

Mr. Anthony Presents Evidence to
Show Violation of Interstate Com.
merce Act-Chicago Concern Indicted
For Illegal Use of Mails.
day of reckoning seems to be in
prospect for some of the big mail or
der houses which appear to have been
violating the laws Congressman D.
r. Anthony of Kansas, who repre-
sents the Leavenworth district and is
son of one of the most noted edi-
tors in the history of his state and a
nephew of Miss Susan B. Anthony, the
famous woman suffragist, has furnish
ed evidence to Postmaster General
Meyer which is said to show that
some of the mail order concerns enjoy
secret cut rates from the express COM
panies.
Congressman Anthony has been
gathering facts to substantiate his
statement that the express companies
give discriminatory rates, thus en-
aiding the mail order people to ship
their goods to country customers at
rates low as or even lower than those
suggested in the postmaster generals
recent recommendation for the estab-
lishment of parcels post Should
these charges be substantiated both
the express companies and the mail
order concerns participating in this un-
derhand work are liable to prosecution
under the interstate commerce act,
just as the railroads and the Standard
Oil company have been prosecuted for
giving and accepting rebates on freight
transportation.
Many country merchants oppose par
cells post legislation because they fear
that 1t would give such an advantage
to the mail order stores in the large
cities that the local retailers would be
driven out of business. Just how Mr..
Anthony's investigations may turn out
Is a matter of conjecture, but should
his statements be substantiated by Of
fetal investigation it is evident that
the discovery of express rebates will
tend to reconcile retail merchants to
parcels post legislation. At any rate,
these charges coming from a man
Of Congressman Anthony'S standing
should cause thousands of mail order
patrons to think twice before patrOniZ-
Ing houses suspected of violating this
highly important law. Those who be-
lieve in equal rights to all and special
privileges to none will be inclined to
class the mammoth mail order con-
Germs with the Standard Oil company
and other prayers on the public veal.
In Iowa the federal authorities are
going after one mail order concern.
that Of Sears, Roebuck & Co. of Chi
cagO, in another way. The federal
grand jury at Des Moines has returned
an indictment in three counts against
the Chicago firm on charges Of using
the mails to defraud.
1t is alleged that this concern sold to
a citizen of Des MoineS some paints
which it described in a letter to the
prospective buyer as containing white
lead and being manufactured lin our
own great paint factory under the SUI
pervision of the finest paint experts"
The indictment sets forth that the
paints did not contain white lead and
were not manufactured in the con-
GERMS own factory, Sears, Rcebuck s.
Co. not possessing a paint factory.
The other two counts name a rural
free delivery route victim who bought
two rings from the Chicago concern on
the strength of its catalogue recon-
mendation. One Of these rings was
said to contain pearls and Sapphires,
the other pearls and rubies. Neither OF
the rings contained the jewels men
toned, according to the Indictment.
AS the catalogues and the rings were
sent through the mails, a violation of
the federal statutes is charged.
Whether this indictment holds or not,
there is food for thought in the refec-
ton that you cannot always get what
you want by seeing picture and de-
scription of it in a catalogue and send
ing your money by mail without first
seeing the goods.
The local merchant keeps his goods
in sight, and the purchaser always
knows what he is buying. Purchasing
articles by mail is pretty much like
swapping pocketknives 'unsight and
unseen" Very frequently the other
boys knife is not half so good knife
as yours, but when you trade that
way your knife is gone. 1t Is good
rule to insist upon seeing the knife be-
fore making the trade.
At your home stores you can always
see the knife and test the blades before
buying.