The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-01-08
Subscriber" Says Efforts Are Being
Made by the Express Companies
to Down the Parcels Post.

| Editor World:
| see by your columns that this is
week devoted to the consideration
of the parcel post as set forth by
Postmaster General Meyer in his re-
port to congress of that department.
In the first place | can see no
reason why there should be any OBJ
lection to the rural delivery of pack
ages, provided that some reasonable
rate can be fixed to make the postage
carry the extra expense of the rural
carrier and not be prohibitive as it
is now. The rate now is 16 cents d
pound. 1t is thought by postal eX
perts that if the rate is made as low
as one or two cents a pound that it
can be made to pay the entire ex-
pense of rural delivery. Then if
farmer with telephone desires a
package of something weighing two
to ten pounds he would not put it off
till coming to town, but would have
it sent out, thereby saving very much
valuable time and adding largely to
the comforts of farm life. Bringing
to the farmers of the country the
! privileges of city life and spreading
/ that contentment to which they are
entitled.
| As to the reduction of the rail-
road postal rate, some oppose it on
the grounds of injury to our local
merchant l have talked to a num-
Der of local merchants and find opin-
ions differ on the effect on them. To
the non-enterprising ones who do
not reach out for trade it would I'M
doubtedly put them to a disadvan-
tage with the enterprising one, but
every man has this condition to meet,
Our large department ores adj
vertise Small shipments 70 not pay
so we'll, form a neighboI 11c1 club
and make large purchases, so that
you can ship by freight" | am in
formed that the large stores OF Chi
cago and New York are opposing the
parcel post for the reason that it will
increase their number of shipments,
but at the same time decrease the
volume of freight shipments and in
crease the present express shipment.
Now, Mr.. Editor, l am informed
that last fall a young man landed in
Wenatchee and went to the mer-
opposed to the parcel post they were
handed petition to congress to sign,
and if in favor of it nothing was said,
and he passed on leaving the mer-
chant in darkness of the object of his
visit | would like to know who that
man was, but would much rather
know if he was employed by the
Great Northern or any other express
company Also if Hon. Mr.. Jones
now has that petition as representing
the sentiments of the Wenatchee peo-
pie as a whole.
We are all familiar with these
propositions Express rates up to
the government limit on mailable
packages are about the same as mail.
Then the rate is about double from
Chicago over the mail, gradually di-
minishing them till you get the 8
cent rate on 10000 lbs. In other
words, compete with the government
shipper and decrease the rate to the
large shipper, giving him the advan-
tage over the small man of business.
The proposed parcel post is an act in
tended to benefit consumers and ex-
tend the present express to all small
offices wherever there is a postofice,
instead Of limiting it to the Offices
where it will pay large profit to
stockholders of express companies.
Il In every country where the parcel
post is found it is said to be popu-
lar measure, and some are now point
ing to this country as being behind
the times in laws intended for the
common people.
Now, let us take the proposition
for a minute that it would be hard
on our country store (Which we do
not conceded. Is it not an incorr- 1t
principle to maintain system if a
| general tax must be put on the public
to maintain few. Ought We to con-
denim all harvesting machines be-
cause men can accomplish more in
! the harvest field than under the old
system of sickleS? Are our people
not as we'll employed now as then?
But what is the change? Every IA
mily now is eating white bread, and
rye and corn bread has disappeared
/ from the American workmans table
! Thanks to the Introduction of har-
vesting machines. So with the par
eel post; its great effect will be the
placing in the hands of, on the backs
/ of, and in the mouths of our COM
mon people few more of the COM
forts of life instead of paying it to
the stockholders of express compa-
MES; or, il the person is located back
| from the railroad, as many in this
state are, prohibiting them from