Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-11
ARGUMENT FOR PARCELS POST
EDWARD BERWICK DEPLOREs
DEFEAT OF NATIONAL PROJECT.
Arraigns Private Interests as Re-
sponsible and Enumerates
Benefits Denied.

President Edward Berwick of the Pos
tai Progress League of California. In a
letter to The Star from Pacific Grove.
Cal, strongly advocates the establish
ment Of an up-to-date parcels post sys-
tenn in the United States.
Mr.. Berwick says:
This is the season for Uncle Sans
quadrennial stocktaking. The national
business of the last four years Is being
reviewed, the balance struck and plans
laid for future betterments.
Among these betterments some politi-
cal parties have included post Office saw
ings banks. but, so far as 1 have seen,
no party has demanded an up-to-date par
cells post. Certainly parcels post. In any
adequate sense, is tabooed by both repub-
leans and democrats in their national
platforms
Why is this thus?
THE present situation is too utterly
ridiculous! Living here in the extreme
west, just as far as the star Of empire
permits, 1 can send by mail eleven
pounds in single package to London.
England, for 1892 But If want to mail
terey, two miles distant. l must sdivide it
into three parcels, because not more than
four pounds is permitted in one package
at domestic merchandise rates, and then
flee charges me A. cents more to send
eleven pounds for two miles than 1t
charges for sending the same weight 6.O0J
miles.
Whose fault is this?
rs it the negligence of the Postmas-
ter General? Certainly the blame does
not rest with this official, nor with
President Roosevelt. These gentlemen
have it in their power to conclude con-
ventions with foreign countries as to
81, fto vote PR
eleven-pound packages to distant lands.
But they cannot touch domestic rates.
These are regulated by Congress.
WHO regulates Congress?
Popular fiction ascribes this function
to the people But, as Lowell found
fifty years ago, a mysterious agency In
the background is apt to arrange for the
people their wants and desires.
This agency has sown broadcast fire.
quent statements that cheap parcels post
would ruin the retail merchants wherever
found. 1t has sedulously advertised the
mail order houses by publishing In the
rural press statements that these houses
sell cheaper than can local merchants,
and that were postage rates made reason
able, local merchants would all go broke
Put BADLY. cheaper transportation would
kill local trade.
This. of course. puts to derision the
whole worlds experience moreover IN
this special particular the worlds expert
Parcels post has been. in actual oper-
alton in Europe and India for more than
a quarter century. 1t has proved SO great
boon to the European retailer that ne
would be the first to object to its curtail,
ment or abolition. 1t provides RAPID
transportation at rates absolutely equai
for all, no Determinations. no rebates
Already in this country many mail or
der houses, by means Of special rates. de-
liver bargain counter goods to purchasers
free of all charge for transportation. In
spite of this there has never been a
decade when our country stores were pei
ter stocked with goods or transacted more
business than since 1898.
obviously. then, in obstructing parceiS
post, the retail merchant has been USED
as a catspaw for the mysterious agency
aforesaid. The monkey in the case Is
branded Express The chestnuts such
airy trifles as 3OOOO.GOO SURPRISES.
THE Postmaster General and the Peo-
pie want an up-to-date parcels post. rms
has been omitted from the national plat
forms. Let 1t be adopted by all, county
and state platforms!
The nation owes this reform TO the
man who wrestles with nature In the
backwoods for the bread of life when
constitutes it's wealth, and on which de-
ponds its very existence. His name is
legion. and he wants it badly ana ne
wants it now"