The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-01-08
PIGEoN-HoLING THE PARCELS POST.

The parcels post they say, has been plgeOnlOed by
congress. That it is scarcely within the realm of
probability that this congress will place the United
States equality with the rest of the modern world in
the matter of mail packages.
Don't think that this is because the parcels post has
ceased to be an issue 1t isn't that
There influences which want to make you keep on
paying more to send a package from Chicago Des
MONIES than would cost to send the package from
London to Louisville They want to keep the permissible
package mailing weight restricted possible They
want rates parcels maintained they that other
carrying concerns continue to pay dividends.
Several of the hostile members of the lower house
talked the other day.
at will not pass by my vote' said Representative
Tawney of Minnesota chairman of the committee APP
preparations. II confident there will not be enough
votes to put it through | do not care to discuss it at
present"
81 shall vote against the BILL" said Representative
Hay of Virginia
'The passage of such bill is remote, said Repre-
sentative Mann of Illinois, ''that haven't had the time
to think about it,
ate for Senator Pa of express company fame is given
credit for having said that he would have it killed there.
Here is astonishing state Of affairs-something
which will benefit directly indirectly, 90O00O00 Of peo
ple yet member of the proposes kill it and
member of the house says he hasn't had time to think
about it.
Do you know why?
Congressman and alike will tell you that peo-
dOnt want parcels post. 1ney Will even show
letters to prove it. But they will not tell you about the
influences which have caused these letters They will
anything about the antiparcels post headquarters
Chicago and elsewhere which have been making public
opinion flooding the country districts with missatements
doing their best to the little storekeeper out of his
wits pleading with the honest but msnfomed editors of
patentnsded rural newspapers whose uerances law
and gospel in the country buying such for sale
in town we'll country
1t is the same kind of fight waged against the
rural free delivery That fought almost fercely
and delayed almost long. Yet today you could not
persuade either the farmer the country merchant do
without it.
Last year postal receipts of 1888 0000 900 less than
expenses by only trfe of $7O00000 Opponents of the
parcels post will tell You of the aarmng deficit They
will call your attention to the 100000 They won't
mention the $1830O0000. They will admit that the
postal service must be administered first the people
interest, and secondly money making enterprise.
Neither will they tell you of the deficiencies in the postal
service which Deficiencies, of the probability that
parcels post and ALL the department could show profit
today If 1t the butcher his market
thrifty as the proprietor manages his department store
The parcels post is Of the sense improve
ments which in time bound to elevate the postal
vice to its legitimate place 1t may not with this
congress- with the next but with every man who
becomes educated there is citizen who will want
to catch with the rest of the world and eventually the
present deficiencies of the postoice department will
have to along with the ivy the old tower which is
picturesque enough in its way and which has been there
for 100 years but which breeds germs and puts the family
to bed