New-York tribune., 1908-01-20

railway rrsin, il must be that the mail order
houses could not profit thereby.
Once the facts concerning this proposition of the
Postmaster General are understood there will
doubtless be demand from every resident
rural route and from every merchant located at
the terminus Of a rural route, a demand so in
sistent that Congress will be compelled to enact
the legislation necessary to permit Mr. Meyer to
put his plan into operation.
The rates proposed for what may he termed the
rural diferental" cents for the first pound
and cents Cor each additional pound up TO eleven
pounds and from l cent for two ounces or less
up TO 4 cents for packages between eight and
twelve ounces.
The other proposition Of Postmaster General
Meyer, which is wholly independent Of that al
ready described and which is opposed chiefly by
the express companies which now enjoy n proht-
able monopoly, and by some merchants who GO not
understand II, applies to parcel posts carried Dy
railways. II would compete with the express COM
panies; hence their opposition. That the i"0i
chants do not understand il Is shown BY the posi-
ton of the Commercial Club of Indiana, for in
stance which in a petition to Congress asSetls
that "a certain mail order house VIII save Sf''''
year alone mailing its catalogues bS 'iiiS ie
duction." The members of the club ooVlouSiy uO
not understand thai catalogues are Ihird Grass nc
ter and therefore would not be afecteo a' al oS
Nr Meyer's proposed reduction Of the fourth class
rate. -
/ Postmaster General Meyer asks Congress 70 aU
he
rnatter-that Is nnerchandise-in packages up 10
eleven mounds in weight at the rate Of u cents IN
stead of Is cents q pound. with packages OF less
than twelve ounces at gradually increasing I@ie
until the present rate of cent Tor one o''iioe 10
| raacbad Mr. Never points out that under our
| -, o+r With foreign countries
csrrz, r,arcels coming from or going 10 twenty
! seven countries at Z cents pound ana lHaI IN
! +he case of twenty-four countries the Hii' oI
weight is twenty-four pounds lie IS convinced
+bat the business would pay at the lower rate ana
- - &c of the people would be better served.
z,-,.r tho a5ontion Of ''the rural derentia!' the
mail order houses could not compete with the local
merchants even if the general rate on fourth class
matter was reduced to L cents pound Inc rner-
cbs-+ on the other hand. could the more cheaply
.,,.,is, his broken stock secure small quant-
tics Of goods on order Already the express com
nanies have in numerous instances put INTO effect
1,ba- they term pound rate" in order 10 get
business: that is, they meet the postal rate.
cbarring cent an ounce fer goods that could be
mailed Al that rate. The effect Of reducing the
postal rate would doubtless be TO compel the eX-
press companies meet II, and considerable
norton Of the profits which they now make at
the expense Of the people would be saved TO the
community al large
At present Congress is opposed 10 these changes.
Sneaker Cannon has announced that ne Will per-
nit neither reform TO pass the House, and when
Mr. Cannon makes that kind of announcement
the matter is settled. But the people awaken
70 a res lization Of the benefits which the Post
master General desires TO confer on them they
viii Doubtless make their wishes known in terms
sufficiently emphatic to compel Congress 10 act.
There are already signs of awakening, and even
some members Of Congress are wondering II they
might not enhance their popularity by pro
noting the proposed reforms Like all important
reforms this is likely slowly at first gain
ms, headwav as il goes. But the next session OF
Congress which will take place just after the
election will afford it is said, excellent oppoT
tunity 10 press the matter, and those who favor