The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-11-25
EXPRESS COMpA-
MES.
n Parcels Post Scheme That Discrim-
mates Against the Cities.

"0 io"'ihaster General mas re-
ported a deficit of nearly seventeen
million dollars in the revenues of his
department for the year ending June
80, 1908. The receipts were S191,-
41S'663.41, and that vast sum was in
sufficient by the amount first named
TO pay expenses. This is declared to
be the greatest deficit in any one
year since the Postoifice Department
was established. The Postmaster-Gen-
eral attributes this increase in the an
nual deficit to the increased pay of
route agents, carriers and clerks. That
increase is about ten million dollars,
which is about the difference between
the deficit last year and the year be-
fore. Many things contribute 10 the
annual deficits besides the pay of
clerks, and among the chief causes of
loss is the abuse of the franking pri-
vilege, by which the people are called
upon to pay for the transportation of
tons upon tons Of stuff from the Gov
ernment Printing Office, which goes,
as rule, to the dump pile without be-
Ing opened by those who receive it
The Postmaster General believes that
a parcels post would yield enough
clear revenue to wipe out the postal
deficit and make rural delivery self
90 gft,in
would be a convenience to the farm er
and boom TO the retail country mer-
chant. But the Postmaster General
would confine the benefit Of the par
cells post to the Country merchant.
Why discriminate against the city
retail dealer? Has he no rights that
command respect? The Postmaster
prchantilprofit( meodu fore fiv Ea-
Generals plan is to have the parcels
post on the rural delivery routes. but
nowhere else. His plan would be
something like this: Let us suppose
there is rural delivery route from
Westminster, in Carroll county, TO
Unionville, in the same county. A
package would be taken at a small
price--a maximum Of 25 CENTS, we be-
lieve--at either Unionville or West
minister and delivered anywhere on
the route. But If person at West
minister desired to send a package
Weighing over four pounds to Freder-
ick, or Eruceville, or to Blue Ridge
summit the postofiice would not de.
liver 1t. If it weighed less than four
pounds 1t would have to pay present
rates. While this plan discriminates
against the city merchant it carefully
safeguards the interests of the express
companies, and that possibly explains
it. There are no express deliveries
along the routes of the rural carrier,
and so the plan of the Postmaster
General would not interfere with
them. Indeed, it would probabaly
help the express companies, for they
would be called upon to transport to
the beginning OF the rural route pack
ages that were too heavy for the
mails.
The feature which has been chiefly
instrumental in making the postal sys-
tenn a public convenience and sue
cess Is the uniformity of rates regard
less Of distance. Just as soon as spe-
cial and discriminating rates for the
benefit Of this or that private interest
are begun there will be public discon-
tent. 1t Is true that the present denial
OF the parcels post Is in the interest of
the express companies and contrary to
the public interest. But the wrong is
general, and not special. 1t will not
do to establish a parcels post in the in
terest Of any special class. general
parcels post will not hurt the country
merchant. The country merchant is
made the pretext for protecting the
express companies from competition.
The only injury that parcels post
could do to the express companies
would be to prevent them from eX-
acting extortionate rates. The express
companies can carry packages lust
as cheaply as the Government and
make money. The parcels post would
not take business from the express
companies. 1t would make business
and enable people who are not ac-
cessble to the express companies to
reach the market either to buy or
sell things Of limited weight.-RaIti-
more Sun.