The Washington herald., 1908-01-17
Postmaster General Never
Gives His Views.
ASKS POSTAL SAVINGS BANK
Cabinet Officer at Newark Discusses
His Ambitions in Department.
that Which Is Novy In Use Ia Can
adR-For Benefit of Merchants.

Of the board Of trade here tonight. Post
master General Meyer made the chief ad-
dress. speaking IN favor Of the parcels
post and the postal savings bank, based
on the experience Of Canada for the last
forty years.
Mr.. Meyers speech.
Postmaster General Meyer said. in part:
THE present general parcel post rate is
10 cents pound for people in our oegu
country, the limit weight being 4 pounds.
while the rate from the United states To
. foreign countries is Z cents a pound.
and the limit OF weight TO q Of these
countries is II pounds.
In order to have the rate consistent
and equitable, the department has recon-
mended that on packages for delivery III
this country It shall be the same as ou
those sent abroad. namely. y cents
pound. a reduction of 4 cents. and the
weight limit II pounds, an increase Of !
pounds; for ! ounce, / cent over / ounce
and not exceeding 9 ounces. 2 cents; over
and not exceeding 4 ounces. 3 cents;
over and not exceeding . ounces. + cents;
over and not exceeding s ounces, 9 cents;
over and not exceeding i ounces. 8
cents. over Z ounces and not exceeding
/ pound, y cents.
In my annual report I also recon-
mended a local parcel post on rural routes
at the rate Of cents for the first pound
and cents for each additional pound or
fractional part Of an additional pound up
to II pounds for . ounces or less. cent:
over and up TO ( ounces. cents, over
and up TO S ounces, 3 cents. over s and
Up 10 L ounces. I cents: over y ounces
and up 10 ! pound cents The object
of this recommendation is 20 enable the
local merchants TO hold and increase their
trade on the rural routes tG give 10 the
farmers and patrons Of these routes the
accommodations which the machinery OF
the rural service. utilized 10 a greater
extent than az present, viii permit.
For Merehants' Benefit.
1T is the intention to frame bin in
such form that parcels carried at this
special rate viii be limited 10 those re-
ceiyed upon a rural route. or at the dis
tributing post-office thereof. and deliy-
cred upon the same rural route or an
other emanatins from the said distrib-
uting post-office. According 10 the de-
partments proposition, a UlsiI-order house
shipping goods By freight viii not be
permitted to distribute them by the spe-
cial parcel post on rural routes
That the establishment Of such a local
rural parcel post as the department ad-
vocates would be Of material and mani
fold advantage 20 the retail merchant in
competition with the mail-order houses
is seen IT once when it is pointed out that
the latter, at the proposed general parcel
post rate Of = cents pound would be
obliged TO pay $I.32 for sending an eleven
pound package 10 q rural route patron,
a difference in favor Of the local store
keeper OF about 10 cents q pound.
Not Enough Savings Banks.
'The total amount Of deposits IN savings
banks is S3,50o,oo0go. a striking fact is
that g per cent Of the money on deposit
in savings banks is in eleven States Of the
Union-the New England States (compris-
ing Maine. New Hampshire. Vermont.
Massachusetts. Connecticut, and Rhode
Iowa, and California. thus leaving thirty
FIVE States representing deposits OF only
S per cent. This demons rates plainly
that the opportunities for depos.ting
money in savings banks has not been
sufficiently developed, especially in the
South and West.
In The annual report I have recon-
mended a postal-saVings bank system.
based on the experience Of Cansda for
the last forty years, so far as the detail
Of arrangement is concerned. Therefore.
we are profting by their experience in
applying the system to the United States.
with this important eXception-in Canada
the money is put into the treasury, the
amount now on deposit being $4,000 CO.,
Our plan is 10 obtain authority from
Congress 10 deposit the money received at
the pOst-olice in the national banks Of
that particular State. IN that way each
locality would be benefited by having this
new money (which had been boarded and
had lost its functions) led back into the
channels Of trade to the mutual benefit
OF capital and labor
Would Pay Only Per Cent.
AS an evidence OF good faith that there
existing savings banks. the rate Of inter
est recommended is . per cent. the amount
Of deposit being limited 10 500 for any
individual or society.
THE government tPost-ofnce Depart
menu is u preferred creditor. and the
Postmaster General does not ask that
any government bonds shall be given IS
collateral for the deposits. as il is not
desirable to absorb the bonds for that
purpose. but that they be left free for
currency. The POst-office Department
would be secured as being a preferred
creditor and by reason of the liability of
the stockholders OF national banks for
double the amount OF stock held by them
and the facility Through the Comptroller
OF the Currency Of examining the banks
at any time.
Another advantage Of the system IN
Canada is the fact that il does not re-
quire any additional clerk hire 10 enforce
II. Money order clerks at the various
p0st-offices have been able to handle the
deposits. the practice being TO enter the
amounts Immediately in the passbooks Of
the depositors.
Loss Is Very Small.
1T has cost about $4,000 annually for the
division of savings at the capital Of Cana
da, and In the past thirty-nine years
the sum OF $4J0.OO0O00 has been deposited
and paid out. with a loss Of only $1,000
My object has been in recommending
in nay annual report the establishment OF
postal savings banks and the extension OF
the parcel post. to obtain results that
would bring about the greatest good for
the greatest number.
1T remains with the people OF the
United States TO say whether Congress
shall be called upon TO sake up these
questions and debate their merits, and