The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-12-09
RURAL PARCEL POST
RECOMMENDED BY ASSISTANT
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
He Urges That Carriers be Allowed
to Garry Local Packages Weigh
ing Not Over Eleven Pounds.

ing Not Over Eleven Pounds.
Touching the heart Of the agri-
cultural communities in every State
of the Union, the annual report of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral P. V. De Graw announces In;
creased usefulness of the rural free
delivery service and the unprece-
dented bringing of the work Of the
bureau up to. date and recommends
rural delivery OF packages of IL,
pounds maximum at special pos
tage and the uniform5ng Of ru-
raj carriers. The package provision
suggested require Congressional leg
islation, and is designed to be ef-
fective between the distribution,
postofice and the patrons Of any
rural route emanating from such
postohcs.
Such service, according to the
report, would benefit alike the
rural delivery patrons and local mer-
chants without injurying or compel
ing with any other service.
'tIt can be given," adds Mr. De
Graw, with the facilities nov en-.
ployed, and would materially in
crease the revenues of the depart
ment. A special reduced rate Of
postage for merchandise carried only
by rural carriers would unquestion-
ably be Of marterial value to the
retail merchants on rural routes and
at rural delivery distributing cen
ters as well as enhance the influence
Of the rural service in making life
in the country more attractive"
Rural carriers at present are not
permitted to carry for hire any mat
ter or package that is mailable, but
Congress increased the salaries o.
the carriers. The demand for q
package service by them, fostered in
the first years of rural free delivery
still exists. It should ..be met, ac-
cording to Mr.. De Graw, not in the
old way, which permitted the use of
the Governments agency for private
gain, but by the establishment OF a
system for the carriage Of merchan
disc by rural carriers at such rates
as will be a fair compensation for
the service performed, the revenues
to be credited to the postal receiuts.
Patrons and merchants, he adds, de-
sire to have small packages deliver
ed by rural carriers, but will not
pay the present fourth-class rate,
which is prohibited as applied to
this class Of service.
Should Congress grant the depart
ment authority to utilize rural routes
still further by the establishment
of limited parcel post. confined en-
tirely to rural delivery routes, it
would then be possible to earn ad-
ditional revenue amounting to mill
ions Of dollars, and at the same time !
benefit the farmer by enabling him |
to have merchandise delivered when |
ordered by telephone, or postal card,
which would otherwise not be pur-
chased. Frequently consumption is
reduced owing to inability to secure
articles at the time they are wanted.
The reason for increased consump-
ton in the cities is that goods arc
accessible and are invariably de-
livered to the purchaser. This "ru-
raj parcel express is to be confined
entirely to rural routes, and there
would be no cost to the Govern
rnent for railroad transportation.
No merchant or dealer not bona
fi6e resident of the town in which
The distributing postofices is located
or en- the rural route would be per-
mitted to have goods delivered at
the proposed special rate, and
packages wou-i not be accepted
from any person acting as agent for
i concern located outside OF the de-
livery limits Of the rural routes.
The rural delivery routes viii
cost this year s35,52n.000. and :ac
service should he thoroughly utili;-
I'd, especially where it would be t,
he benefit of 100000 patrons.
rhe special local parcel service viii
enable the farmers o have small
PARCELS delivered at their gates,
o live better and to obtain easily
he necessaries of life. The in
reased consumption vii, in turn in
rease the business of the local mer-
hants and benefit the jobber by til
dditional order transmitted through I
he drummer. 9
The reason man is proud Of e