The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-12-04
The Parcels POST.

In connection with the rural free deliv-
cry service Postmaster General Meyer in
his annual report recommends the estab.
lishment of limited parcels post con-
fined entirely to rural delivery routes.
He believes this would add millions OF
dollars to the postal revenues, entirely
wiping out the annual deficit, and at the
same time benefit the farmer by enabling
him to have merchandise delivered when
ordered by telephone or postal card which
otherwise would not be purchased. The
special parcels post, he maintains, will
enable the farmers to have small parcels
delivered at their gates, to live better and
10 obtain the necessaries of life. To
demonstrate the feasibility of the system
the Postmaster General wants permission
to establish, experimentally, limited
parcels post in four counties.
The postal service is designed primarily
for public convenience and not for rev.
enue, and even though conducted at a
large annual deficit, the people would. not
for a moment consent to any curtailment
of the service, although such a curtail
ment might result in saving. The Post
master Generals idea is rather to expand
the service, and by this expansion in
crease the income, and he sees in the
establishment of the parcels post way TO
accomplish this, as by the delivery OF
merchandise by rural carriers, now not
permitted postal receipts would be large
" augmented, while there would be no
increase in the cost of service, as there is
an efficient rural system already in
operation, and by this means it could be
made self-sustaining. Established as II
was, for the convenience OF the farmers
and others residing in the country, IT can
not be denied the service is great boon
to the rural resident, and while at present
conducted at a loss, its benefits are such
that the service is constantly being ex-
tended, and could be made of still greater
benefit through the establishment of the
parcels post. In discussing the project
the Philadelphia Ledger says:
'sThe project OF parcels post has long
been favored by city merchants who do
large mail order business, and CORES
pondingly opposed by country merchants
who believe that it would promote the
trade Of the large dealers and catalogue
houses at their expense. One answer to
this is that the extension of the telephone
has now brought the country merchant
into such close touch with his customers
that if he had the means of prompt and
cheap delivery he would have an ad-
vantage over the distant wholesale dealer
This seems to be the thought underlying
the Postmaster Generals suggestion of a
limited local parcels post confined to
the rural delivery district in WHICH the
business originated. If such service
were once established experimentaliy il
probably would not be long before the
local limitation was broken down; but
there is evident political wisdom in the
suggestion, siuce it disarms the particular
opposition to the parcels post that has
been most influential with majority OF
congressman.
"The parcels post, in some form or
another, does seem a natural if not in.
evitable evolution of modern conditions,
which tend more and more to extend
what were formerly the exclusive adj
vantages of town life to the remotest
part Of the country. The United States
Government has concerned itself so var.
ionsly 10 this rural 'uplift' that it is no
longer easy to draw a line beyond which
its activities ought not to extend. 1t is a
question mainly of business admins
iration, and it is to the credit of Post
master General Meyer that he is urging
the consideration of the subject on practi
cal rather than on theoretical lines"