Evening journal., 1909-06-03
PARCELS POST"
Would be Some Relief From the Abuses
Practieed by the Express
Commands


Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNAL:
Noting your most excellent and pertinent
editorial on Express Companies"-their
extortionate rates and independent ways.
etc, am reminded Of the matter OF the
parcels post" advocated by the United
States Postmaster-G General, by Senator
Root and others as being OF far reaching
relief for some cf the abuses inflicted by
the express companies and one which can
not be too strongly advocated. 1t applies
especially to country people so far as it
would enable them to get small packages
or parts OF farm machinery by their rural
free delivery and postofhces at reason
able rates and It would be Of incslculable
advantage to thousands Of people Think
OF it-some months back a person from
Philadelphia (see edition Of THE EVEN
ING JOURNAL, January s, 1900 repre-
senting himself as connected with the
hardware trade (but most likely interested
In express companies or railroads) came
here and spoke to our Board OF Trade
condemning the Parcels Post idea on
small, fimsy pretexts, and the Board OF
Trade Immediately passed resolutions of
approval Of the views expressed and forth
with forwarded the same to our senators
in Washington with recommendation that
they oppose any legislation looking to the
establishment of the parcels post sys-
TEN.
AS showing our blindness TO progress.
and how we are behind other countries in
this matter even 'Heathen China" in
close a clipping from the New York
Herald Of May 20. and I believe IL will
be appreciated by large number OF your
readers and a vast number that don't
(because of living on farms and in the
country have the opportunity TO read the
metropolitan papers. They would appre-
ciate It il you would approve and agi-
tate this subject
Yours truly
Farmer.
Edge Moor, Del
The clipping enclosed is as follows:
To The Editor Of The Herald;
While Congress is dallying over half a
dozen parcels post bills, awaiting the
gracious permission OF Senator T. c. Platt
Uncle joe Cannon and the express conn.,
panies, the heather Chinee" is ''catch-
ing on" TO the parcels post idea.
The London Times recently records
China's advance in this particular field
Beginning with the year 1901 the very
modest number OF $4,000 packages. weigh
ing but $50 tons. was transmitted through
Chinese post offices. In 1907 this had in
creased to 10000 parcels. amounting tc
$500 tons. Last year the very respectable
total Of 2,445,6oO items, crossing 27,155 tons
was reached.
An American can mail a parcel to Japan
and other equally distant points for less
money than he can mail the same pack
age to the next village-twelve cents per
pound to Toxic; sixteen cents to the next
village While the American Post Ofhee
will transport single packages of eleven
pounds weight TO Peru or Japan, It ~
fuses to handle packases exceeding for 7
pounds for the American. even the dis.
tance Of fiye miles, over domestic routes,
even though he pays four cents per pound
additional.
How long will the American supiney
submit to the insolent dictation OF ex-
tortlonate express companies. which has
hitherto prevented their enjoyment OF that
inestimable boon to all classes-an up to
date parcels postl
Edward Berwick,
President Postal Progress League Of
California.
Pacific Grove. Cal. May is. 1909