The Detroit times., 1909-02-08
|bEVERIDGE WILL
PRESENT PARCELS
POST BILL
PROTECTIVE SCHEME FOR coUN-
TRY sToREkEEPER PROPOSED
BY NEVER TO BE TRIED AS Elk.
PERIMENT-AIDsF FARMER.

WASHINGTON, Feb 6-Senator
Beverage has hit upon an idea which
will result In the introduction OF a
parcels post system in this country as
natural thing and without big
fight In congress. says Raymond. IN
dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.
Beverage proposes that an extreme
" cheap parcels post system for use
on rural delivery routes. as proposed
by Postmaster General Meyer should
be given a fair trial on two or three
routes in different parts OF the coun-
try.
II could soon be determined there
whether II was feasible and II could
then be extended TO other routes ana
finally To cities as we'll The rural
free delivery began in this way and
demonstrated its value under most ad-
verse circumstances.
The parcels post is being opposed
largely on the same grounds as were
advanced against rural delivery. No
one wants to hurt the cross roads
storekeeper or the fourth class post
master. and so the idea is gaining
ground In congress that It might be
Just as we'll To pass the resolution Of
fered by Senator Beveridge and try
out the rural parcels post purely as
an experiment. so that when congress
meets In December there would be-
some data on which 10 base a perman-
ent plan.
Rural Delivery Once Called Failure.
Ii is not generally remembered that
rural free delivery was tried as an
experiment and pronounced fiat fail
ure. This was during the second term
of President Cleveland. The Demo
crast in congress made small appro-
priation for the service and authorized
the postoffice department 10 make
trial OF delivering letters from house
TO house along few routes. The re-
suit was a report from the postmas-
ter general, in which he declared that
while letters could be so delivered the
cost was out OF all proportion 10 the
service, while II the system should be
extended all over the country the post
Office department would be swamped
with work and overwhelmed with an
enormous deficit.
AS result OF this report congress
declined to authorize the establishment
OF rural free delivery at that time. II
make another small appropriation for
experimental service. In the mean
time, Mckinley had been elected and
new blood was injected into the post
Office department with most astonish-
Ing results. The experiment OF rural
free delivery was given a fair trial
on its merits on several different
routes The success in each case prac-
tically was instantaneous.
Becomes Fixed With People.
Congress was appealed TO for a
\ larger experimental appropriation and
within an extremely short time con
gresham who would have proposed 10
his constituents to have their rural
delivery routes abolished would have
committed political suicide. Ten years
after the Inauguration OF Mckinley,
the rural delivery service was supply
Ing something like 100000 people
and the annual cost OF the service ap-
proximated $4,000 900. In the mean
while the deficit in the postoffice de-
partment steadily decreased and the
I. day 10 day delivery of letters in the
greater part of the country is today
as much a part of the system as the
familiar distribution of mail through
the streets OF great cities.
Many members OF congress have re-
ceived letters and circulars from their
constituents protesting against the es.
adjustment of parcels post. Many
OF the country storekeepers have be-
come impressed with the idea that II
the government should undertake TO
send packages broadcast through the
country at a cost OF IL cents pound,
n With mn i'm Af 4
pounds, as now prescribed for foreign
parcels deliveries by mail, the result
WOULD be that the farmer in back dis
tricts would supply himself with ev-
erything he needed through the mail
order houses in large cities.
storekeeper's influence ts Felt.
This may be SO. IL 1t is SO, at least
len farmers would get the benefit
where one storekeeper would be hurt.
but the storekeeper Is usually bit
OF politician and Is apt to have the
ear OF his congressman, SO that these
protests really have had great deal
OF effect in delaying action, entirely
aside from the tremendous efforts put
forth by the express companies TO pre-
vent the destruction OF their peculiar
monopoly by the government.
For the purpose OF protecting the
rural storekeepers, Postmaster Gen
eral Meyer originated novel scheme.
which was 10 have the parcels pos,
run on zone system. In other words.
his plan is that the government should
undertake TO deliver through the mail
parcels weighing not to exceed IL
pounds for IL cents pound AT the
present time the merchandise rate Is
16 cents g pound. and the limit Is four
+ pounds. This new rate would of
course. carry package anywhere
within the United States. the same
rs II is now carried To those foreign
\ countries with which We have parcels