Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-01-02

1 eral Wanamaker once said, in sheer
disgust: There are three reasons why
we can't have a parcels post-the Adj
ans express, the American express AMI
the Wells-FarSo express" All these
interests have influential representa-
tiVes in the United States senate; the
American people seem to have fewer
representatives there AID Of less intiu-
ence.
Then, in the lower house of congress,
there seems to be a simply paralyzinS
fear Of the country storekeeper. Way,
if people in the country were allowed
TO get parcels by mail at reasonable
charges, they'd send to the city for
their goods And this would hurt the
country storekeepcrs!" That's the ar
gument I'm not making it out more
ridiculous than 1t is; I'm stating it SIM
ply but accurately MIR. Meyers an!GZ-
ing plan for local parcel delivery is
simply an attempt to whip this partlc-
ular devil round the stump. In order
to protect the rural stOrekeepers the
people Of country districts are TO con-
tinue to be overcharged by express
companies, and compelled to buy what
the local store has rather than what
they want, or else go without
Is 1t too strong a word to call this
suggestion, as did fantastic
Take, as an illustration of the way
it would work, IN my own case. ! am
within thirty miles Of five cities, In
markets and stores of which practi-
cally everything which a common
farmer can want is for sale. The free
delivery carrier Of the pOstOfhce, who
brings and takes my mail, starts from
a little railroad village five miles
away. In that hamlet is one country
store. Its stock is about Ike that
o. other country stores. Its prices are
usually reasonable, but its variety is
exceedingly limited. Actual experience
has shown me that OF my years needs,
I cannot supply One-haf from its
stock. I must go or send to larger
stores. where twenty times his avail
able space is devoted to the sale Of
single sort Of goods. and where va
rieties are obtaiuable which he can
not, by the very nature Of things, be
expected to carry. The free delivery
carrier, starting from that village
serves about a hundred and fifty fam
lilies. He drives a cart or carriage in
which he could easily bring one or two
hundred pounds more weight than is
contained in his mail pouches 1t
wouldn't cost the government one red
cent to let him bring that amount of
on them would be clear gain. Mr..
Meyer figures that il each rural car
rier now on duty carried but fifty-fve
pounds of parcel matter each trip. the
postage. at the rate of q cent or two
per pound, would wipe out he entire
deficit Of S15,000,000. which occurred
last year. That shows what an ex-
tension of the parcel delivery would
do, If only it we're opened to all the
people on equal terms.
And yet, for the sake of protecting
that single stOrekeeper in that rail-
road hamlet, a hundred and fifty fam
lies aggregating probably six hun
dred people, are to continue to be in
convenienced, and disconnected and
Overtaxed in the procurement of their |
needs! Fantastic" did say2 Wei.
the delicacy inherent in typemetaI /
precludes the use of more appropri- /
ate adjcctiVes. But what l don't care
TO write. you dearly beloved reader, /
can go out behind the barn and say
say out loud and with emphasis! II .
1 want a pair Of No. Mines for my
big feet, and the village storekeeper /
happens to have them, the postage on /
them, according to this wonderful plan, |
would be about five cents. But if he /
doesn't have them-and he usually |
] send to the city, TWEEN |
ty-five miles away, then the postage |
on the same shoes will continue to be |
IS cents-at the rate Of a cent an |
ounce, including package. Oh, shucks! |
In my whole town there are about |
three thousand people. Six of them |
keep stores. For the good of these /
six. the other two thousand nine hun |
bred and ninety four are to be refused |
the conveniences given years ago to /
every peasant OF Germany and Aus |
tria and other foreign lands. in the |
delivery Of small packages Of needed |
goods. And that is what the congress-
men whom we, the Great American
People. elect, consider statesmanshipl |
At least it's what they give us for
THE TIA NFE-u