Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-12
WAR ON I ARC[LS Posi-
Hardware Dealers OF Iowa See
Menace to Retail Trade in
Plan
-----
MEANS lnSs TO GOVERNMENT
leans LOSS TO GOVERNMENT
Speakers at Annual Convention Do
clare Postal Deficit Would Be Great
Iy Increased by Meyers Scheme -
Hardware Men Have Most Success
full Meeting Ever Held.
,ecia1 to Times-Republlcan.

Special to Times-Republican
Des Moines, Feb. 12.-The important
theme discussed by the Iowa Retail
Hardware Dealers Association was tne
parcels post, and none in the conven-
ltion came forward to defend Postmas
+, speakers said more or less uncompli-
mentary things about Postmaster
General Meyers pet scheme, and they
We're. unanimous in their statements
that the proposed legislation will, If it
is enacted, work havoc with the &C.
tail dealers generally.
Charles w. Burrows. OF Cleveland,
I{Oho. an authority on parcels post and
an enthusiastic opposer of the plan.
said that President Roosevelt was
.misGuided" in his alleged support of
the bill Mr. Burrows is of the opia-
ion that 5the large mail order houses
will he the only ones who will profit
by the parcels post law. Lowering the
postal rates will enable them to get
their cataiogs, many Of which are
heavier than the postal department
will allow to be carried thru the mails
to every part of the country. and that
the small country merchant will suf-
fer irreparable loss thereby.
"The development of the parcels
post" said Mr. Burrows, would in
evitably deal serious blow to the
business of the small country merchant
in all lines. and to the department
stores in the great cities, blow so
crushing as to force many of them ,ut
of existence. The enactment would per-
nit few mail order houses to control
the retail business of the entire coun-
try the expense of distributing mer-
paid for in large part by indirect
public taxation"
Add to Postal Deficit.
Mr.. Burrows estimated that the loss
to the government by adopting the par
cells post bill will reach hundreds of
millions Of dollars; that our experience
would be practically the same as Eng
lands. Great Britain began her par
GELS post service in the year 1884. 1T
was predicted that it would be profit
able from the start, but at the end of
the first year 1t was found that very
serious loss had been encountered. The
prediction was then made that the next
year it would be found more profitable,
the first year was Just an experimental
one. The second year the loss was more
than doubled. and such has been rhe
case since the service was established.
The result will be the same in this
country. Not only will 1T prove a loss
to the government but it will be the
means of forcing more small dealers
out of business than score of finan-
cial panics.'' In closing Mr.. Burrows
said: "Let all of US so far as oppor-
tunity, time, and strength permit, AZ
ert our influence to prevent the pas
sage Of measure that, on the face Of
it, spells ruin to many of the smaller
commercial industries Of the country"
Mr.. Robert Garland, of Pittsburg.
president of the American Hardware
Manufacturers Association, talked On
the subject from the manufacturers
manufacturers turnout the entire coun-
try were in sympathy with the retall
dealers in their stand against the pro-
pOS6O leSlSldllOn. MT. NIdTldHQ pOlulSu
out that the manufacturers as we'll as
the small. retailers will suffer by the
law, as q great many of the large cata-
log concerns manufactured their own
wares and thru the aid of the parcels
post would be able to make direct sales
In communities thousands of miles
from home, and cut the retailer off
from all profit.
Today's session closed what the Of
fcers pronounce the most successful
convention in the history of their Dr.
ganization. The meetings have been at
tended by larger numbers, and the re-
suits accomplished have been greater
than ever before. More than 500 dele
gates are registered on the books OIL
the association as having attended the
convention. 1t is thought that more
than 1000 people are in the city as a
result OF the association meetings.
Abbott Will Be President
The following officers will be elected
by the Iowa Retail Hardware Associa-
ton, this afternoon: President, L. c.
Abbott, Marshalltown; vice president,
d. c. Barbour, TT. Madison; secretary,
e. r. Sale, Mason City.
chautauqua Work Moving Slowly.
Boone. Feb. 12.-T. r. Graham, rep
resentative of the Redpath chautauqua
system, is in the city looking over the