The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-04-15

to charge as much for an ounce of
merchandise as for pound of reading
matter. 1t could do it cheaper of
course but there are to be considered
other factors than the welfare of the
people at large, and factors of much
more Importance.
John Wanamaker, great merchant
and Republican postmaster general,
was once asked why this country had
no parcels post He said in reply
that he knew of but four reasons: first,
Wells Fargo and Company; second,
the Adams Express Company; third,
the American Express Company, and
fourth, the United States Express
Company. Now Mr.. Wanamaker was
not humorist in politics, nor was
he muck raker with crouch; he
was just shrewd, we'll balanced man
of business, newly engaged in nation
al politics and not too we'll pleased
with what he found there.
The reasons he gave were indisput-
able and, with the passing OF time,
have become more firmly grounded.
Some years ago a man visited the
government printing Office in search
of report on the parcels posts of
Europe compiled from facts gathered
by our consular agents abroad. He
found the report, that is he found
the manuscript of it bearing the en-
dorsement withdrawn at request OF
Senator Platt. " At that time the
express companies were represented
in the senate of the United States by
Thomas @. Platt, UNANIMOUSLY known
to political history as''Me too Platt. -
MI. Platt is now dead and the ex-
press companies have no ostensible
representative in the senate; probably
they do not need one under the con-
ditions at present governing that ven
cradle body.
| have been some little time in ar
irving at the poultry raisers inter rest
in this subject but this slight pref ace
seemed necessary. We are concerned
not merely as citizens who desire the
common good but individually and
particularly. No matter what the
rate might be we could not ship GRAFT
ed ROSTERS or settings of high priced
Matching eggs by mail but we could.
and doubtless would, make as good
use of the parcels post as does the
British poultry raiser, who ships to
London customers, from all over the
United Kingdom, packages of eggs
and dressed poultry at the modest
charge of two cents pound. Pack
ages of butter and other farm products
and even of fresh fish are carried by
parcels post from one end of Great
Britain to the other and delivered to
the city customer with promptness
and in good condition.
How would this affect us? Well
concrete example is better than a lot
of abstract generalities; let me show
you how it affects me. I know a doz-
en- people in Seattle who want fresh
eggs and will pay me few cents more
per dozen than they pay their grocery
man. If | ship the eggs to Western
avenue now receive % cents a dozen
less freight charges. From these pri
vate customers | can get 40 cents
dozen and they would take two or
three dozen at a time, some would
take more. l cannot afford to pay
express charges on such small ship
ments. In some cases the minimum
charge OF 70 cents, which includes de-
livery in the down town business dis
trict, would not be prohibitory but
for the fact that in the nature of
things these goods must be delivered
out in the residence section and an
extra charge for such delivery is made.
With parcels post Service at Euro
pean rates | could fill these orders and
net, on an average, 3215 cents per
dozen for the eggs which at the "rpres-
ent time return mei23A cents per'dozen