Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-03-23
BRANTLEY In DOUBT ON POSTAL
PACKAGE PROPOSITION.

Congressman Brantley, with the
lights before him, does not apparent.
~ look with favor upon the proposi-
ton that the government engage at
once in the transportation of large
parcels by mail. As he regards it,
the demand arises from the desire of
the people for a cheaper service. In
asmuch as the government does not
own the railway lines, but must ar
range with them for the transporter
ton of the packages, he believes, or in
Inmates, that the proper way to pro-
coed is to take steps to give the pub
lie cheaper rates through the medium
of the existing transportation facilf-
ties. If the railroads can afford to
transport the packages cheaper for
the government and permit it to han
die them for the people at low rates
with profit to itself, then the rail-
roads should be able to do as much
for the public directly. If the gov
eminent would direct it's energies
more toward securing lower rates for
the public it would accomplish the
desired results, the congressman ap-
pears to think.
The calls for a parcel postage sys-
tenn are said to arise largely from
the mail order houses, which are ac-
cused of sending out vast masses Of
literature on the subject. seeking to
stir up voters to demand of their con-
gressmen that they vote for such a
measure. These mail order houses, of
all descriptions, are seeking through
this medium to expand their trade at
the expense of the smaller merchants
all over the country. If they can Sc
cure the enactment of such a law the
money they have expended in the pro-
paganda leading up to the passage OF
the bill will be repaid to them many
fold.
In his discussion of the question
Congressman Brantley says:
The postmaster general and the
| president have announced that it cos
the government last year to transport
second class mail matter more thar
sixty million dollars in excess o.
what it received in postal dues OF
such second class matter. I take i
that you would not be in favor o
swelling this great deficit by increas
ing the amount of second class mat
ter that can be transported only a
a loss. ! take it that the only parcel!
post you favor is one that can be op
Grated without loss to the government
and it might be that the cost of suci
an one would result in no saving e
the people on present railroad ant
express rates. The problem is great
II the government can compel the rail
roads to haul merchandise for it at
rate that would come within the pos
tai dues charged, why cannot tn,
government force such reduced rate!
for all the people? Why should ou1
government engage in competition
with the common carriers in the mat
ter OF fnuling merchandise when !
must employ these very carriers Il
, do its hauling? In solving the prob
lem of a general parcels post in this
country, l have to bear in mind no
only the absence of government own
ership of railroads, but also the mag
nificent distances" in our country ant
our postal custom to transmit LOOT
miles as cheaply as we do one mile
which custom is not followed by the
: railroad and express companies will
whom it is proposed that the govern
ment compete. Would not this result
in the railroads and express compa
MES making rates that would Civ,
= them control of the remunerative shor
: hauls and leaving the government Il
stand the Joss of the unremunerativt
| long hauls? Tile problem is thu!
further complicated. I assume tina
the real interest in this question il
. Just and reasonable transportation
charges, whether the transporting il
done by the government, the railroads
or the express companies, and witt
: this interest I am in entire sympathy