The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-05-03
SMALL ADVOCATES
THE PARCELS POST
Says There Is General
Demand for System
ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH


Congressman Admits There Is = sham
Division of Sentiment III The Comm.
try on the Matter-Wm Fpd.,,ox
to Have Committee Retsl~s Ru -
tab'ishing a Special Parcels Post os
Rural Free Delivery Routes.
By THOMAS j. PENCE
washington. D. g. April -T
Is a very general demand. particularly
throughout the South, for tn, estah-
Hshment Of a parcels post The Ha,~.
n on postottlces and nosr
Toads have held an extended h.grr<
curing the present week, and r7arv
persons have presented their yieua
Dotn Tor and against the extension -
the privilege of sending nar,als
trough the mails. Re~prese ntattva
Sonn II. small is q her of this
committee, and is earnestly advocating
this addition to the rural seryic. He
stated today hat while ma0y sfron,
arguments had been made against This
system. Yet they all appeared to ha
by representatives Of special interests
particularly from various associations
OF retail dealers. who contended thai
the business Of the retail merchants
would be impaired by this service.
Another argument has been made to
the effect that parcels post will tend to
build up the great cities and the great
department stores at the expense ~
the local communities. Other con-
tend that It was not q proper fuuc-
ton Of the Postofflce Department
and that it would De tantaTnount %
the government entering upon the
system OF Transporting merchandise.
On the contrary the contention y
made that Great Britain arc the
countries Of Continental Europe all
have a liberal parcels post, which lAls
worked TO the great convenience or
the people. In addition the United
States by agreement with these ana
other countries. has established an
international system By which par
cells Of greater weight AND dimensions
may be forwarded to Europe at d less
cost than can be Forwarded between
points in the United States.
Mr.. Small believes that it is a ]ogit-
innate extension Of the work Of the
P~ostoffice Department and VIII re-
suit in benefit to all the people Hs
does not believe that it Will seriously
interfere with the local merchant,
and that the objection has been
largely exaggerated.
However, it is useless to denly th4E
there Is a sharp division OF sentiment
in the country, and Mr.. Small Hll
endeavor to have the committee re
port a bill establishing a special par
cells post on rural free delivery Toutce-
NO parcel can be forwarded except
from the point at which the route or
1g1nates, or between different ciuZeHs
on the same or other routes, original
ing at the sam office. He will adFo-
cate q rate Of five cents for the trsf
pound and two cents for each add
tional pound to the maximum "
eleven pounds. For parcels less than
one pound he will recommend 3 rae
of one cent for two ounce or less; OF
two cents for over two ounces ana Ut
to four ounces; of three cents from
four to eight ounces, and Of i@1r
cents from eight to twelve ounces j.
does not succeed in having ms
to every rural route in tha
United States, then he will advocate
a bill for an experimental parceI5
post to be established on q number o.
rural route. in each State, and 70 con
tinue for a sufficient length o. hT'9
demonstrate its value and whether
it will be seif-supporting. II mas
been estimated that q general paF'es
post confined to all rural routes Wo4,N
yield an income of fifteen million NvF
lars per annurn
In connection with the pfopoEe'
free waterway from Norfolk TO Hta-
fort. Representative Small has Jus.
Of an interesting moNemflt
TO establish a line OF steamers t. ply
between Norfolk. Elizabeth ,A'
Washington and New Bern IN go
Ia blishment Of this line OF steam
however. will hardly go into enc.
until Congress has actually AUTHORIZE
purchase OF one of the canals ut-
tween Norfolk and Albenarle SOUND
This affords another illustrator %
he benefits which will accrue t. h,1@e
arn North Carolina when a free '"'-'
be substituted for the toll '--'~
now in operation.
Physicians say that of all n'-~e'