News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1910-01-19
The "Parcels Post" Bill


derstand the scope of Congressman Eos
ter's bill for a 'parcelspost" when it said
that it would be "black eye for the
country store keeper" 1t seems that the
proposed bill is of local character and
instead of being an injury to the home
store keeper would be benefit to him.
We gladly give place herewith to letter
from Congressman Foster upon this sub
ject which gives in detail the scope of his
bill and would also state that the coun-
try storekeeper need have no fear of any
Quitting in" on the part of the depart
ment stores should the measure become
a law
WASHINGTON, Jan, IA, 1910.
My DEAR Mr.. LEwIs:-
NV attention has been called to your
statement that my bill providing a local
rate of postage on parcels on rural routes
emanating from the same postofice meant
"a black eye for the local merchants"
| am confident that when you wrote that
item you had no idea as to the provisions
of my bill. Ienclose a copy and will add a
few words Of explanation. 1t does seem to
me that after reading what have to say
and examining the bill you will see plainly
that my bill will aid the local merchant
rather than injure him. fyou should be
convinced that you were in error in max
ing that statement in your paper l would
greatly ap Jreciate having you explain
therein the purpose of my bill.
We have now more than 40, 200 of
+l,aea The n
pared to carry 1875 pounds of mail. In
they do not carry on an average to ex-
eeed % pounds. The expense of the ser
vice to the department in excess of its
parcels for which local ratesof postage
cars and as no additional expense would
be incurred by the increase of business all
the income from this source would be
profit to the department. 1t is estimated
by men who are in position to judge that
these carriers under my bill would earn
on an average not less than dollar per
day each This means So, 100000 per
year. There are many Others who say
that within five years those routes under
the provisions of my bill would be self
supporting and the $2S,OO0,O00 deficit
belonging to the service would entirely
disappear.
No one can possibly be injured by the
service You will note that the local rate
is limited to the routes emanating from
the same postoffice or station. 1t is anal
agous IN all respects to the local letter
postage in those villages and small cities
where there is no city delivery. Take
Vergenness, for instance. The postage on
a drop or a local letter is one cent. The |
local merchant instead of being brought |
into competition with merchants in larger |
places is given the entire advantage under |
my bill. Middlebury is fairly represen- |
tative town in rural route matters and |
can be used as an illustration. There are !
six routes emanating from its postofflce. |
suppose that the average number of |
families on the route is not less than rs. |
This means that within the radius OF |
these carriers are $50 families Nearly |
all of these families have the telephone. |
Under the provisions of my bill these $50 |
families would be brought into closest |
contact with the village merchant, the |
village grocer, the village meatman and |
the village doctor. If a farmer wanted a |
piece of meat or some groceries or some
thing for his broken moving machine, or
1 bottle of medicine, he could telephone to
for the article and have it
sent him by mail. The rate of sixteen
,ents per pound at present in force is
The result is that in ex-
raOrdlnary cases when a farmer wishes
| package weighing say two pounds sent
lin the merchant instead of paying
cent postage throwsin enough
I'D junk to make the package weigh
more than four pounds. 1t is then non
nailable and he can give the carrier ten
ents and have the package delivered.
| repeat that the provisions OF my bill
will injure no one. They will prove of
dvantage to the farmers on these routes
md to the village from which they re-
pectively emanate. They will enable
he service to become more nearly, if not
ute, selfsupporting and thereby will
nable the government to perfect them
y delivering the mail at every patrons {
DOR. Under present conditions this is {
l many cases not done. / respectfully | {
ubmit that with deficit of ST 900, 900
l the postoffice department and with | !
he outcry that is heard in this connec-
ION against newspapers and periodicals l
does seem to me- the height of absurd 1
y that these rural routes should not be |
to serve the people and there
y vastly increase the revenues of the | |
apartment. What can be more absurd I
IAN the present arrangement whereby t
lie Middlebury man can send for sixty c
'ur cents four pound package to pa S
on on any rural route in the State of {
alltornia but must pay the same amount {
II similar package which he desires to | {
md to patron on one of the Middle I
lry outes living five miles out? t
Very sincerely yours,
D. J. FOSTER. {