The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-14
Hearings on Parcels Post
Started by House
Committee
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
UNDER DISCUSSION
Congressman Lewis Points
Out Manner in Which
American Public is
Held Up

WASHINGTON. June t4-War
on the express companies began in
earnest to-dsy before the House
Committee on PostofFices and post
roads, which opened hearings on Che
parcels pest, for which several
measures are pending.
Representative Lewis. tDem.), Of
Maryland. appeared 10 support his
bill which provides Tor condemn
ING and purchasing all the express
companies. He asserted that the
cost OF living 10 now largely In
ftueneed by the unsatisfactory
methods OF quick transportation
between points of food origin and
consumers.
mere are two main reasons why
the express companies must be added
10 the postal system said Lewis.
FIRST, the express company service
does not reach beyond the railways, %
the farmers. which the post office does,
through the rural free delivery Sec
ond, the contracts of the express COM
panies with the railways give them an
average transportation rate Of three
quarters of cent a pound. and with
this rate the express charges by post
would he reduced from two thirds to
one half on parcels ranging from five
pounds TO fifty pounds and about &S
per cent on heavier weights. as Il con-
sequence Of the coordination of the
express company plants with the post
office and rural delivery. and the elm
nation Of the express company profits,
which are averaging over 30 per cent.
on the investment
Gross Discrepancy in Rates.
he express companies are posi-
tive htndrances and obstacles to the
business OF the country. The average
charge for carrying a ton of express
in Argentina is 1851. and for the SCUM
tries Of Europe, Az. while the aver
age express company charge in the
United States is 3I,31. In other coun-
tries they charge tive times % much TO
carry ION of express as IL ton OF
freight. Here the express companies
charge IL times as much. OF course,
these charges simply prohibit by hell
the traffic In the United States. Our
average IL less than one hundred
pounds per capita, while that Of the
other countries Is over two hundred
pounds per capita. although we have
far greater demand for quick transport
on account OF our longer distances and
more extensive business.
The government cannot conduct a
parcels post on mall railway trans
portation rates at over cents a
pound in competition with the ex-
press companies paying but three
fourths Of cent a pound. which
ena bies the express corporations 10
pay over 80 per cent. In profits 10
themselves. although rendering no
service whatever To the farmers and
TO points off the railways.
Lewis has worked out n system OF
"zcnes' based on scientific meth
DDS. from which fivepound pack
age. for instance. can be sent 196
miles for II cents. while the express
companies now charge 20 cents and
more for like distances; from Calise.
Maine. to san Francisco. will cost
30 cents for Ave pounds. and s2,42 for
so pounds, as against the express
company charges of IS cents and
$3.50.
The committee has under consid-
Grafton a bin by Representative Sui
ger tDemocratl. of New York, pro-
vidtng fer a limited parcels post. This
measure Is supported by the parcels
post league.