The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-01-24
the PARCELS POST BILL.

There have been expressed variety
of views of the parcels post and in
Shreveport It is not regarded with favor
BY some men engaged in business who
share the antagonistn expressed in the
Chatham I.a.) Ledger
aThe Parcels Post bill now before
Congress If passed would create enor-I
nous deficit in the national treasury for
the government to undertake to carry
merchandise for a fat rate Of postage
charging no more for three thousand
miles than for one mile.
It would reyoIutionize the CONNER
cial system i'll the United States The
country merchants, carrying large stocks
OF goods from which consumers can
personally select their purchases, and
the jobbers in all lines of trade, who IN
turn supply the country merchants,
would be eliminated from that CONNER
cial field, commercial travellers would
also be eliminated. His place would be
filed BY costly catalogues and lavish adj
vertising by mail order concerns. No
saving would result to the ultimate con-
sumner of the country merchant. In ev-
cry country town catalogue agents OF
mail order concerns would establish
themselves and make their profit by
commission on orders secured for mail
order houses. which would be shipped
BY freight or express to the town where
''.<he rural route initiated, and distributed
from there BY local parcels post. The
country merchant would lose the trade
and his business would be DESTROYED by
this competition.
True Democrat, St. Fraffcisyille, La. :
The Postmaster General has recon-
mended to Congress to allow carriers on
rural routes to transport parcels over
their routes at a very low rate Of post
age. Il allows parcels not to exceed
eleven pounds ii weight to be sent,
whereas now the limit is four pounds at
the rate Of sixteen cents per pound
This service Is to be used only between
town and the country served from
such town by mail casriers on subsid-
iary routes. It IS not available between
towns, and parcels can not be sent under
The proposed arrangements over any
railroad. II is designed TO bring the
fown merchant into closer touch witt
Ills country patrons, and should be vel
coined By him and country resident:
most heartily. This btiiidingup of tht
small towns will be blow to the mai
order trade III The cities, that are nov
opposing ii as strenuously as the expires:
companies are fighting the establishment
Of a general parcels post.
A general parcels post necessarily in.
jures the express companies. A iinitee
parcels post docs not even injure them
Ii hould be tried.
New Orleans States The Hous'
committee on postofice and postroad
has reported unanimously a bill provid
ing for an experiment with the parcel
post service on rural free deliver.
routes Packages are to be carried u
to eleven pounds, which IS the maximum
weight of parcels admitted to foreigl
mails and delivered to this country
sent from foreign parts. Il is general
understood III Washington that the BIZ
isa feeler Pitt forth ii order to ascer
tam flae force of the opposition which
measure for The general extension Q
tic system would eneounter.
To-day 4 package weighing elevei
pounds can Be sent from New Orlean
ia Europe al a proportionately lowe
raid than 4 four-pound package can b
sent from New Orleans 70 Shreveport
and package weighing more than fou
pounds can not be mailed at all fror
ons American point ID another This
matter III which the United States
far behind other civilized lands, and
Is suggestive al discrimination in fave
o few corporations to the loss Of tf
general public.
There seems to Be no doubt abot
the passage Of the parcels post bill. nc
Is there any doubt sisat tlle undertaken
ws.irh IS styled al experiment vi
prove is Be 1 success and ii the cours
81 few years the parcels post systei
m which tlae people have waited 50 Ion
Witt Be an established institution.
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