Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-07-21
WILL TACKLE PARCELS
POST With some
SHY RELUCTANCE

WASHINGTON, D. c.. July 2l.-The
opinion is generally expressed IN
Washington that congress will not
enact into law any one of the numer
Gus bills introduced providing for par
cells post until a full investigation has
been made of the systems now oper
ated in various countries. A form1da
BILE opposition developed in the hear
ings held by the subcommittee upon
post offices and post roads, Wednes
day and Thursday. Many of the lead
ing mercantile organizations OF the
country were represented in the hear
ings. Nearly a score of bills have
been introduced proposing widely al:
vergent systems for the operation OF
parcels post systems The advocates
of parcels post are greatly divided
Some champion one plan; some anotn'
er. They dispute among themselves.
The representatives of the mercantile
associations oppose any extension OF
parcels post. They say that the even
installation of limited operation
would be followed by clamor for a
general system of rates for the same
weight made uniform regardless of dis
tances.
The subcommittee is composed of
the following:
Hon. James T. Floyd of Missouri;
Hon. Dannitte H. Mays of Florida;
Hon. Cutiss H. Gregg of Pennsylvania;
Hon. John w. Weeks of Massachusetts
Hon. Daniel Lafean of ennsylvania;
Hon. Thomas H. Bell of Georgia; Hon.
John J. Gardner of New Jersey.
Among those who appeared for the
opposition at the hearings were:-
E. B. Moon of Chicago, secretary OF
the American League of Associations.
w. P. Lewis, secretary of the Retail
Hardware Association, Huntington, Pa
L. c. Abbott Marshalltwn, Ia. First
Vice President of the National Hard
ware Retail Dealers Associations; X.
C. Wells, Hartford. Conn.,, attorney
for State Business Mems Association
and also of the Merchants Associa-
ton of Connecticut; w. j. Pilkington,
editor of the Merchants Trade Jour-
nal of Des Moines, Ia; Charles w.
Burrows of the National Wholesale
Hardware Association, Cleveland, o.;
w. F. Richardson, chairman Legislat-
lie committee of the National Associa-
ton of Retail Druggists of Washing
ton Washington. D. c.; NJ. L. Corey,
secretary of the National Hardware
Association of Argos, Ind.
Resolutions were read from organl-
cations, national, state, and local, rep
resenting practically every line OF the
industries in the United States. These
protested strongly against any extern
sion of parcels post in any form. 1t
was represented by the speakers that
in this country of magnificent dis
tances the government would have to
pay railroads according to the length
of haul; that in no country now having
parcels post was such a system con-
Quoted at a profit; that the average
distance per package in England or
Germany was about one-tenth OF the
average haul in the United States;
that this system had centralized the
mercantile business in England in
London and Liverpool; that the av-
erage cost of delivery for department
stores in the United States was five
to eight cents; that the general sys-
tenn of parcels post at rates regulat'
ed by weight regardless of distances
would operate as a subsidy for the
distant tradesmen against industries
nearer the consumers; that this would
handicap the work of commercial clubs