The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-06

rate of five cents for the first pound
and two cents a pound for each add
tiOnal pound up TO eleven pounds, OF
twenty-five cents for a package
weighing the 1"aXimum Of eleven
pounds.
11ese rates, it should be borne in
n.il.u. Will supply only on matter
mailed at a post office having rural
routes, for deIlve1y to patrons on
the routes out Of such office or to pat
rons Of an Intermediate post office
on any OF such routes. or from pat
rons of the routes to patrons Of the
post office from which the routes
staff. or to patrons Of any post office
intermediate on such routes. 1t Will
then be clearly seer that mail order
houses could only take advantage of
these rates when located in cities OK
towns having rural routes, ana "leA
the merchandise despatched by them
was addressed for delivery to patrons
Of rural routes from such cities o.
towns, n there a~e very few cities
in which the large mail order houses
are located that have rural delivery
routes starting from them.
Some Of these bills even preclude
the ADVANTAGE Of these rates to the
agencies of these mail order houses
established in towns from which rnral
IOutes enlanate, exclusively for the
purpose Of the distribution OF their
wares.
The same hue and CRY raised
against the establishment Of q local
rural parcel post is heard with in
creased vigor against the establish
ment Of a general parcel post. tnt
arguments on which the Oppon entS
OF these measures stand are BASED
either upon speculative possibilities
or a misunderstanding or wilful DIS
regard Of what is proposed, with not
Il single cOaent reason presented to
sustain them
The fact that mail order houses
n merchants Of the larger cities
would not be given an advantage oy
a general parcel post. to the detri-
ment. II not the extinction, of the
local merchants. may be readily
shown by the following:
A general rate for parcel post. =.
say twelve cents a pound would in
volve IN expenditure for postage OK
$24O a ton. The cost Of
tloh by freight, at an average rate OF
a ton OF merchandise, would not ex-
coed, it is believed, in any instance,
o~ne-Guarter of this amount. Tn.s.
EguIeS Will Indicate to any unbiased
nnlnd that. II the mail order houses
and larger merchants abandoned the
! shipment Of their -.
freight and distributed their ware
I" out OF town patrons by parcel post
they would either very soon come e
pankruptcy or else the country mer-
chants. who would still continue /.
res eve their shipments by freisht
would take all the profits, for il is
teItaln that there are very few ON
modities in general use to which No,
can add twelve cents a pound to thei,
selling price, either at wholesale 81
:, retail.
OF course, there are sophists wrc
Will present cunningly devised argu
ments against the adoption Of citnel
OF these measures that may appea1
! convincing to those who have not ,c.
qualnted themselves fully with tn,
subject.
! A review of the history of all pro,
: movements whereby the masses ~.
! DeneHted shows there have aIuav
+; been a few. sometimes possees;n,
/ powerful influence. who have So.
E these movements and expended ,org,
; sums OF money to accomplish the,
. oe1eat- but their motives have ,,s,,a1a,
oeen well understood to he -,
; seihsh ones. P. V. DE CR Aw
rourth Assistant
- ashington D. c.. Jan. 81. 1912