Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-09-25
The New Parcels Post.

One of the most important acts of
the last Congress, and one that has not
yet received the attention it deserves,
was provision for zone system of
parcels post, which passed as an item
of the postal appropriation bill. The
bill will go into operation on January
l and it will require much work to pre-
pare for the inauguration of this new
service during the next four months.
This business will utilize all trans
portation systems now used by private
express companies and will cover more
than million miles of rural delivery
and star routes. All kinds of mer-
chandise that can be transported with
safety, including products of the farm,
garden and factory, may be mailed,
provided they do not weigh more than
eleven pounds, or exceed seventy-two
inches in combined length and girth.
AS the present mail service arrange
ments are not adequate for this pur-
pose new equipment must be provided.
prescribed and distinctive stamps will
be provided ranging from one cent to
one dollar. The rates are fixed accord
ing to zone system.
There will be a fiat rate of one cent
an ounce up to four ounces without
regard to distance and Eabove four
ounces the rates are by the pound or
fraction thereof.
For rural route and city delivery the
first pound will be cents, each ad-
ditional pound one cent and eleven
pounds will be Is cents. Within a 80
mile zone the first pound will be 5
cents, each additional pound will be 3
cents, and eleven pounds will be 35
cents. Within 150-mile zone the first
pound will be cents, each additional
pound cents, and eleven pounds will
be 46 cents. Within a 300 mile zone
the first pound will be Z cents, each
additional pound cents. and eleven
pounds will be 81 cents. Within 600
mile zoneTthe first pound will be 8
cents, each additional pound 6 cents,
and eleven pounds will be SO cents.
! Within a 1,0O0-mile zone the first
pound will be 9 cents, each
additional pound cents, and eleven
pounds will. be 679 cents. Within a
1,400-mile zone the first pound will be
10 cents, each additional pound 9 cents
and eleven pounds will be 81. Within
a ], 800-mile zone the first pound will
! be II cents, each additional pound II
i cents, and eleven pounds will be
$1.1O. For distances over 300 miles
the first pound will be II cents, each
additional pound will be II cents, and
/ eleven pounds will be S1.32.
1t remains to be seen how valuable
this new system will be. There has
been an urgent demand for the parcels
post. 1t has been demonstrated by
government investigation that the ex-
press companies have made eXhorbi-
| tant profits. There is need Of some
change in the transportation rates on
small parcels, beyond question, and
the first attempt will-be somewhat in
the natures of an experiment. There
will be some persons who will complain
because the law is not more nearly
like the European method, but it must
be remembered that Elm countries like
England, France and Germany the dis,
tances are not great, whereas Sthe
i United States truly is a country OF
magnificent distances. 1t is prob
able that the new1system will prove {
great convenience to many.Speople. Il
will be viewed, naturally, with some
alarm by merchants, who = fear 1.-THE
competition of the mail-order houses
1t remains to be demonstrated how
we'll grounded are these fears Very
likely the harm done to the trade Of
local dealers will not be as great az
many imagine. 1t will be necess airy
for merchants to adjust themselves tx
new conditions, but there are some
very distinct advantages which the
home dealer always will possess. HI
can give credit. If the purchase il
not satisfactory he can exchange i
easily and speedily. The purchase
will find it safer to see what he is buy
ing than to order from a catalogue
There is no buying "a pig in bag
when the local dealer is patronized.
If the local dealer employs the hes
modern methods of satisfying his Gus
toners, : advertises judiciously AM
demonstrates his natural advantages
in the long run he is likely to hold hi
trade. At first there may be falling
off, due to a desire to test a new
method, but in the long run it is reas
onably certain that home dealers viii
not lose large amount of patronage
And in any event the people have
right to buy as they please. Mont
pelier Journal.