The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1912-12-26

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now furnished with scales of a limited
capacity makes it necessary for the
postmaster general to make this very
large purchase of scales capable of
taking care of the parcel post bust
ness. It is understood that this will
be the largest single order ever placed
for scales.
Rate on Seeds Not Affected.
1t should be said that the act of
congress which puts parcel post plan
into operation does not in any way
affect tie postage rate on seeds, cut
tings, bulbs, roots, scions and plants
as fixed by section 4S2 of the postal
laws and regulations.
The classification of articles mail
able as we'll as the weight limit, the
rates of postage, zone or zones and
other conditions of AVAILABILITY under
the act of congress, if the postmaster
general shall find on experience chat
they or any of them are such as to
prevent the shipment of articles de-
sirable, or shall permanently render
the cost of the service greater than
the receipts of the revenue therefrom,
1oo ;c horahy ou+I,or;1od c,,hioot tn tn a
consent of the interstate commerce
commission after investigation, to re-
| form from time to time such classifi-
cation, weight limit, rates, zone or
zones or conditions, in order to pro-
mote the service to the public or to
insure the receipt of revenue from
such service adequate to pay the cost
thereof"
| Through many years different men,
bers of the house and senate have
been interested in promoting parcel
post legislation. Among the men most
active in securing the legislation
which soon is to go into effect as
law are Senator Jonathan Bourne OF
!, Oregon, Representatives David j
Lewis of Maryland and William Sui
ger of New York, who has just been
elected governor of that state.
To ascertain conditions surrounding
the adjustment of the parcel post
system in places differing widely il
size, climate and industries, Postmas
ter General Hitchcock recently sum
moned to Washington, to confer witt
the special parcel post committee, the
postmasters Of five typical offices
They are William H. Davis, Pittsburg
Pa; Daniel T. Gerow, Jacksonville
Fla; NJ H. Joster, Wilmington, Del.
e. M. G. Quimby Suffolk, Va, ant
Henry N. Bradley, Charlestown, W
Va.
Confer With Postmasters.
l The postmasters of the five larges
: offices in the country have alread
appeared before the committee, 81
Pittsburg was represented as being
! large first class Office though smalle
| than any Of the greater five and a
, being the center of tremendous mar
: ufacturing area. The postmaster G
Pittsburg reported that the board c
trade of that city has a special parce
post committee, working towar
bringing the consumer and produce
nearer to each other by the new sy:
TEN. He also said that many of tn
merchants are planning to have thei
city deliveries made by parcel post.
Wilmington, Del, represented
large farming and manufacturing di
trict, with it's mail connections clos
l with Philadelphia, one of the larges
, offices. Jacksonville is the largest o
; flee in Florida, and the outlet for a
the mail of the state. 1t is peculia
in having a special increase of fore
! in winter, the tourist season, and tn
; postmaster said that it was expecte
l that travellers would use the pare
: post extensively in sending home fiv
t and ten-pound packages of fruit.
Suffolk Va, and Charlestown, Y
i Va, are both very small second elias
offices, one in the tide-water distric
! with large truck interests; the othe
4 far inland in an orchard country wit
Q diversified farm products. The pos
masters of both offices reported gre'
J. interest in the parcel post, and sa
: that they had continual inquiries +
4 garding it's scope.
D From these postmasters the cor
: mittee was able to CLEAN gre;
t amount of valuable informatio
d which, added to that gained from tt
r recent hearings in Maryland, puts
= in position to plan the details of tt
t service to the greatest advantage
: the producing farmer.
J, Give Him Time.