The coast beacon., 1912-12-28

cost more per pound to send pack
age long distance than it does to
send it short distance. The rate In
creases for package weighing one
pound at the rate OF one cent for
each zone. No package weighing
more than IL pounds can be sent un-
der the new parcel post law. 1t
should be said right here that on the
long hauls the parcel post may not
be able to compete with the express
companies, but that on shorter hauls
1t can 40 compete It was the ex-
pressed desire Of the legislators and
Of the postoffice officials that the par
eel post system should be made Of
particular use to persons having farm
and factory products to transmit to
customers II fs probable that Prs
ducers must study the rates of post
age and the convenience Of trans
initial and compare them with the
cost and convenience under present
methods before individually man can
determine whether he is to profit or
not by the change. Then there is an
other thing to be considered and
which only can be known definitely
when fuller regulations have been
made to specify exactly what kind of
things can be sent by parcel post. 1t
can be said In general way that any
thing can be sent which is properly
wrapped and which win not inture
other mail matter with which it may
come in contact.
Copy Foreign Countries.
It is probable that the government
will adopt means Of transportation
for certain kinds OF its merchandise
much like those which have been
adopted In parcel post countries
abroad. What the English call ham
pers, basket-like arrangements. prob
ably will be adopted. and as these can
be kept separate from the ordinary
mail matter 1t Is believed that the
regulations as finally adopted will al
low the sending of eggs. butter, dress
ed poultry, live poultry, honey. fruit,
and other products Of the country.
The 11-pound limit for single pack
age may work at first against any
very extended use Of the parcel post
for some OF the articles which have
been named. or course, more weight
can be sent II it is sent in different
parcels, but the cost in that case
would be heavier because the In
crease per pound on a single package
Is not great up to- II pounds. and
probably 1t would increase at no great
er rate II the government we're to
raise the limit OF weight which is now
fixed. To make it simpler, 1t viii
cost more to send two packages of IL
pounds than It would to send one
package Of "a pounds II the govern
menf eventually should allow heavi.
er single package to be carried and
should charge in proportion Just what
it does now for one package OF IL
pounds weight.
Every postmaster In the United
States viii have parcel post map
like the one which Is here reproduced
except that the zone lines will be
shown with the unit Of his postoflce
as center. All that q postmaster
will have to do when parcel is pre-
sented for transportation is to find
out IN what zone the destination Of
the package lies His table will show
him instantly the rate per pound from
the unit in which his poatofiice lies
to the zone OF the packages destina-
tions. the price as has been explained
before, to every postoiiice In any one
zone being the same. The parcel post
Will take nothing but fourth-class mat
Ter. Printed matter Is still IN the
thirdclhss designation Therefore
books cannot be sent by the parcel
post system. This the postofiice au-
thorities seem to think Is in way
unjust and may work hardship. Il
may bo that in the future the law will
be changed 90 as to include All print
I'd matter It seems to Be certain that
Al attempt VIII BE- made 70 bring
about this change - speedily as pos
mu>s Bes- stamp
Postmaster General Hitchcock has