The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-03-29
that are opposed to it.

ing asked to transport packages 0
about eleven pounds in weight alonl
the rural routes, but this package mus
start, If Uncle Sam is going to carr.
il, at the local rural free delivery cen
decreasing, so that II is evident tha
the drift of population is toward th'
large cities. Population always fol
lows trade. Too much Capitalization
either in government or in cities. is /
tral station; which, in short, is askinl
subsidy to help the retail mail order
houses of the country develop at the
expense of the small towns
The census returns are now coming
in and these returns indicate that the
large cities are increasing in popula
tion while the small towns of the coun,
try are marely holding their own OF
bad thing. Village life and the citizen.
ship developed by it constitute the only
hope for the perpeuity of the free in.
stitutions of this country The most
grave and serious dangers that now
menave our future. result from the
oyergrowth of the big cities and the
consequent degeneration of the aver
age citizenship of the nation. In the
place of the plain people, whose coun-
try environment has made them stable,
steady-headed, self-reliant and inde-
pendent in thought and character we
would have the volatile city multitude
Ia floating population anchored to
nothing, owning no real estate or prop
erty, and blown about by every breeze
Of popular prejudice or passion-ready
for any rash experiment, social or po-
liti al.
There was so much opposition from
all parts of the country and from the
express companies to the general par
cells post bill that its advocates with
drew it and dragged in this wooden
horse of the Greeks" labelling it the
Local Rural Parcels Post" This
proposition is supposed to please the
farmer because he is supposed to get
something for nothing. 1t is supposed
(firsD to please the country merchant
because he will be able to deliver his
goods out on the rural free delivery
routes without wagon and horses of
his own. Second) 1t is supposed to
please Uncle Sam, because his empty
rural free delivery wagons will travel
loaded. (Third) 1t is supposed to be
against the express companies, because
If Uncle Sam carries the goods they
won't get the business. But when it is
analyzed it can readily be seen that
these suppositions are not true.
II the local rural parcels post bill
were passed tfirst) the advantages to
the farmer would be only temporary,
because this bill would give monop-
oily of the trade to the one OF two great
retail mail order houses that are equip
ped to handle it, and it would not be
long before this mail order trust had
its hand at the consumers throat,
choking greater profits from him,
without any compensating return, than
the retail dealer, with his present null
titude of competitors. will ever be able
to do
(Secondl The local merchant is not
equipped with the parphernalia to get
general business from the consumer
unless the consumer comes in to his
store.
(Third) Last year the government
incurred a deficit that amounted to ap-
proximately $27O0OO0O in operating
the rural free delivery system, which
was limited to the carriage of mail
matter and merchandise up to four
pounds 4 great many of the most
successful routes are made on horse
back, over country that is inaccessible
to wagon. so that the deficit. in spite
of the income received from the car
riage of packages, would be very much
greater than at present, and the tax
payers. as a whole. would have to pay
increased taxes to make up the loss
incurred by this subsidized system
Any measure that jeopardizes the
business OF the local dealer jeopardizes
just as strongly the business Of the
farmer, who depends upon the dealer
not only to furnish his necessities but
to take his produce. If the local rural
parcels post bill is passed, the small
town will be eliminated and the far
mer will be materially injured. the
value of his property, which depends
upon his proximity to a town and ac-
to the railroad, will be de.
All the money will go to the
large cities, which are not interested
in the welfare of the local community,
and our whole present system of de