The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-04-09

loaded. (Third) It is supposed 10 be
against the express companies. because
II Uncle Sam carries the goods they
won't get the business. But when IL
is analysed It can readily be seen that
these suppositions are not true.
If the Local Rural Parcels Post bill
were passed (frst) the advantage 70
the farmer would only be temporary,
because this bill would give a monop-
oily of the trade to the one or two
great retail mail order houses that are
equipped to handle it. and II would
not be long before this mail order trust
had it's hand at the consumers throat.
choking greater profit from him, with
out any compensating return, than the
retail dealer. with his present multi
tude of competitors, will ever be able
to do.
(Second) The local merchant is not
equipped with the paraphernalia to get
general business from the consumer
unless the consumer comes into his
store,
(Third) Last year The government
incurred a deficit that amounted to APP
proximately $27OO0,OO0 in operating
the rural free delivery system, which
was limited to the carriage of mail
matter and merchandise sup to four
pounds. A 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 fro mthe 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 town and ac-
feasibility to the railroad, win be de-
creased. 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-
\ velopment win be changed for the
worse.
The small town, with its stores, is
an absolute necessity for the proper
development of this country at large.
1t is great educational influence in
itself with its fares Of all descriptions
displayed to the eye The mental in
terest is awakened and stimulated by
the opportunity to see with ones own
eyes the things that will best supply
the need The social side of human
mature is developed by the personal
contact involved in such intercourse,
and the trip to town or village to make
"a purchase is oftentimes one of the
most agreeable breaks in the monot-
ony of farm life. They meet in this
social center a whole circle of friends
Blot this out of the farmers life by
sending the business of the town to
the retail mail order houses and you
take something that has human and
social value not to be measured by
money.
great many people overlook the
fact that this country already has a
general parcels post system, limited
to four pounds. The real question is
whether that system shall remain as
it is, or whether in response to the de-
mand of the mail order houses aud the
mediums through which they adver-
tise, it shall be radically changed to
conform to their ideas.
The parcels post boomers demand
that the rates be radically cut, though
they all advocate different amounts.
Some believe that the rate should be
eight cents per pound, with weight
limit of from ten to fifteen pounds.
Other boomers demand rates as low MS
one cent per pound, with weight
limit as high as one hundred poH- ds.
In between there are all kinds of opin-
ors
Opposed to these schemes are the
business men of the country, who do
from IS per cent to 80 per cent of its
merchandising the manufacturers.
jobbers and retail mechants. They
contend that reducing parcels post
rates below the demonstrated cost of
the service and increasing weight
limits beyond the present facilities of