The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-07-22

laws that will encourage, and con-
serve the small towns and villages
rather than legislation that will de-
plete them. -
The parcels posi- BIN would involve
The personal welfare Of several hun.
dred thousand travelling men and Of
many, many wives and children. Il
would Involve the business welfare Of
million retail merchants and fifty
thousand Wholesale merchants. The
combined business disturbed would
run Into the billions Of dollars. Legis-
Iation carrying with It such grave pos.
stbiIities should be made slowly and
not without the most careful consid'
GRAFTON. It should not be Influenced
by selfish maIl.order houses, neither
should It be considered except az for
the greatest good to the greatest mum.
Der. The city should not be selfish
and endeavor to secure legislation that
will tear down the country town--for
by SO doing it is cutting on its nose
to spite its face. The city's recruits
always come from the country and
with condition In America like that
existing in several OF the foreign coun.
tries where the mailorder-parcels.
post propositions are in force. where
would the cities find the country men
sufficiently educated and capable OF
taking up the metropolitan burdens As
they now do?
What the star Says.
The Indianapolis Star in an edi.
torial on the proposed parcels post
bill says:
THE honest and business-like way
for the government to secure cheap
and rapid transmission of small mer
chandise would be to compel the re-
duction of express charges and in
crease of express facilities. This. con.
gress is unwilling to do, and therefore
takes up the roundabout and expensive
method Of bringing these charges
down by establishment OF govern.
mental competition. 1t Is the same
false and costly process we use OF re-
ducing public service charges by levy
ing upon communities to construct du.
plicate and unnecessary competitive
plants for gas, telephone. electric
lights and street cars"
Sham and Pretense.
John A. Ordway of Blodgett, Ordway
& Weber, Boston, Mass, said before
the New England Dry Goods associa
ton:
| Il say candidly and truthfully to
you, as diligent man of affairs. that
there's wonderful lot of sugar-coated
sham and pretense about the parcels
post agitation, which becomes more
| apparent the closer the subject IL
studied. The proponents OF this meas
ure advocate what? Nothing more Of
less than that the present methods OF
distributing merchandise shall be
changed by legislative enactment. and
through and by the centralized power
of government control and operation
They propose to ignore existing condi
tions, rights or qualifications in the
carrying trade, or recognized path
ways Of commerce. and substitute tht
theories that have become an obses
sion with the dreamers, or have beer
adopted by the cunning self-seekers Al
a personal road to easy riches, will
the general government as the uncom
planning pack horse to bear the bur
dens; and as potent arguments to con
vince those who accept broad state
ments at their face value. withou
thought or analysis, they depend OF
1.-TWO stock phrases: first, the benefit t.
the farmer, and second, the detrimen
to the express companies. Sham one
and again, sham two!"
Mr.. Ordway goes on to prove tina
should the method of distribution b.
shifted, the expense OF reaching tn
consumer as proposed would ultimate
ly be greater. which, combined witt
the mail order monopoly when ono
established by governmental assist
ance, would cause the farmer many re
grets. He cites the 1909 postal deficit
second-class matter, at $64, 5000. AM
by comparison since that time bring
the figures to date with appalling
realism. He says. by way OF CON
ment:
II firmly believe that the develop
ment of the mail order house or tn
increased adoption of direct selling
by manufacturers, aided by govern
mental postal delivery, would not COZ
fer one benefit on the consumer Il
cheaper prices. The change OF tn
method of distribution would be mere
~ the shifting Of the final price fror
one shoulder to the other"
Organize and Work.
Travelling men all over the countr
should organize to fight the parcel
, post. The action of the Iowa traveller
is fitting incentive to brother organizs
lions. The proposed bill will materta
ly affect business in the country froI
the time of its passage and viii event
ually put 80 per cent. OF the travelin
men off the road. II you care anythin
about the progress OF the rural con
munities, II you have the love OF you
country at heart, do not hesitate. 70
, see brother knights daily. Speak t