The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-02-01
PARCELS POST
Still UNDER FIRE
Especial to the Silver State.)

tdlt Hdo lobihCu iCoiuCHt pOhC1t VI
Cuba. that unless reign of militarism
can be averted there, the American
government will take charge of the
1 island
The national board of trade repre-
senting organizations in all parts of
the country has been in session here.
The association encourages business
men to interest themselves in pri-
mariesand in public questions. 1t en-
dorsed one-cent letter postage.
A convention has been in session in
the interest of federal aid to good
roads.
In an address to the meat packers,
Senator Reed of Missouri, condemned
the Judge Gary plan of federal super
vision of corporations as "Plutocratic
Socialism.
representative Henry, of Texas, has
proposed a constitutional amendment
making the last Thursday of April, in
stead of March a, the date for inaugu-
rating presidents and presidents.
The charge that persons connected
with the steel trust are endeavoring to
advance his nomination for the presi-
dency has been called by Col. Roose-
welt I" Tom foolery.'
The recommendations of Postmaster
General Hitchcock that the govern
ment appraise, take over and operate
the telegraph companies has produced
much discussion. The New York World
has suggested ironically that, for eff
cheney, it might be better for the tele-
graph companies to operate the postal
department.
Indiana Man Discusses Parcels Post.
Charles S. Hernly, president of the
New Castle Indiana, Industrial asso-
citation, has just given the senate post
office committee an interesting recital
of industrial development. He said
that New Castle was a sleepy country
village with population of 3,406 in
| 1900. IT is now a thriving city having
about twenty-five important, diversi
fed industries and population some
thing more than $4,000. Though houses
have been rapidly built, last year an
automobile company, employing two
thousand hands in their plant, found
ii necessary to invest $150,000 to pro-
vide homes for employees. The sue
cess of New Castle caused many other
towns to follow its example. Mr..
Hernley's services have been asked
by commercial. clubs in nearly every
state. Under i his direction, Brazil,
f ENduSNIit anu ObHtT iHuidHd titiCc
have succeeded in locating important
industries
Mr.. Hernley said that one of the
first things they did not do was to
send for a lot of mail-order catalogues.
Lack of public spirit, he said, would
deaden anv town. Local merchants had
always been active in such develop
ment ANY system which disables them
from helping in such movements, sup
porting their local newspapers and ex-
tending credits necessary in growing
| towns, will result in decreased home
markets for farm products, labor, etc.
Lands near a live town are worth much
more than lands near a dead town.
ANY rate which would enable the gov
ernment to operate parcels post other
wise than at great loss would be so
high as to make it impracticable for
transporting farm products. Merchants
, and farmers prefer to sell goods and
products through personal inspection.
Where the farmer might save few
cents upon carriage of goods bought
from some mail-order house, he would
i lose much more through deadening of
the town and sending its resources to
. large mail-order centers.
, The proposed carriage of parcels by
} the government for concerns a thous-
: and miles distant at the same price
} as that charged for few miles would
weaken home ties and loyalty to com
munity interests 1t would build up
: large mail-order concerns to the de-
: probation of local values. Nearness tc
, good live town adds to contentment
; on the farm. Increase of great cities
} and consequent misery of many unem
ployed are largely due to dullness OF
MANY small towns. Great cities fur
nish gravest dangers. Carriage OF
first and second-class mail at cost
regardless of distance might be justi
fed by their diffusion of intelligence
necessary for stability of repub
: lie
The present carriage of merchandise
up to four pounds regardless of dis
, tance was only incidental; for samples
r for information purposes, etc. This
, has been so abused that it might be
more just to transport even merchan
disc under this limit at rates proper
tionate to distance.
; The chief argument used to locate
: industries in the central west has been
} that thereby such concerns would be
nearer the centers of population and
markets. If the government should
haul much merchandise at rates re
gardess of distance, there would be
no inducement for a factory to locate
or establish branch in the west OF
south. Factories would congregate
where labor and power are cheapest
The proposed system, he believed, was
.'protection to home industries re
; vised to destruction of home indus
ttries.
"Parcels post he said "is the
entering wedge of government owner
shin and Socialism, 1t will necessi
, tate large increase of force and equip
, ment. It's chief advocates have intro
duced bills providing for government
operation of transportation lines, in
cluding public highways, cat lowest
possible rates regardless of distance =