Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-02-21
RESOLUTIONS OPPOSING
THE PARCELS POST LAW
Delegation from Lynchburg Before
Senate Committee

Ryland, prominent business men Oh
I,vpchburg, Va, appeared before
the United States Senate Committee
ON postofices aud ,postroads the
past week. They were introduced
bv Senators Martin and Swanson.
MIR. Caskie stated to the commit
tee that the Board OF Trade oil
Lynchburg mad passed resolutions
in oppositlon to the proposed Parcels
Post and that the Retail Merchants
Association, and Chamber OF Com
MERGE had coucurred in asking him
To represent the views of their men,
bers. He said that, if the Govern
ment entered into the carriage OF
merchandise as a business instead
of carving the same incidental TO
the carriage of instruments OF intel
lioerce as now this depaI ture would
lead to other forms OF inlqultous
paterralism. In many of the towns
and cities of Virginia, he said, new
industries were growing up. In
New England manufacturers had
been strongly established. For the
Government to carry the merchan-
disc of New England concerns into
the markets of Virginia at the same
price as that charged manufacture
ers aud dealers for i few miles
haul would cripple such home In
dustries and retard further indus
trial growth. Local merchants had
been active in all movements Tor In
dustrial growth. To disable them,
for the extension of trade Of distapc
retail mail order houses wouiu
deaden towns, destroy the home
markets of farmers and impair lane
values. Ii the purpose was not Il
build up the business OF retail mail
order houses to the proportional
loss of local dealers, the mail orde
people would not be so active in az
pearing before the committee an
pushing advocacy through farI
journals and others supported b
their advertising. The farmer, b
said would receive little benefit, b'
cause any rate avoiding big detc
would be too high TO- carriage
farm produce. If the rate were
low as to make loss, this dehc
would be subsidy. The Int
state Commerce Commission al
State Railroad Commissions,
said, had authority to reduce
oress rates and merchants are
tive now to secure such reduction
Government ownership and opel
ton of such utilities, he said, Won
result in socialism and in nullifyi
local self government. The pl
posed Parcels Post, he said, woI
90 far to void the action OF count
in voting local prohibition OF
LIQUOR traffic. Mail order whis
houses, he understood. wanted 1t
enable them to ship in their good
Charles G. Craddock of Craddo
Terry & Co., of Lynchburg, S
mis- firm dealt with about 1O.OOO
tail merchants. In some sin
cases these merchants had on IL
books 500 farmers. The bushes
the country, he said. is yet lare
done on credit. The proposed 1
cells Post, he felt sure, would
one third of the merchants GU
business and disable another u
from ability to extend credits,
port their local newspapers and
sist in local enterprises. 1t WI
deaden the towns and centraliz
sources and, wealth in distant
order centers. Our Governl
was now asked to haul merchan
for such distant concerns, he
at a cost less than cost OF carr
based on rates made in densely
ulated European countries, WHIT
the hauls are only tenth OF
thew are in the United States
wherein postal employees are
only half or one-third of what
are paid in the United 81
Either an army of extra emplt
would be necessitated with
additional equipment or letter
n1t