Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-19

merchant and the consumer.
Second The postal express system
eontemplates a zone system of rates
much more economical and equita-
bic than any system yet devised. Two
hundred miles is the average distance
express packages are carried in this
country. Eleven pounds is the maxi
mum amount that could be carried I'M
der any proposed postal law. except by
postal express and the difference in
eest for transporting an 11-pound
package 900 miles is as follows: The
express company tariff would be 50
cents. The Iwoposed Scent fiat or pos
tai rate would be SIS cents and the pro-
posed postal express rate is 4 cents
"Third-Postal express legislation
eontemplates articulating with rural
delivery routes. thus eliminating time
and expense for delivery between ex-
press companys terminal and the
home.
''Fourth-It is the only proposed
legislation that eliminates the oppo-
stion of the rural merchant Some
rural MERCHANTS have thought that it
is to their Advantage to prevent farm
ers from getting a cheap, efficient pos
tai express service. but tie reverse is
true. Compel the farmer to attend to
his own parcel delivery often at great
Inconvenience and expense, and you
are certainly establishing conditions
favorable to the development of mail
order business. Today. to do business
with the local store the farmer must
go to town. often taking himself and
team from work. In many sections of
the country under these conditions the
farmer buys from the mail order house
and in quantities Given conditions
where the farmer can do business with
the local merchant by telephone and
postal express delivery, the local mer-
chant is benefited.
'Fifth-No business community or
country can prosper that is discrimi-
mated against in transportation rates
| think that a careful study of the
proposed postal express proposition
will convince any thinking person
that it comes nearer to being equitable
and giving the square deal to all peo-
pie and all communities than any plan
yet placed before the people for con-
sideration.'
State Master Stetson advocated the
taking over of the express companies
by the United States in connection
with this measure and urged the men,
bers of the order of P@trons of Hus-
bandry to write their senators and
congressman, urging them to take a
stand for adequate parcels post legis-
latiorR
The State master had hardly COM
pleted his remarks when Former Po-
mona Master Il. T. Clifford of Win
throp was on his feet. asking State
Master Stetson if he deemed it advis-
able for the Grange to let go of what
it had already done in the matter of
parcels post legislation and adopt a
change of front from parcels post
to a postal express measure.
State Master Stetson assured Mr..
Clifford that there had been no change
of front and minated that if Mr..
Clifford had studied the bill he would
not make the statement that a postal
express was not q parcels post. The
postal express would be under the di-
reetion of the postoffice department.
The further question was asked by
Mr.. Clifford whether the government
could get possession of the express
companies and state Master lStetson
replied that the United States would
have power to condemn them.
The forenoon exercises closed with a
piano solo by Miss Susie Smith of
Capital Grange.
lndicts Highway System.
A picnic dinner was enjoyed at the
park and the session resumed at 1.So
p. Nj. After two spirited piano solos
by Mrs. William X. Became of Mel
rose, Mass, Pomona Master Barbour
introduced DR. Leon S. Merrill, dean
of the college of agriculture of the
University of Maine. VINO spoke upon
Good Roads" giving a severe indict-
ment of the present system, which he
declared did not pay adequate atten-
ton to the industrial needs of the
State. He gave some figures that
were truly startling in their import.
He said in part: Good roads affect
the market and the kind of products
grown. The weight of loads is an
other matter to be taken into con-
sideration. From one and one-half to
twice as much can be hauled on an
improved gravel road and three times
as much on a maeadam road as on
an ordinary road. Good roads will
also give a saving of at least one-half
OF the time required in marketing.
Good roads enable the farmer to take