The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-12-17
PARCELS POST IN
FOREIGN TRADE
SERVICE WILL GIVE IMPETUS TO
EXPORT BUSINESS OF AMERI-
CAN RETAILERs-WILL AD-
VANCE EXPORT TRADE OF
SMALL BUSINESS MEN.

A new entry to additional foreign
trade is to be afforded mail order mcr-
chants of the United States through
the parcels post system which be-
comes available Jan. /, 1913. While
the, parcels post plan provides speci-
fed and conservative rates only to
points within the territory of the
United States, merchandise may be
sent to foreign countries at rates
amounting to the domestic parcels
post charges to the national bound
airy plus the necessary foreign postage.
IN no instance will the transportation
charges on packages not exceeding
eleven pounds in weight be eXorbitant.
Such charges will be found so conser-
vative, in fact, that international dis
tributior of merchandise in small lots
by parcels post will afford practical
ana probable delivery to bordering
countries and practically every dis
tr1ct of the European continent.
Good for Sample Carrying.
Especially will this international
parcels post plan be found advantage
on to the general distribution of
samples. Exporting houses that now
are required to supply samples of
goods to patrons in foreign countries
by express may deliver them, more
cheaply and probably with greater
dispatch by mail when the parcels
post service is in~augurated. Small for
eign orders or orders that may be
broken into eleven pound lots, may be
delivered by NEAR of the new fed
eral delivery system with identical ad-
Vantages. It is conceded among
merchants that all sp~ecialties must be
advertised, must be sampled by the
purchaser before he will buy, and the
producer must bear the expense of in
Producing his speciality and of render
ing it a staple in the market. 1t is
because the parcels post directly will
make possible for American mer-
chants the Introduction of his wares
In foreign lands that the new delivery
system is to open to the United States
an unprecedented and limitless terri
tory of trade now enjoyed by but a
comparatively few Of the most agrees
sive and %affluent retailing establish
ments of the country.
- 81. =, u. S. Is Seventh.
According to statistics of the inter-
national bureau of the Universal Post
al union, the United States stands sew
enth i'll the graduated list of countries
graded according to the volume of
their foreign trade b. parcels post. The
uncOmplimentary condition now may
be attributed to the fact hat United
States merchants have not had the ad-
vantage of a domestic parcels post,
but after Jan. 1, Americans may
seek broader markets for their pro-
ducts and do so with comparatively
slight expense, by means of the new
system of federal delivery.
Austria, with 1921, 220 parcels valu-
ed, at 1924, 81S, 900, exported by post in
1909, heads the list in the comparative
parcels post exporting scale. Germany
with l5, 84O,127 parcels of stated value
amounting to $50, 265, 900, is second
France is third with $3.50, $50 parcels
valued at 1915 900. Next comes Great
Britain with 2,706,8S9 packages for the
year, worth $25, 000, 900. Then Hungary
! with g.. 66S,117 packages valued at So
764 900. Switzerland is sixth with L.
1883 packages worth SIS, 366,000 dis,
patched by parcels post. The United
States is seventh, with 615,260 pack,
ages of unstated value delivered to for.
eign countries by mail in 1911.
Up to 1887 it was unlawful to ex
change salable merchandise by mai
between the United States and any
foreign country. The parcels post
convention Of 1887 with Mexico first
infringed upon this express com
mandment, but no other important
parcels post convention followed un-
til 1899, when President Mckinley es-
tablished the first European parcels
post convention with Europe-that
with Germany. AS a result of these
and subsequent agreements pertain
ing to international exchange of sal
able merchandise by post, post charges
for goods of common weight limited
to eleven pounds from the United
States to European countries were
fixed as follows: two and a half
pounds to Norway, 36 cents; four and
a half pounds to Germany, 50 cents;
seven pounds to Italy, "a cents; eleven
pounds to Great Britain, $1.32; eleven
pounds to Italy, $1.32. Rates from
these European countries to the United
States for parcels of similar weight
were: From Norway. 16 cents; from
Germany, 80 cents; from Italy, 80
cents; from Great Britain SIS cents;
| Great Britain 10 cents; from Italy, 70
cents, respectively. 3 - $780, e..
BY the new United States parcels
post system and scale of. charges it
is announced that expectation of
! goods by mail will be about as eco-
nomical to local exporters as have
been importations into the United
States of foreign goods by foreign
mercants, through parcels post.
Those holding invitations to the
HoInr IUaodpoe1 dapraa foo ~ dane