The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-05

LII huN we'll lIIG InaL
there has been but very little con-
fusion and no great innovation like
the parcel post las ever been inau-
gurated by a government or by a great
corporation with so little friction as
has arisen the past month concern
ing this new departure of Uncle Sam.
The zone plan is correct and Just.
It Is correct because it is not like
letters as the weight of the parcels
has much to do with the cost of
transportation nj therefore the zone
rates are founded on good business
principles. 1t is just because it gives
the local merchant the advantage
which he should have in the way of a
lower rate and the ability to more
quickly fill orders in order to re-
tain and increase his trade in place
of all this business going to large
centers and thereby inturing rural
hamlets.
While the parcel post is an expert
ment in this country it Is no n SO
far as other countries are concerned.
Many other governments have inau-
gurated a. parcel post system, which,
owing to h limited area of the coun-
try did not have the zone feature and
In every one of these the parcel post
a become a success and one the
people at large would not be with
out. In these foreign countries, too,
even without the restrictions here
thrown around the system, there has
not been h damage to business in
rural communities which many have
prophesied would be the case here.
The first seven days the parcel post
was in operation over 5000, 900 pack
ages were handled in the postoffices
of the country and there were onIy
five working days during this peri
cd.
At first many freak packages were
sent, but these are not now being
placed In the mails to any extent,
The service has just begun and every
week n in reality every day has
known greater use of the parcel post
by the business men Of every com
munfty and the farmers on the rural
routes of the country. 1t is impossible
to estimate what the volume of busi-
ness Will be within six months or one
year.
The average postage on these pack-
ages handled during the first seven
days of the new law, was II cents
each, and the total postage received
by the government vas 1896, 2S6. These
same packages would have cost If
sent by mail under the old law
$942,294, thus, the parcel post saved
$547,10S to the patrons of the post
office. II these same packages had
been sent by express they would have
cost at least $8SS,215 more thar fine
amount charged by the parcel most.
A saving of $40, 900, 900 per year to the
people of the country Is a matter of
some Importance.
It is also interesting to know wheth-
er the government carried these par
cells at a loss or not. The parcel post
has its heaviest expenses in the larg-
er offices, and does not Increase the
expense to the government hardly any
in the offices of the third and fourth
class. Very careful track has beer
OF the cost of the new system,
as Tar as extra clerk hire, extra. car
riers, horse hire, renting of automo-
biles and the extra
which Will have to be paid to rail
roads and other transportation aaen
cies. The supervisory or overhead ex-
pense has also been considered, and
the report shows that the average
cost per package of all these items
will not exceed 5.5 cents per pack
age. This shows a profit of about R.:
cents per package, or a net profit tt
the ~postoffice department of nearly
$7s000,000s In addition to he sayins
to the people of $40, 900, 900.
The effect of this new law has beef
important as far as business interest
are concerned with the express com
/ pan1eS, whose rates have never beel
understandable. There have been ru
mors that the express companies woull
= fight the parcel post to the bitter enc
and this reminds me of the story toll
: by a politician concerning the spirit o
rivalry between st. Paul and Mime
apolis. This gentleman was speaking
at the capital of Minnesota and callel
attention to the reckless driving o
motor cars in the rival city. why,
he declared, Il have sven heard tina
ten Inhabitants are killed in Minneapo
lis on the streets every tw~enty-fou
hours" Just then came an interrup
ton from somebody In the rear OF tn
hall who said. "Wa'al. 1t amt enough.
The business man might think tina
any rivalry between common carrier
would result to his benefit and this j
probably the case. Al good eyidenc
WAS given in the instance of a Califor
MIA fruit grower who went to the ex
press company to ship several carload
of his products to New York and tn
price made him was exorbitanr
In fact it was prohibitive. I'll
then bethought himself Of the parce
post which would soon go into effec
and found that by putting his fruit in
to eight pound packages he could shl
it to New York for about one-third Q
what the express company wanted. III
made arrangements to ship two car
loads, but about that time the expires
company got wise and made him an
other rate which was less than one
! half what 1t would cost him by parcs