Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-07-04
PARCEL POST RESULT
IT'S UP TO LOCAL MERCHANT TO
KEEP AND HOLD TRADE
AT HOME
ZONE SYSTEM SHOULD PROTECT HIN
Rural Community Centers Beginning
to Realize the Excellent Oppor-
tunity to Build UP Nice Man
Order Business.

Business men and others VINO were
opposed to parcel post law, gener-
ally based their opposition on the
broad ground that such a law. making
it possible to ship larger quantities of
merchandise by mail at lower rates,
would tend to increase the amount OF
goods bought at distance and to de-
crease the amount bought in the home
markets and would thus be destruct-
i've of the prosperity of country towns
and rural communities. This would
undoubtedly have been the case had
the rates been materially reduced and
continued under the fat rate system,
which formerly prevailed. But the
zone system adopted is obviously more
equitable and fairer to the local and
smaller trade centers and it does not
necessarily follow that this system
will have any evil effects outweighing
the local advantages it undoubtedly
possesses.
Nevertheless, it was a largely mis-
guided popular sentiment that result.
w Al SAO R1o0U6O Va . RehA NOA0 ROOS
law. The principal instigators of par
cells post legislation have always been
the catalog houses, although they have
been careful to keep their hand con-
cealed. The fact that they wanted it
SO keenly was sufficient reason why
the general public should not have
wanted it. But they succeeded in
manufacturing strong popular senti-
ment in favor of such legislation. That
they did not get the kind Of parcels
post they wanted is the good fortune
Of the country, for which credit is due
An example of the best before
passage" sentiment is contained in the
following letter from congressman to
one of his constituents:
Il was pleased to have your letter
of recent date because it gives me an
opportunity to straighten some mis-
apprehensions l fear you entertain.
You say you are surprised to hear that
l am opposed to the parcels post. On
the other hand l am in favor of To-
cal parcels post whereby the farmers
and the home market might have
ready and cheap traffic communica-
ton, but l am opposed to the scheme
of the big city mail order houses COM
ing into a community at government
expense or at government favor to
break down the home market and then
form a big trust and boost prices &C
cording to their own sweet will, as
other trusts have done. OF course il
you are in favor of sending money
away to the big city mail order houses
where not a penny Of it ever comes
back to help local enterprises, do
not agree with you and think you
are mistaken, although doubtlessly
honestly SO.
81 know that my own farm, within
two miles of town, is worth $25 more
per acre than if it were located from
10 to Is miles from good home mar
ket. l know, too, that land in the vi
entity of lively home market is al
ways worth vastly more than when
situated near poor home market.
You know this as well as |. You also
know that these big mail order houses
do not pay penny of taxes or any
thing else to help the local commun-
ity. have been a farmer, as you
know, and practically all my life have
been an observer Of trade conditions,
and a while farmer MIGHT make q
few dollars patronizing the mail order
houses, believe If all people should
do the same thing, the farmer would
find himself in a lifeless and standstill
community.
You say that mail order houses are
not instigators of the general parcels
post and that 90 per cent of the peo-
pie of my district are in favor Of q
general parcels post. This proves that
you are not we'll informed and that
you are speaking from personal pref
erence rather than information. have
always been a believer in progress, en-.
terprise and upbuilding of society by
providing better home conditions for
everybody. I do not believe this can
be done by sending money of the To-
cal community away to the big city.
1T seems to me If l could establish
a plan whereby better roads, better
schools, better churches, better homes
and more convenient home markets
might be provided for rival commune
ties, l would accomplish something for
posterity, although this policy of pro-
gressive ideas does not meet with ap-
proval In the estimation of the man
who lives largely for himself alone"
In other words the people wanted .