The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-07-21
EXPRESS FIRMS
70BE ABSORBED
Rep. Lewis Of Maryland Pro-
phesies That Business VIII
Go to Parcel Post.
ATTACK ON COMPANIES
Says That Farmers, BY Newspaper
Advertising and Using Posi-,
Could Save Money.
ATTACK ON COMPANIES

That the express companies within tn
next few years will be absorbed by TN
parcel post system was the prediction
made yesterday by Representative Davit
J. Lewis Of Maryland. father Of the origi
lnal parcel post bill. in discussing thu
lrartial reconstruction Of the parcel pos
service within the 150-mile limit to be
Icome operative August Is. Representa-
tive Lewis declared that the beginning
lof the end Of the express companies II
IAmerica Is near at hand. He stated tha'
the parcel post would gradually Absorb
the small retail package business OF Tho
lexpress companies until the latters' mar
gin Of profit had been wiped out. AND
they will be operating at a loss
Representative Lewis, who has made
careful study Of the express companies
stated that more than 80 per cent Of theii
gross revenues was derived from ths
Transportation Of small packages ranging
between one and nineteen pounds. He
pointed to the fact that the express COM
panies in their briefs filed with the Inter.
state Commerce Commission protesting
against a reduction in their tariff
schedules. contend that per cent of
their gross receipts represented their net
earnings.
| In support Of his prediction that the
express companies would be gradually
absorbed by the parcel post he pointed
out the lower rates offered by the gov
ernment. He stated that with parcel post
rates averaging from one-half to one
| third lower than the express rates within
| l5G miles distances, he felt confident that
the government will easily absorb more
than $40 5000 OF the express companies
gross business, which amounts to slSs, 600 =
| coo annually.
Stockholders Not Losers.
Representative Lewis added that the big
surplus held in reserve by the express
companies is more than sufficient to pay
OF dollar for dollar for the amount
originally invested in express stock. and
that the stockholders will not suffer 4
loss
Il have been cooperating with the
Postoffice authorities in developing the
new eight and rate limit" Representa-
tive Lewis said. (which Is not intended
| as a complete scheme at all, but only
as a part of a scheme TO test out tn.
working capacity Of the postal machine.
Nevertheless the new rate Of a cent
pound. with a weight limit OF 20 pounds.
good for $50 miles in any direction from
point of shipm ent. and one-half cent 4
Iound for local delivery. including rural
routes. is In itself, a parcel post system
far excelling any other known to the
|English-speaking race. The l50-mile zone
is an air line BY rail II means more than
- miles. For instance. from, Washing
ton To Oakland. by rail is about eJ5 miles.
Oakland is within the cent-a- pound zone.
The E0-mile air line zone will cover
more than - miles of ordinary rail
distance in Eastern States This is 7
larger haul than the average for Grea;
Britain. where the rate is cents a pound
uaight INIT
American Service Worst.
Moreover. up to that distance and to
that weight limit IL substitutes the best
and cheapest transportation in the world
for what has hitherto been the dearest
and the worst-the service of the Amer
lean Express Companies. which, ccr-
Jared with the service in other countries
shows ra es over three times normal,
with three-foUrths OF the potential traffic
In our country destroyed as a conse-
Quence.
The government has crossed the
Rubicon in the small shipment business"
n continued. and cannot stop its marlcr
until 1t reaches the loo-pound limit. which
Pertains In other countries having we'll
developed parcel post This leaves no
room for the express companies in
America. which is simply surrendering
to the postoffice a service which belongs
to it.
i expect the parcel post by January
l VIII show a profit of from 100000
TO sl0.6o.O0. The Postmaster General
should not stop now until the system OF
postal express promised in the Democrat
tic Platform has been fully realized, and
the deficit in the postofiice depa rtment is
converted into a lasting surplus
What can the farmers make out OF
these charges in rates. was asked.
farmers of Western MARYLAND.
Southern Maryland. Eastern Shore, the
Valley OF Virginia. and the York Valley
OF PENNSYLVANIA can all reach Baltimore
and Washington within a day at a cent
a pound with their produce. The people
In these two cities would like to have
chickens. butter and eggs and other
country products fresh from the farm
at one-haf the city prices
These packages of produce can he
shipped direct to the city kitchen. Col
lect on delivery for both postage and
price.
Let the farmer who has such supplies |
insert line in The Washington Her. |
aid, and let this advertisement find him |
his customers. Such a system will be |
much better than chasing all over the |
city with a wagon hunting customers. |
and then carrying back home a half |
wasonload of produce. or sacrifice It on |
the general market. BY this method of |
newspaper advertisement, coupled with |
the parcel post, the German farmer has
developed complete line of customers.
who get all their table products from
him and return the money by the carrier
who delivers the produce.
In this hot weather the farmer can
not ship butter on lorg journeys. I am
having the Chemistry Bureau of the De-
partment of Agriculture study methods