Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-01
SAVING POSSIBLE ON BUTTER
AND POULTRY PRODUCTS
Secretary Hitchcock Predicts That
System Will Be Followed BY Taking
Over Of Business Of Express Com
panics.

ing, the parcels post system went into
operation turnout the United states to-
CAY.
While the present parcels post rates
are only fraction of tire charges i'm
posed by the express trust. Postmaster
General Hitchcock is confident they
will he reduced to q lower level after
the cost of operation is ascertained
The express companies have decided
to reduce their rates in order to COM
pete with the government. and these
charges evidently will be forced still
lower. Tie parcels pest Will serve 90
100000 more people !han now are ac-
cessible 10 express delivery.
Ritchcock's View on Method.
My vieW,' said Mr. Hitchcock. "is
that ultimately the government should
take over the entire business of the
express companies. I think also that
It should be done promptly. The ex
press companies should receive a. fair
price for their business and equipment
and their plant should be transferred
TO government control
",The establishment of the parcels
post is bound to result in downward
revision Of express rates by the private
companies. The express companies
have federal and state taxes to pay.
while the postoffice Department. in its
operation of the parcels post will not
be taxed and Will not be required to
earn money for the payment of divi-
dends 1t will be operated at cost.
The fact that the express cum
panies will have to lower rates will
mean. of course. that there will be
reduction in dividends. There are thou
sands of persons holding small
amounts Of stock in express companies.
and their holdings will become less val
liable. To prevent injury to their in
terests a fair minded and generous
policy would be to pay the express
companies for their entire properties
as they stand today and thereafter
have the government conduct all eX
press business
Saving Possible on Butter.
II frequently happens that butter
sells in the country for Is cents less
pound than in the city. The urban
| housewife now will be enabled to order
from one to eleven pounds of butter
sent to her by mail from any place
within fifty miles. and the postage will
he from 10 50 cents. With 81 o. rep
resentine the difference in butter prices
for eleven pounds between country and
city, she still saves s1.30, or more than
| 10 cents a pound.
She even may buy her butter 80
miles distant. paying &c cents postage
on eleven POUNDS, and save sl.19. Even
when the difference in price is only
cents she can save 30 cents on eleven
pounds purchased within fifty miles
and get butter fresh from the farm
churn.
Likewise. the farmer may telephone
the village store TO send him eleven
| pounds Of groceries. clothing. imp!e-
! mcrts. 0" other merchandise on the
next delivery over his rural postage
route, and the postage will be only 10
| cents The farmer or villager may
send to the metropolis for articles not
cbtainable IN the local stores and OBJ
; tain them at postage rates Of cents
for the first and 3 cents for each addi-
tiCnal pound within 100 miles.
Postmaster General Hitchcock. with
q force Of experts has worked out the
intricate details of the system estab-
l:shcd by congress four months ago
and believes thTat it will work with
! comparative smoothness and dispatch
from the start.
I'll. postmaster general is spending
$4,000 to put the system into opera
, ton, altho ii is expected to be self
supporting within q few weeks. He
! mas allotted $500 coo to tneslarger offices
FOR employing additional clerks and
carriers. hiring automobile trucks and
, other delivery Vehicles, etc.
! Chicago. which is expected to do a
! tremendous parcels post business. was
! given the largest allowance. $4,000. fer
! vehicle hire. Included in the equipment
provided for the service are 10000
scales. 100000 tags, 153.292.45o sr"-
cial parcels post stamps $4,000 rubber
stamps. 10000 zone maps. guides, and
regulations and 12,t5S.435 postage
/ due stamps.
! Some Restrictions on Service.
/ Cuder the new regime it will be nee
essary for one to revise somewhat
previous ideas in regard to the send
ing of packages by mail. All articles
Row mailable as fourth class matter
are mailabe under the parcels pcs.
/ equations, which include. in addition.
/ a vast number of articles not accepted
! now.
/ Eut It is necessary TO remember that
1 beginning Win next " euIicSudS -
package of merchandise or other four;h
! class matter must not be dropped into
a package mail box, as hitherto, pat
! must be taken to the postoffice or
branch station. Postmasters are al
lowed wide discretion as to the fixing
Of mailing places, but at first the gen
erai rule will be to take the parcels
to a pcstoffice. Later the deposlt!ng
of parcels in mail boxes probably Will
be allowed generally.
Also it is necessary to remember
that henceforth all parcels must bear
the special parcels post stamps. Far
ce,s stamped with ordinary stamps VII
not be forwarded. Any packageaWelsh
ing not more than four ounces may be
sent anywhere in the country, regard
less of distance at the Hate OF CEN
; an ounce or fraction thereof. But if Il
weighs more than four ounces IT mus
. be sent at the pound and distance rate
nf. he iY1iy