Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-01-16
PARCEL POST A BLESSING.

BARCEB POOl A BLESSING.
i To the Editor of The New York Times
This mornings mail 1--WE are in Christ
mas week. brings me present from the
National Express Company. When the
express company makes a present to
80 insignificant a customer, the fact is
worthy of record and we ask the rea-
son why. Philanthropy is great pro-
fession in this country, yet many phil
anthropic institutions are none the
worse for prudent supervision of their
finances. So let us for a moment con-
slider this philanthropic present from
the express companies of America. 1t
comes from James c. Fargo, name of
national credit
Personally, have not had the good
fortune to meet Mr.. Fargo, but | have
read with interest his beautifully il
lustrated pamphlet called Express
Service" which you, dear reader, have
probably also received. This pamphlet
convinces the man who lurries that the
express companies of this country have
been organized as a benevolent iustitu-
ton, and have ever since been carried
on for the sole benefit of the people,
with only incidental profits to the Di-
rectors or promoters.
Myself not being a man ever in a
hurry, l discover misstatements at
nearly every line, and see in this beauti-
full pamphlet very tardy acknowledge
ment that the parcel post is cutting
into the express companies profits, and
incidentally doing real service to simple
people who like myself are far from
the great centres.
Some years ago finished book, and
went to the express company in the
northern part of New York State, and
offered the parcel for shipment to tn d,
city. The clerk demanded S2-exactly
the amount that would have to pay if
sent as first-class mail matter. &c. of
course, had to pay this exorbitant tax
ten times what the service was worth.
And so now | read with a smile this
beautiful pamphlet of Mr.. Fargo, in
which he walls most contritely over his
diminished profits-how he brings big
boxes all the way from Chicago to New
York for trihe.
My little farm is one hundred miles
from the big city, and worthy neigh
Dor started hopefully into the chicken
business, supplying eggs and fowls to
private customers. There were plenty
of eggs and plenty of customers, but
the express company charged 80 cents
ON each dozen of eggs, plus 5 cents for
returning the empty crate. | went tc
Albany and pleaded with the express
boss there that 35 cents per dozen was
more than the whole value of the eggs
at times but he only smiled, and wher
reminded him that Europe had the
parcel post and cheap eXpressage, anC
the people blessed these Institutions
he smiled still more, and gently
whlstled the tune of the well-knowr
song, The Public Be Damned!' Tha
chicken venture failed, not only lie
cause of the barbarous rates charged
by the express company, but also from
much breakage and stealing of eggs, t.
say nothing of delay in the delivery o
the parcels in New York.
Mr.. Fargo has written a beautiful
pamphlet, and centuries hence, whel
some prospective Tacitus or Macaula,
shall have to deal with American civil
cation at the opening of the twentieth
century, he will be delighted to tell hi
degenerate countrymen that in earle
and purer times nation called Amerc
produced patriots who not only trans
ported packages with startling spec
and punctuality, but scorned to tax
payment for such service.
In conclusion, let me ask all who rea
this to bless the day when the parce
post made its tardy appearance in thi
country, and to pray for little more o
its good work particularly in the cour
try districts.
PoULTNEY BIGELow,
Farmer.
Maiden on Hudson, Dec 81, 1913.