The Washington times., 1914-01-15
NEW EXPRESS RATES.

FOR years before the parcel post adopte
this paper persistent advocate of the system
When the new service went into effect year ag
and became as much of a success was poSSibl
within the limitations of small packages, low weights
unsuitable zones, stamp nusances, and so on-ther
was great deal of talk about the probable extinc
ton of the express companies by this Government
service But it seemed more likely to many student
of modern business conditions that the express com
panes might continue, in the face of the postofic
competition, not only to exist, but to thrive. Th
reason for this would be that as in any other busi
ness, competition would stimulate the efforts of th
companies already in possession of the field to i'm
prove their service at charges productive of traffic
At the present time the express companies art
publishing their revised rates, which are to 90 int
effect, in conformity with the order of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, on February I. These pub
lished rates and the comparative statements of tn,
express companies seem to show that under tht
new schedules, the private carriers will be able
keep the postoice from ever touching their most i'm
portant business and will be able even to raid, a.
keen competitors do some of the very business which
has been built up for the parcel post.
The old express rate of ST on a twenty y-pount
package from New York to Chicago will become "a
cents. The express company will call for the pack
IL IL
parcel post rate between the same points and for
the same weight. is SLIP, and the man who wants
to ship his twenty pounds by parcel post will trud e
to the postotfce with it himself.
The old express rate of Is cents on five pounds
from New York to Dallas, Texas will become As cents
The parcel post charg are 81 cents On ten pounds
the old express company rate of S1.15 will become
70 cents; the parcel post charges are $l01 The old
of Ct FOR
become Sl.20; parcel post, S2.0l.
The old express company rate of 65 cents on
FIVE pounds from New York to Milwaukee will be-
come 81 cents, the same as the parcel post. But
the old express company rate of 80 cents on ten
pounds will become A cents, as against the parcel
post rate of 81 cents. The old express company rate
of Sl.l0 twenty pounds will become 69 cents, as
against the parcel post charge of SLIP.
Now for the great mass of commerce or traffic
done in this world the best service at the most fa-
vorabe rate, whether by a public or by private
agency, will get the business, A private company
when it does better work at cheaper price can keep
its business from going to the postoce just as easily
it can keep its business from going to another pri-
vate company under the same circumstances. A pri-
vate company take business away from the post
office when it does better work at cheaper price
just easily as it can take it away from private
corporation under the same circumstances.
But this doesn't necessarily mean that the ex-
press companies on any given schedule of rates
and Improvements of service are going to put the
parcel post out of business any more than it neces-
sary followed year ago that the parcel post was
going to put the express companies out of business
If the Interstate Commerce Commission hadn't
ordered the changes in express rates the law of self
preservation would have forced the express COM
panes to meet the competitive challenge of the par
eel post, and the duel, with the sharpeSt economic
weapons the rivals could command would have taken
place just the same.
The competition of the parcel post was bound
TO bring good things to the public from the express
companies sand in the long that would mean
good things to the express companies themselves
And the successful competition of the express COM
panes with the service of the postofice is bound to
bring good things to the public from the parcel post
because against keen and successful competitor the
parcel post just like any other business, has got to
do better and better if it wants to stay in the game
With both rivals striving their best to deserve and
thus to get the business the public will gain more and
more benefits.