The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-18
The Incidental Advantages


 Incidentally it should be reported that the express rates included free insurance up to $50 in value. while parcel post rates do not include any fees for insur- ance.
 Another comparative study of the rates which Mir. Shrague has caused to be worked out is based upon New York city as shipping point. But the comparison Is illustrative of the entire parcel post and express companies services. New ark, N. J.. Is taken as d city which is in zone 1.
 Parcels post for 50 pounds uninsured would be 54 cents. If insured for $25 1t Is 59 cents, whereas the express rates for the same package, including free insurance up to s50 Is 37 cents.
 Then take Philadelphia, which is reckoned as being in zone ?. The uninsured rate by parcel post for 20 pounds is 24 cents from New York. The express rate is a little higher, for it is 34 cents, but there is free insurance to $50. Were the parcels shipped by par eel post insured for $50, 1t would cost exactly the same to ship that parcel by postoffice shipment as it would to ship 1t by express, whereas any parcel weighing more than 20 pounds would cost no more to ship by express from New York to Philadelphia than by post on1ce. But there would be this advan- tage: The shipper could have this parcel collected at his door and would not be obliged to take 1t to the postoffice.
 Rates for the larger zones-that is to say, for zones 4, and 6, seem to be still more favorable to the express com panles. The postoffiee department will ship by parcel post an uninsured pack age weighing five pounds to New Or leans for 41 cents, but the express rate on the same package is Al cents, includ- ing free insurance for $50 A 20-pound package between New York and New Orleans would cost by parcel post $1.6l, but the same package by express would cost only 55 cents.
 The great bulk of the traffic, includ- ing the 20-pound parcel throughout the eight zones in which the country Is d. vided, will apparently be carried by the express companies in many instances at a cost considerably less than that of the average parcel post rates. Recently the postoffice department has estab- lished 50-pound weight limitation for the first two zones. An analysis of the rates appears to show that the express companys service for parcels of this weight averages 4s1a cents, while the parcel post average reaches 54 cents for like parcels.
 It Is 8 very interesting situation which is occasioned by the establish ment on large scale of the parcel post system. There is an apprehension that this system may seriously affect the net revenues of the express companies. This has been set forth in formai statement made by merchants in large centers and especially by the Mer- chants association in New York These merchants have earnestly urged that n development of the parcel post be so perfected as to impair express company service. The merchants have gone so far as to say that confiscation Of the properties of the express companies may be very harmful to the public gen. orally.
 At the same time. the great value of properly limited parcel post service is acknowledged. Even the New York Merchants association, through its president William A. Marvel. has frankly admitted that the parcel post is an immense public benefit and that wherever there is need for postal serv- ice there is also need for parcel service. The parcel post can do service which express companies cannot do. It can