Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-03-16
AMENDS PARCEL POST ACT.
congress Limits the Parcel Post to 81
Pound Weight Shipments.

we LAHuts the Parcel Post to 30
Pound Weight Shipments.
by attaching an amendment fixing
oo-pound weight limit for parcel post
packages to the annual postoffice APP
preparation bill, the house of represen-
.atiVes has dealt belated blow at the
olg mail order houses. The alternative
proposition, which was the present law
on the subject, left it within the dis
eretlon OF the postmaster general and
.ne interstate commerce commission as
10 what should be the weight limit.
! Inc bill has yet to go through the
senate. The 50-pound weight limit is
being viciously opposed by the post
offlce department officials. 1t is ex-
pected, however, it will remain in the
bill and become law. The present
weight limit is so pounds for the first
and second zones and 20 pounds for
all other zones. These were fixed by
the postmaster general and the inter
state commerce commission.
The house debate on the subject was
spectacular, although, strangely, the eff
feet of larger weight limit upon the
mail order houses, and upon the small
er merchants of the country was not
part of the discussion. The debate
chiefly concerned the effect the legis-
latlon might have upon the railroads
and the farmers.
1t was declared that by increasing
the weight limit the government would
be better able to compete with the rail
roads and the express companies, and
for once these two latter public service
institutions found themselves working
In behalf of the small merchants.
Representative Lewis of Maryland
led the fight for the larger weight
limit. He would be PERFECTLY salts
fled to have the limit fixed at $50
pounds, if there is to be limit at ALL
but he would much rather leave the
whole thing to the head of the post
office department and the interstate
commerce commission. At the last
moment in the house consideration he
attempted to substitute the l50-pound
amendment, but this was defeated by a
vote of l39 to 179.
Representative Madden of Illinois,
who offered the 50-pound amendment,
said frankly that his purpose was "to
keep the government out of the freight
business
Mr.. Madden said it was the consen-
sus of opinion throughout the country
that the railroad companies are not be-
ing paid too much for carrying mails.
81 believe, on the other hand" said
he, "that great many people believe
they are not being paid enough, and it
is my understanding that this bill does
increase the compensation to the rail
road companies and not decrease it.
And it is because of my belief that it
does increase the rates and does JUS
tice that I am enthusiastically for il,
in addition to the fact that 1 am for
the scientific method of handling the
question. If by any chance we should
legislate to take away the income of
the railroad companies for the perform
ance of this service for the postoffice
department, we would not be doing our
duty.
Everybody knows that I am not
here speaking for any railroad com
pany. The gentleman from Maryland
is in favor of making the parcel post
package 100 pounds. The average
weight of the package now is one
pound and II ounces. Nobody knows
how many packages are shipped which
weigh even as high as so pounds apiece,
but every person whoh as made study
of the question does know that whole
cdTlOduS VI 10 pouhu PdehoSoo VI pii'N,
ore, sand and stone, and other heavy
freight have been carried in the name
of the parcel post, and I contend that
that is not proper matter for carriage
by mail in any such quantities.
81 believe that when we were or
ganizing the parcel post system of
America we were intending to accom-
modate the people livino in the rural
districts by enabling them to exchange
their products with the people living
in the cities with the people of the
country at reasonable transportation
cost; and in the face of the fact that
the average weight of the parcel today
is only one pound and II ounces, !
maintain that the limitation of so
pounds in this bill is not unreasonable.
/ think that if the weight is increased
to 100 pounds it will be necessary to
have machinery to handle the packages.
Today a man can handle a 5O-pound
package, but who can handle a package
of 100 poundsa The postoffice depart
ment would have to employ derricks
everywhere. New West Trade.