El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-12-16

" TAShINGIO-Ns u - Zee 10
M The parcel post today isn't
what il ought TO be. It is TO
he transformed in many respects-this
being an important project now in cor
temptation by the postoffiee depart
ment
The parcel post touches the pocket
Y, we 1t hits every citizen in a tender
spot Everybody is interested in It. not
only on account Of its convenience. but
because il attacks the high cost Of liv-
Ing
This public utility before long win be
very different from what It is today. 1t
has got 10 be. At present it is a big
success. Il the facilities It affords be
compared with the former total lack
OF them. Il is a failure. relatively TO
what it ought 10 be and is going to be.
The main object of the parcel post is
10 enable the farmer 70 send his prod
ucts direct 10 the urban consumer. This
was what congress avowedly had in
mind when II made the law creating the
service. Il has been the idea enter
tanned from the first by the post-office
department
Must BE Reversed.
Nevertheless. at the present time ~
percent Of the parcel post packages 20
from city 10 country. and only Il per
cent q them from country to city. This
although the latter figure represents
the really important traffic which the
government is anxious to build up. to
help the farmer and reduce the cost Of
living.
Why does this state Of affairs exist
Simply because a stupid policy adopted
ty the pOstoffice department had tied
the farmer hand and foot rendering il
post service. save in a relatively small
way.
The principal obstacle placed in the
way OF the farmer is the rigid require
-aent that butter. eggs. honey. fresh
meat. dressed fowls, green vegetables.
and various other products shall be
packed in liquid proof containers This
Is TO prevent possible dribbling into
other mail matter which might be in
jured or destroyed thereby. On the face
OF il the regulation seems most reason
able and even necessary In truth as
viii presently he shown. il is neither
necessary nor reasona BILE
Knocks Farmers Business.
II knocks the farm ers' business sky /
tainers is usually prOhibitive-esp ecial- /
" when il is considered that the CITY :
consumer can rarely be counted upon .
10 send them back.
Apart from its ches pness the parcel :
post offers 20 the farmer an enormous !
advantage in the fact that il collects /
packages 1T the e ~ gate. and delivers .
them at the farm gate. whereas the /
no further than the nearest railroad I
station.
The chief function OF the govern /
ment's express service is agricultural"
says postmaster general Burleson. But /
the government moves slowly. especial
Il where changes in regulations are 4
concerned
To those acquainted with the inside
? no hot he
office department. expects eventually TO
= 5sorb the entire express business OF !
the country. The greatly cheaper rates
IL offers should enable il TO accomplish
This aim: but rs the authorities are
now beginning to realize. the thing cam
not be done unless the parcel post sys-
en- is so modified as TO afford equiva- /
lent advantages in other respects.
Express Companies Responsible.
For instance. when YOU send a parcel
by ordinary express the company gives
you a receipt which is an insurance
1chcy guaranteeing its safe delivery. |
The parcel post does nothing OF the I
kind. When mailing a package. you
lake your chances Of its reaching its I
destination, or Of its getting there un-
l&maged-that is. unless YOU choose TO /
insure il. in which case you paw extra.
ne maximum indemnity allowed being I
80.
During a recent period OF 90 days. ia
which account OF the matter was kept. I
he postoffice department paid out no I
SIS a sum than $4,000 in indeminities
or parcel post packages lost or de-
troyed- All OF this. mind you, was for
Insured packages which IN number !
must have been only small fraction
II the total destroyed or lost. For the
parcels OF course. the own
rs received no reimbursement what
yer
The express companies Onsuring al
heir own cost every package they re- !
eIve) would be in danger of going
roke" If any such proportion Of their
hipments suffered loss or destruction. /
Sut. as a matter Of fact the service /
hey give Is not troubled by many ac- 1
idents OF the kind. relatively speak
HE
Now. it is obvious that there must be