South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-13
Parcels Post Is
Big Factor In
Cutting Costs

For 80 years or more prior 70
1912. there was a nationwide de-
mand for parcels post. In back of
this demand were farmers cooper
ative societies. farmers Institutes,
labor organizations and. in fact, all
societies demanding Improvement
along this line
Down 10 1912 we had no parcels
post legislation in this country
worthy OF the name OF parcels
post" The limit was four pounds.
rate Of postage is cents per pound.
At the same time. we were parties
TO the international parliamentary
parcels post union, which comprised
practically every nation on earth.
Before 1912, the rate OF postage on
parcels for foreign countries was
y cents. per pound. four pound
package could be sent from Indian
apolis TO Toxic. Japan. for as
cents The same four-pOund pack
age placed in the mail in the city Of
indianapolis for a person living one
block away would cost 60 cents.
This was an absurdity.
When our parcels post was first
established. eleven pounds was fixed
as the minimum weight. Within a
short period Of time the weight was
increased 10 twenty pounds and,
shortly thereafter, IL was increased
to fifty pounds in the first and sec
ond zones, with the postage rang-
ing from one TO four cents per
pound, depending upon the zone.
Since the enactment of this legs
latiOn, the parcels post has wonder
fully increased. For the fiscal year
1915, there were nearly one billion
packages sent through the mails. 1t
has produced an enormous amount
Of revenue. The exact amount is
hard TO figure. but the estimate of
the post Office department is that
IL is 2 little upwards of eighteen mil
lions OF dollars over and above the
operating expenses of the system.
1t has largely reduced the cost of
living. enables the laboring man and
the consumers Of the nation TO pur-
chase with their money more than
they were able TO purchase before.
This is a democratic measure. no
doubt, born in a democratic house.
Finally, we compelled a reluctant
republican senate 10 yield TO the de-
mands of the people and it became
a law.
Goodrich promises in case he is
elected governor, that he will re-
duce the cost of feeding patients in
Indiana hospitals for the insane 10
five cents a meal or loss, that he has
in mind establishing the bread lines
and soup houses just like the last
republican administration fed mill
lions of unemployed following the
republican-wall-street money panic
in 1907 and 1906.
Candidate Hughes says ne will do
things just like Roosevelt. Which
recalls the panic of 1907 and 1906.
Morgan and three other men in
Wall street declared and forced the
money panic of 1907. Roosevelt
gave them $42, 100000 from the
terest, and without letting the pec-
pie know. They dumped this into
Wall street, making millions for
themselves, and were proclaimed
the saviOurs of the country. Then
they subscribed a few thousands Of
dollars TO buy bread and soup for
the men, women and children they
had reduced IN starvation and this
time they were proclaimed philan-
thropists
Woodrow Wilson and the demo-
cratic senate and congress passed
the federal reserve act transferring
the federal treasury from the Wall
street gamblers TO the people and
making money panics impossible
The people are having a part in the
| unprecedented prosperity and Wall
| street gamblers are dumping mil
lions into the republican campaign
fund in an attempt TO defeat Wood
row Wilson and the democratic con-
gressmen and senators. and in the
hope that they may elect Hughes,
who promises he will do things
just like Roosevelt"
II is a long jump from the full
dinner pail" of Mark Hanna, 10 "five
cents a meal or less" that is promis-
ed patients in Indiana hospitals for
the insane by Jim Goodrich if the
people will make him governor.
Goodrich denounces more than a
nickel a meal for those unfortunate