Show Farmers Object to to I Increased creased Parcel Post Rates l' l r I Farmers are objecting strenuously to the proposals led carried in the Paige Paige-I Paige Edge Edge elly-Edge bills which would increase the parcel post rat rates s three times and also raise the the- rates rales on fourth class matter These bills bits will give an increase of or to the postal employees und and this increase Increase In in- crease would be paid primarily bythe by bythe bythe proposed to the fa farmers mers because It is secure the money for these higher salaries through advancing the rates on parcel post and fourth class mat m matter t ter tel only The parcel post Pst business s represents only a small proportion of the total business of the postoffice postoffice post- post office depa department and yet the the thein increase in increase in- in crease as ds s to 10 be paid through the parcel parcel parcel par par- cel post and by the people whose purchasing power Is the Ithe lowest of all the farmers This Thi is rauX Injustice The farmers know that some some- of oC the thc postal employees may not get as should and they high h pa pay as they appreciative of the high ar are also grade grad service service- which the department the f farmers Nevertheless the renders rend rs- rs cannot see the equity in requiring entire burden or hem to bear brar the considerable proportion of ot eve oven even an any the lin increase rease in salaries There is no nto argument argument- as to wl who o pays the parcel post ch charges as faras far faras as the farmer Carmer is concerned for the money which he lie gets for his products products products pro pro- ducts which the ale markets through through the the parcel post pOt is the city city price minus to the produce the cost of or getting setting the city Likewise when he be orders i o ds from the city lie ate has to pay to the goods bringing the toile cost of h he Is by far tar the his door Sin Since e largest parcel post user there is no doubt but what he would have to o the entire Increase pay practically y in postal salaries under this arrange arrange- ment More l than a year ago conI congress con con- gross gress to go into the question of or postal rates on n a a. scientific basis I It appropriated half one one half million dol dol- dollars dollars dollars dolI I lars for that purpose It lt has a avast aast avast of data regarding arding th the vast r ast amount carrying of all classes of oC mall and the DlO charges for money mone orders registered regis legis- special deliveries and anti letters insured packages But it t has not had opportunity to study the e figures which It has obtained from a num number num- num ber ter of sources and it will not be bo in position to make recommendations based upon these facts for Cor the next three months or more Consequently Consequent Consequent- 1 ly 1 any any action tak taken b by congress congress at this time in saddling the cost of increased increased increased in in- in- in creased salaries on to 10 the parcel post system and the farmer Is unjustified for congress in appropriating the one-half one m trillion million lion dollars admitted that the rates should be and not blindly Upon being forced into the Ithe position position position tion of ot recommending an increase in in postal salaries at this time the posto post- post o ice department recommended an Increase of or Instead of carried in the bills now under consideration We Ve believe believe believe be be- lieve th the postoffice department is is much m more re competent to g determine where the i increase in to rates should be made made made-if if they have to be made made made- than members of congress who donot do donot donot not have access ss to any such data Q e further believe that the postoffice postoffice fice flee department itself would be in a much better position to ItO recommend changes in the postal rates after aHer it has studied the data which it its has bas re recently recently recently re- re secured and we therefore believe believe believe be be- lieve that no I increase should be made In the parcel post rates until the study is completed Certainly no congressman will m reflect the farmers' farmers views in this matter until he is able ablo to prove to them that he has made use of the one-half one million dollars which he appropriated to the postoffice department Local state te and federal taxes are more moro than the the- farmers farmers can bear at this time and even eyen the other groups of oC our national nation nation- al life admit that the farmers are paying more than their share There fJere is no proof to show that the parcel varcel post Jost Is being operated at an actual letual loss or 01 a material loss and the deficit cit in the ce department in all of its activities was less Jess than half as large last year as it was in iii 1 l ru her there Is nothing to iho ho bov v that an increase In hI the parcel po post t rates would not actually increase the loss lobs in the department Instead of orde decrease de de- decrease crease l iL Ii Parcel post rates now are arc areat at in soma instances tl tt t tt It 1 is cheaper to us use the express ron rom service and an increase in its inthe the parcel Jarc l post would b b- b quite 3 lil ely e- e ly to build up lip the at ai the expense of or the de dc- Thus it t congress coress o br ss 1 laces this thie additional hur bunter on un a. a iture i- i ture It stay may also increase general taxation through actually Increasing the post postoffice office deficit which ot of r course 1 must lUst be made ade by f federal deral taxation I |