| Show GET GROCERIES BY MAIL How the th Parcels Post is Operated in European Countries Countes Chicago Tribune In Germany where It I costs only onty 13 cents to send a package through the malls mails mals weighing eleven Cleven pounds and where the weight of the package may reach a total ten times as a great boys boy boyat at school send their washing home and have It I returned to them at the end of the week week In Switzerland a package weighing w 10 pounds Is carried c anywhere within miles ml s Lot tor r 60 cents so that the hardy mountaineers can and do send down their scanty produce to market towns and exchange It for tor the ordinary necessities of life Ue found in stores which are returned to them through the same beneficent system system Small Smal domestic animals when roper ly crated are sent by post In Great Britain and ad the big department stores store of London are today utilizing the post postoffice postoffice office department for f r delivery delvery of their parcels These instances show the he develop development development ment mont of ot the parcels post system It I is not hoped by the postoffice authorities that In a It country like ih the United States where thero there are vast undeveloped undeveloped undeveloped areas and where population is much less dense even een in the east than Ifs it is in Europe there should be any anys such s ch development of or the business of or orcar carrying car small freight I IOn On the contrary It i Is the tire general generl opinion of ot the most enthusiastic ado advocate cate cato of the parcels post that it would be wise for the government to t t make haste slowly In this direction It I might easily happen It I would become completely clogged with wih parcels so 50 the delivery delvery of letters and newspapers would out be seriously interfered with wih If I it should be found there was wa a tendency cy to send parcels extremely long dis dig distances distances it might become necessary to Adopt the zone system In spite of ot the manifest wisdom of or proceeding cautiously and looking over the fence two or three times before making a jump there seems to be no special reason why vhf wh the moderate re reform reform reform form advocated by the postmaster gen general genera eral era cannot be adopted by congress congress at atthe atthe atthe the coming session so that it I may be put into practical operation beginning with the tho next fiscal year yea July 1 1908 Postmaster Campbell and other Campbel practical tc tic l men in the service serice have hac suggest suggested ed to the department that in large largo cities like hike Chicago the adoption of the parcels post would Involve an enormous increase In postal machinery provided it is proposed to make deliveries at re residences residences Such deliveries are arc not an essential part of the parcels post poat system system tem tern In many European countries co there Is a special charge for residential residental delivery Otherwise parcels are left lef at there and must be called caled for It H Is natural this country countr should make a particular study of the postal condition in Great Britain because we have obtained from England a great deal of the best there is In our postoffice flee fice system beginning with the stamp Itself Isel and ending with wih rural delivery dellery The British parcels post system has been in operation o for nearly a quarter of ot a century Cu Curiously enough it had Us Its origin in the demand of certain florists and growers gower of at spring flowers fowers In Kerry and other oilier portions of oC the United Kingdom and a great distance from the London mar market market market ket As soon as tho the concession was made to them they asked ased for an In Increase Increase increase crease In the size of ot the packing so go they might send full ful length orchid spikes instead of mere blossoms Subsequently the system was ex cx extended extended tended so s that now fresh fish meat cheese fruit vegetables eggs and other oter produce of ot the small smal farms are ar forwarded to London and other mar markets markets mark k ts by parcels post the mall mal service serice undertaking to fo deliver deUer this perishable material without loss to the producer The Te maximum weight In Great Brit In Is eleven pounds and the total for that weight Is 22 cents of our money mone That Is an average of 2 Ii cents a pound as compared with the thO proposed rate of 12 cents a a pound In this country countr In England an Inland parcel may have hae a maximum length of ot three feet six Inches while the greatest length and girth combined cannot lannot exceed six feet There Them are refinements In the parce 3 post business which have been carriel carrl 1 4 into effect successfully in Great Brit Britain ain aln am The Tho e department I foe tOI fo ir In i istance stance virtually insures a package Uj U tj I Ito to 10 and for 4 cents extra increases the limit of or the guarantee to 25 For Fora a special lee fee ee of ot 35 cents the government will wi give an insurance certificate up to toa a maximum value of 1000 There Is but little doubt the adoption ot of the parcels post would hurt the ex cx express e press companies The development of ot this branch of ot the mall mail mal service In Eu Europe Europe Europe rope has been more mor natural because on the other side of the water the car carriage carrage rage of small smal parcels by the express companies never ha hai i been really ha re ly s systematized s Most people are not so 80 anxious about the express companies but there ther is a I genuine desire that the small smal country shopkeeper shall not be discriminate against and put at the mercy mery of ot the metropolitan mail man order houses It I Is la lato Isto Isto to protect the country countr merchant that the tire plan adopted by the postmaster I general generl Involves the establishment of ofa ofa ofa a a reduced rate to be applicable only on ona ona ona a single rural route That Is to say sa the tho rate of 12 1 cents a 1 pound will wi hold good for the whole country coUnt so that If It a mall mal order hous In Chicago wishes to send a package direct to a farmer living HYing on a rural route It would cost 12 cents a pound If I that farmer desires to do business with a neighbor or with a a storekeeper at the end of his own route or any anywhere anywhere anywhere where along tl ng it I he could have his pack package package package age forwarded to him for tor 5 cents ter the first pound and 2 cents for each ad additional additional additional pound the result being that he would have to pay 26 25 cents for an package originating any anywhere an anywhere where on his own route as compared with 32 for the same package p from anywhere outside that route This ft rr t course would be an immense advantage tage tago to the local merchant and would make It profitable for mail mall order houses to do business through cross roads stores |
