Salt Lake Telegram | 1916-02-13 | Page 20 | Eskimos and Parcel Post

7 2 Eskimos skim s and the Parcel Post J T The The Tho difference between between being cheated and b being boing fairly treated is is' the difference which the tic natives of northern Alaska owe to the fact that Uncle Sam finally decided to go into the parcel post business 2 Before the tho parcel post came it was possible for the Eskimos on the shores of Bering sea and the Arctic ocean and in other remote regions of I Alaska to dispose of their valuable furs ivory and whalebone only to local I tr traders d n with the result that they usually received low pr prices prices' ces' ces for their wares nn ere constantly in debt to the traders S ROW Now ow however since Uncle Sam went Into the business of transporting par parcels many Eskimos who have been educated in the schools forward regu regu- arly their packages of fox lynx and mink skins and their IVor ivory and whale whale- bon hone bone to the office of the Alaska division of the bureau of education in Seattle which sells the furs for them at public auction Result many natives are rec receiving i in full value for their goods and are becoming rich men as riches go in tho the Arctic v S Tho The money received from these sales Is either returned to the individual natives again natives again by Uncle Sams Sam's registered mall mail service service service-Is is applied to the set settlement lement of accounts for purchases which they desire to make in Seattle or is placed to their credit In banks savings banks and and they can utilize Uncle Sams Sam's postal savings banks if it they wish S S 5 During the fiscal year jear 1914 we learn from the bureau of education at Washington the net proceeds of these sales of furs ivory and whalebone for the natives amounted S And it couldn't be done if Uncle Sam hadn't gone into the business of tr transporting parcel post packages because the express companies saw no profits in express business in northern Alaska I S Uncle Sam on oil the other hand band thinks that human buman welfare is sufficient profit arid so he does business at actual cos cost