Selected Articles on the Parcels Post

by Unknown

In Germany a zone system prevails, but the tariff is always low. In England, a flat rate prevails, and this also is extremely moderate. And low rates prevail in other foreign countries.

But circumstances alter cases, and with other things we should bear in mind that the total area of Germany is but 208,000 square miles, while the area of the one state of Texas is 265,000; in other words, Germany is but four-fifths the size of Texas. The area of France is almost exactly that of Germany, again but four-fifths the size of Texas. The area of England is 50,000 square miles, less than one-fifth the size of Texas. We have 26 states, any of which is larger than England, and several many times larger. The area of Switzerland is just under 16,000 square miles, and you can put nearly seventeen Switzerlands into the one state of Texas. The area of Belgium is but 11,000 square miles; you can put 24 of it in the state of Texas. Again the density of population in England is over 550 to the square mile; that of Belgium, more than 600 to the square mile; of Germany nearly 300 to the square mile.

Moreover, no haul in England can be long and but few hauls in the United States would be short. You may perhaps be able to take 550 parcels from a central originating point like London, carry them for an average haul of 41 miles, which is the case in that country, and deliver them all within one square mile of territory at a small tariff per parcel without material loss, though even England is losing money upon this service with all conditions favoring.

But remember that the density of population of the United States by the last census was under 25 to the square mile, and that the parcels post service would not be mainly operative in densely populated Rhode Island and near the large cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, etc. If we imagine that 550 parcels are sent from New York city over a long haul of more than 1,500 miles to the state of Wyoming, where the density of population is one to the square mile, and have to be distributed to 550 distinct individuals resident in 550 separate square miles of territory, no sane business man can doubt that at any tariff likely to be imposed the government would be a heavy loser.

According to one expert’s estimate, it is possible to carry the second-class mail matter for short distances on dense traffic routes, and in quantity lots to one address, that of a news dealer, for example, as is done for the average daily paper for the part of its circulation that goes by mail, up to 45 miles with little loss even at this low 1c a pound rate, though first-class mail at the rate paid by it can be transported nearly 5,000 miles before the service shows a loss, and post cards over 11,000 miles.

Now let us suppose a parcels post statute to be enacted, and that the rate be put at anything you please from 5c per pound to 10c per pound. Even at the low rate of 5c per pound the express companies will do the nearby business. If the rate be 10c per pound, the government will have less to do, but it will still have much with the weight limit considerably increased over the present amount. And if the rate be put at 12c per pound, still the government will not make money, not on a single parcel that it carries. All service that can be rendered at a cost of less than the government charge will be handled by the express companies.

We cannot have as does Germany a zone system. But without the operation of a zone system, or a monopoly as on first-class matter, the government will get all of the losing business and none of the remunerative.

A friend of mine made a visit a few years ago to the state of Washington. First he took from Cleveland a 2,000 miles railroad ride. He then had a day and a half steamboat ride up the Columbia river, following that a two days’ stagecoach ride to the remote locality that he was visiting.

He remarked to me in connection with this trip that he should like to see the government handle a parcels post service for that country at a profit, even at a rate of 25c a pound, and added that every pound of anything that went in there would most assuredly be handled by the government were a parcels post service in operation, for it would be the cheapest method of getting things there.