Page 2
THE PACELS POST LAW IS COMING
How It Will Benefit Both the Farmer
And the Country Merchant, If Hon. J.
Bryan Grimes' Version Of It Prevails.
Whereas, a Parcels Post would
greatly encourage industry, in
crease commerce and prove moat
convenient to the manufacturer,
merchant, farmer and citizen in
every walk of life; nnd
Whereas, it is a commercial
necessity that would save many
millions of dollars a year to the
people of this country and at the
same time be profitable to the
Government : and
Whereas, the experience of Eu- j
ropean nations has proved that a
Parcels Post is a practical and
profitable branch of government
enterprise Germany, for in
stance. carrying packages weigh
ing not over lit) pounds to all (
parts of the Empire for thirty
cents, or about one-fourth of u 1
cent a pound, and making a profit
thereon ; and
Whereas, the fourth-class mat
ter now carried by post is limited i
to parcels weighing not more j
than four pounds, at a charge of j
one cent an ounce, or sixty-four
cents a package, which is equiva
lent to nullifying the carrying of j
parcels at all:
Therefore, be it Resolved
1. That the Farmers' National
Congress urge upon the Congress
of the United States the immedi
ate establishment of a Parcel Post
whereby packages weighing uotl
more than twenty-five pounds can'
be delivered at any postotfice in!
any part of the United States at
the lowest possible rate.
2. That members of the various
State delegations in this Congress
request the Congressmen from
their States to urge upon the
Congress of the United States the
establishment of a Parcels Post,
and that the Secretary of this
Congress be and he is hereby in
structed to mail to eaoh Senator
and Representatives in the United
States Congress a copy of this
resolution.
Replying to your request for an
article upon the Parcels Post, I
regret that I cannot at this time
write an extended argument upon
its merits, but submit to your
readers (1) the foregoing resolu
tion, introduced by the writer and
adopted by the National Farmers'
Congress in 1905; and (2) a part
of the last report of the Postmas-1
ter General upon this question.
From these papers can be gather
ed a correot understanding of the
advantages of a Parcels Poet.
The rural routes are the greatest
help that the Federal Government
is to-day extending to the country
people of America and the estab
lishment of a Parcols Post would
multiply the benefits of the rural
routes many times over.
Under the present United
States Postal Laws you can send
a package weighing four pounds
from Raleigh to Durham for 04
cents, while |you can send s»me
package from Raleigh via Dur
ham, via New York to Berlin or
Vienna for 48 cents, or you could
send one weighing eleven pounds
from Raleigh to Berlin for $1.31.
Our people want this relief and
it is sure to come. The great
problem is how to givo the bene
fits of a parcels post to the coun
try and at the same time protect
the local merchants from the mail
order houses. That is now a
problem that I believe is about to
be solved.
REPORTS OF THE POSTMASTER GEN
ERAL ON EXTENSION OF THE PAR
CELS POST.
The country is gradually
awakening to the necessity of a
parcels post and the Postmaster
General in his last report makes
the follawing recommendation :
"Previous to the year 1863 the
weight limit of a parcel for
transmission through the mails
was three pounds. That year the
weight limit was made four
pounds for deliveries in the
United States. No increase has
been made since that time except
on parcels destined to foreign
countries. We have now conven
tions with 33 foreign countries.
With 9 countries the limit of
weight is four pounds, fi ounces;
while with 24 it is 11 pounds.
The postage in all but four cases
—Chile, Peru, Ecuador, atid Bo
livia—is 12 cents per pound.
To illustrate the inconsistencies
j in connection with the parcel-post
service, attention is drawn to the
following conditions: An indi
vidual entering any postoffice in
the United States with two par
cels weighing I pounds each will
.be obliged to pay til cents on the
one addressed to New York city,
1 for example, while on the one
destined to n foreign country, al
though it usually passes through
New York city, the charge is but
4N cents. Should the weight be
j I pounds > ounces the package
addressed to a resident of New
York city will be denied admis
sion to the mails by the post
j master, while the package intend
ed for the resident in a foreign
| land will be accepted and forward
! Ed, probably via New York, at the
rate of 12 cents a pound. The
parcel for the foreign country
would be received, in most ins-
I tances, up to 11 pounds. In othei
words, our own people must pay
! 4 cents a pound more for the
privilege of dispatching packages
,to each other than when dostined
i to residents of a foreign country
"I therefore urge a rate of 12
cents a pound for packagei
> fowarded through the mails tc
postoffices in the United Statec
and its possesions, subject to the
i same regulations as exist at the
present time, with the exception
of increasing the weight limit tc
11 pounds. The following ratec
on packages weighing less than
1 pound are recommended :
Cents
One ounce 1
Over 1 oz. and not exceeding
3 oz. '2
Over 3 oz. and not exceeding
4 oz. 3
Over 4 oz. and not exoeeding
5 oz. 4
Over 5 oz. aud not exceeding
(5 oz. 5
j Over (J oz. and not exceeding
8 oz. C
Over 8 oz. and not exceeding
12 oz. i)
Over 12 oz. and not exceeding
ltioz. 12
SPECIAL PARCEL POST ON RURAL
DELIVERY ROUTES.
"1 recommended the establish
ment of a special parcel-post
system on rural delivery routes
for packages originating on a
rural route or at the destributing
poet-office for delivery by rural
carriers to patrons thereof at a
rate of 5 cents for the first pound
and 2 cents for each additional
pound or fractional part of an ad
ditional pound up to 11 pounds;
for two ounces or less, 1 cent;
over 2 ouuees and up to 4 ounces,
2 cents; over 4 ounces and up to
8 ounces, 3 cents; over 8 ouncee
and up to 12 ounces, 4 cents; ovei
12 ouncea and up to 1 pound, 5
cents.
"This will be a great boon tc
the farmers who have not the
convenience for obtaining the
necessaries of life such as resi
dents in the cities enjoy.
"A more extensive use of the
rural routes by extending the
parcel-post privilege will not ouly
lead to an increased consumption,
but a consequent larger trade, due
to the faoility with which the
rural patrons may obtain theii
requirements. It means also a
great saving to the farmer daring
the planting season and the period
of harvesting his orope, as it will
enable him to devote himself tc
hie work and procure hie email
•uppliee without lose of time.
THE DANHPgp^RTeR.
« "The retail merchants in citiJ
have found that they inore&aJS
their trade by delivering goods to
their onstomera. The parcel-post
on rural routes will enable the
local country merchants to doliver
goods to his buyers at an average
ocst of about 2 cents a pound, or
25 cents for eleven poundß, while
the wholesale merchants, in order
to reach these oonsutuers by mail,
will be compelled to pay 12 ceuts
a pound, $1.32 for 11 pounds.
Therefore, to gain the benefit of
the special rates on rural routes,
they would find it necessary to
ship by freight to tbo point of
the rural routes, and be obliged to
establish many thousands of sgen
cies and depots for handling. It
is of incalculable importance that
the country merchant should
exist and prosper."
It is to be hoped that the pres
ent or the next Congress will
pass a parcels post law that will
give the country the mail facili
ties they are entitled to and at tho
same time protect the local mer
chants from the great department
stores. —Hon. J. Bryan Grimes, in
Pn gre3sivc Farmer.
Mr. J. E. Fulk For Prohibition. i
I I
Walnut Cove, April >. j
IMr. Editor:
J As I like to read so many good
pieces on prohibition, please allow ]
me a smnll space in your valuable
columns. I think our last Legis-!
lature did a great thing for us j
when it passed the prohibition
act. While I have practiced pro
hibition for a good many years, I
have had much better health, and
I feel it tny duty to help those
1 who can't help themselves, and I
' think every intelligent man who
can see it in the true light, will do
the same. I think this is a fine
' opportunity for all intelligent
' thinking people to work in the
harvest for the welfare of our own
' country at large. If wo will look
' around us we can find something
1 to do to advance this great cause.
We can see large numbers on
' the chain gangs, in jails, asylums,
' county homes, and other like
places, and if we look into the
matter, we can find nine-tenths of
them are victims of strong
drink. I think we all ought to go
May 26 and help to drive out the
' greatest evil of our State. Many
ignorant people argue that strong
drink will not harm us if we let it
alone. That is a mistake. Where
there is strong drink we cannot
rest at night in ssfety. I say again
all thinking people let's go May
26 to the ballot box and vote like
men for prohibition. To those
holding between two opinions, get
on the right side of the churchse,
Sunday Schools and peace and
happiness, on the other, barrooms,
hell, tears, heart achos and pain.
J. E. FULK.
Prohibition Strong In the Hardbank
Country.
Hardbank, April 6. We are
having fine weather for plowing
and fixing fur another tobacco
crop. Some complaint of flies
eating tobacco plants. It would
be a good thing if the flies would
eat up about half of the crop so
there would not be so much made,
and farmers would get just as
much for it as if a full crop was
made. Brother farmer, make more
corn, more meat and don't depend
on the western smoke house, and
you will come out the best.
Prohibition law is coming along
all OK. I think the most of our
good citizens of Hardbank will
vote to wipe the thing you call
liquor out of the State of North
Carolina, and oh, what a blessing
it would be for the people of our
country.
HE GOT WHAT HE NEEDED.
"Nino years ago it looked as if
my time had ooiue, "says Mr. C.
, Farthing, of Mill Creek, Ind. Ter.
, "I was so rnn down that life hung
on a very slender thread. It was
then my druggist recotnended
' Electric Bitters, j bought a bot
tle and I got what I needed—
i strength. I had one foot in the
Kve, but Electric Bitters put it
ik on the torf again, and I've
1 bean well ever since." Sold on
dar guarantee at all Druggists.
rkCTION FOX ; TOBACCO
The Con petition Plas Combined ia
Earnestly Advocated By Nr.
Gravely.
Messrs. Editora: I hare read
Mr. C. Gordon's article, which
appeared in your paper, with
much interest and amusement.
Admitting, as he does, that my
plan will raise the price of tobacco
two dollars per hundred pounds
is interesting to me, and his
statement that the advance would
be nbsorbed by warehouse charges
is the amusing part of his letter.
Surely the brother is not post
ed, or he would not make such a
ridiculous statement. The laws
of N »rth Carolina proscribe the
maximum charge for selling to.
bacco in this State, which is not
to exceed fifty cents per hundred
pounds, or only one-fourth of the
two dollars per hundred which he
says my plan will add to the
price.
Those familiar with the con
ditions and circumstances in the
| various localities know best what
| will give relief. The storage plan
j cannot be used in this section,
e»*en by those farmers who are
j able to use it. The competition
I plan can be used, profitably to
' the growers, anywhere and every
where. And, instead of being
j complicated as Mr. Gordon inti
' mates, it is simplified; any child
{can understand its workings.
Strong competition always means
satisfactory prices for tobacco.
One dollar per hundred pounds
on the tobacco raised in Virginia
and North Carolina will create
such competition and give the
farmers at least one hundred per
cent dividend before their sub
scriptions are paid.
My plau, in reality, embraces
the storage system, after all, from
the fact that what tobacco the
corporation bought would be
re-dried and stored; but the farm
ers would get full pay for their
tobacco when it was sold, instead
of one-half of its appraised value
and waiting an indefinite length
of time for the remainder, and
that, too without any guarantee
that there would be any remain
der. Any plan which has not for
its prime aim and purpose the
helpiug of those who are unable
to help themselves, is not worth
the attention and support of right
thinking and sympathetic citi
zens.
Now, in cousideration of the
sad fact that there are thousands
of good, honest, hardworking men
and women who have been bstter
ed and bruised by trust oppress
ion until they are unable to take
fifty per cent of the market value
of their tobacco and wait for the
remainder until the tobacco can
be re-dried, stored aud sold,
would it not be the proper thing
to wipe out our differences, bury
all prejudice, and strike a happy
medium by working both plans
together, thus giving uniform
protection ? Re-dry and store for
those who are able and wish their
tobacco handled in that manner;
protect the weaker brethren by
oompetitiou ou the market that
will guarantee profitable prices.
J. O. W. Gravely, in Progress
ive Farmer.
BEWARE OF OINTMENTS
FOR CATARRH THAT CON
TAIN MERCURY.
a» mercury will surely destroy the
sense of smell and completely de
range the whole system when
eutering it through the mucous
surface. Such articles should
never be used except on prescrip
tions from reputable phvsiciao, as
the damage they will do is ten
fold to the good you can possibly
derive from them. Hall's Catarrh
Cure, manufactured by F. J.
Cheney & Co., Toledo, 0-, con
tains no mercury, and is taken
internally, acting directly upon
the blood and mucous surfaces of
the system. In buying Hall's
Catarrah Cure be sure you get
the genuine. It is taken intern
ally and made in Toledo, Ohio,
by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testi
monials free. Sold by Druggists.
Price, 750. per bottle. Take
Hall's Family Pills for consump
tion.
Woman's Department of the Reporter,
Who Has (fine To, Kentucky to Teach,
Writes of the Beautiful Scenery Along
the Route—Miss Lasley Will Continue
to Write For the Reporter.
Dear Friends:
I will try to tell you something
uf my trip to Kentucky, but I feel
that I cannot do it justice. I left!
home March 2t>, arrived at Greens
boro and spent two nights and j
! one day with friends. Thursday
, morning at ti-.itt) I started west by
way il Asheville. N. C. The
first of the ride was somewhat j
monotonous, with tedious stops,:
, but as we urnred Asheville the ;
mountains began to appear, first
at a distance and then lost from
sight again and again, but soon j
the full beauty and grandure of,
Western North Carolina began to
burst upon our view. The train
was drawn by two snorting "iron j
horses," as the track to Biltmore
is up grade The mountains east I
of Asheville are close and covered j
with forest. Many outs and tun-i
nels making necessary to use arti-1
ticittl light. We passed Catawba \
and Greene Rivers. The Cataw-]
ba is very much like the Dan, but j
deeper. We always loved inoun- j
tains and rivers and our delight'
was intense as the lovely scenes
came in view. Near the Bilt
more mansion, the grade began
, to decline, and so one engine was
, left behind here. We saw Bilt
more at a distance. It is a grand
castle-like building on a high ele
vation. Soon we stopped at the
, grand depot of Ashevills. Judg
-1 ing from the crowd it is a very
, central place. We could not see
the main part of town from the car.
We felt like we would like to
. stop there and see the city. The
scenery was wild and grand, but
, as we left Asheville behind and
struck the great French Broad
[ River, it seemed that our love for
, mountains and rivers would be j
satisfied at last. The train ran!
. parallel with this beautiful stream '
, for over a hundred miles, it ran!
i in only a few feet of its banks.
This river is broad and not very
deep. Its bed is covered with
rocks and the bright sparkling
water dashes along like mad. In
, our imagination there seemed to
be a race between the river and
the train. The train was circling
along and bending to the track
while ou each side rose moun
tains after mountains. We can
never describe the grandeur and
loveliness of it all. Every bend
brought new scenes and new
beauties. Rocks piled like great
You Will Need an Oil Stove% "
D fEjSjj) to try a New Perfection
j* ®* oe ame Oil
1[ \l ' TT " ■'"■ a— Marvelous how this ■
jl jj \J 11 stove does away with V
11 room in comparison with V
• conditions when the coal I
fire was burning. The quick concentrated heat of the
NEW PERFECTION
Wick Blue Flame Oil Cook-Stove I
goes directly to boil the kettle or bake the bread, and none
is diffused about the room to overheat it. Thus using the
"New Perfection" is real kitchen comfort. Made in three
sizes and fully warranted. If not with your
/ I dealer, write our nearest ftgency.
r~\ Th. F*yb I
wintA—bandioait enough
HMBKV, ,ot pwlor j strong enough for the kitchen, camp
or cottage; bright enough for every occasion, O
with your dealer, write our nearest agency. . ■
on. CTMrm, I
•f> ' ;*\v
' castles, rills and cataraots dashing
1 down apparently from over head as
:we looked from the car window.
' We cannot describe it, but we can
, never forget it. As we got into
Tennessee the scenery booame
i more open and beautifully softened
by distance. The river here was
lined 011 both sides by broad fer
tile valleys, and pretty little vil
lages, with here and there a beau
tiful lane on a distant elevation.
Newport in this valley is the
loveliest town we ever saw. The
I sun was sinking and cast a mellow
j light over all. Such green fields,
such beauty of location and ar
rangements. Sometimes we
i would think we had left the river
and mountains when a curve
1 would show a still grander and
i lovelier view. We looked and
i looked and enjoyed tb our fullest
capacity these scones of nature,
i Our mountains iu Stokes seemed
j like little hills compared with
| them. We arrived at Knoxville,
j Tenn., at 11:45 a. m. This is a
' great city but we saw none of it but
the depot which is very grand.
Our stop was half an hour here,
when we board the fnst train
for the west, and stopped at Oak
dale, Tenn., where we spent the
remainder of the night at a nice
hotel near the station. Next
morning we continued our jour
ney taking the 8 o'clock local.
This would be about 7 o'clock by
our eastern time. We thought
when we looked from our window
at the hotel to see the town next
morning but behold more moun
tains and a deep green looking
river. We learned on enqniry
that it is called the Green River.
We saw mountains, rivers, cas
cades, falls, dripping rocks and
; rills, again by the morning light.
I We passed tunnel after tunnel,
! but the scenery was more grand
and beautiful after every dark
place reminding us of the journey
of life. After every dark time if
our faith holds- out our life is
higher and richer for our dark
experience. These towering rocks
seemed to have a language of
their own. We constantly
thought of the many times in
God's word where he is called a
rook. "Neither is thero any rock
like our God." 1. Sam. 22.
"The Lord is my rock." 2. Sam.
(Continued on 6th page.)