ender the
service self-supporting must be measurably above the rate which would
suffice for local and short-distance traffic, and measurably below the
rate which would be necessary for long-distance traffic. Private
agencies would therefore cut such a rate and absorb all the
short-distance traffic, while the long-distance traffic would be left to
the Post Office, and would be carried at a loss. This had been found to
be the case with second-class matter, where weight is an important
factor, and also with the fourth-class matter. The establishment of a
parcel post system, therefore, would involve a reconsideration of the
fundamental principles on which the rates of postage were in general
based.

The creation, in 1863, of a third class of miscellaneous mail
matter[413] was virtually the establishment of a limited parcel post.
The rate, for third-class matter, 2 cents for each 4 ounces or fraction
thereof, was increased in 1879 to 1 cent an ounce. These rates were
comparatively high; and as the limit of weight was 4 pounds, the traffic
naturally never assumed large proportions. With the establishment in
1880 of an international parcel post in which the United States
participated, although having no real internal parcel post, it was
inevitable that the question of establishing a system equal in scope to
those of other countries should arise. For forty years there was a
demand, becoming more general and insistent, for the establishment of
such a general parcel post.

Active official support was first given to the proposals for a parcel
post in 1890 and 1891 by Postmaster-General Wanamaker, who explained
that although the demand for such a system was widespread, the greatest
pressure came from "interior places," which were, in fact, really most
in need of it, because they had no facilities for obtaining small
packages of merchandise from the towns.[414] Opposition to any sort of
parcel post came then, as always, from the express companies, who,
although not able or not desirous of affording a service to all parts,
were much concerned at the prospect of losing traffic. Mr. Wanamaker
proposed to propitiate them by transferring to them a considerable
amount of traffic deemed by him to belong properly to the express
companies, viz., traffic carried by the Post Office for the other
Executive departments free of charge, under "penalty frank,"[415] and
comprising many packages of considerable weight and bulk. Mr. Wanamaker
also