ssaries of life into direct relationship with the consumer,[420] in
order that the enormous middleman's charges be eliminated and the
consumer obtain the produce at a price not greatly above the actual cost
of production. The railways refuse to handle shipments less than 100
pounds, and their minimum charge is 25 cents. The ordinary consumer who
requires consignments of much less than 100 pounds' weight has no use
for such a service. For shipments of less weight, the only service
available is the express service, the minimum rate for which, in general
25 cents, is too great for farm products, which are usually of low value
and could not bear a rate of 25 cents. The express service, which is
restricted to the railway system, has, moreover, no means of reaching
that vast body of the people, estimated at some 40,000,000, who are
living on the farms, and who alone are able to supply the desired
traffic in food-stuffs. The Government has in recent years, at heavy
expense, extended to some 20 millions of people the benefits of free
mail delivery, and the intention of the advocates of a Government
express service, a "postal express," is that the State should take over
the express companies, paying them fair compensation for their property,
and work their service in conjunction with the rural mail delivery. By
this means an extensive service could be provided at reasonable rates of
charge.[421]

In February 1908 Bills were introduced in the Senate to increase the
limit of weight of fourth-class matter, and to provide a rural delivery
parcel post for merchandise and other articles mailed on rural delivery
routes. Legislation did not, however, result.

Meantime, the feeling in favour of a parcel post was spreading, more
especially in the farming districts. In November 1911 a Sub-Committee of
the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads was appointed to
examine the practicability of establishing a parcel post system. The
Sub-Committee was appointed on a resolution of the Senate, moved by
Senator Jonathan Bourne, Jr., the Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads, and there is indication that the adoption
of the system had already been practically decided upon, the real
question before the Sub-Committee being that of its practicability as an
immediate proposition. The Post Office representatives advocated a
limited experimental introduction of parcel post on rural routes and in
the city delivery office