rce of revenue to the
department." The rate of 3 cents was estimated to be ample remuneration
in such cases, because there would be no expense for railway
transportation, and as it would be merely employing a system already
established, there would be no additional expense for delivery: the
rural carriers could easily perform the service.[418] They had at first
been allowed to carry express packages, but the privilege had been
subsequently withdrawn. They were, however, still authorized by law to
carry merchandise for hire, on behalf of patrons of the rural routes,
and to carry passengers. In general, their work for the Post Office only
employed them to the extent of 30 percent, of their full capacity, and a
large unutilized margin therefore existed.

The proposal was again advanced in following years. Postmaster-General
Meyer interested himself in the question, and advocated in speeches in
various parts of the country the immediate adoption of a parcel post
system. In 1907 he suggested the introduction of a local parcel post
service experimentally. He made at this time numerous treaties with
foreign countries for parcel post services between those countries and
the United States, at a general rate of 12 cents a pound. The result was
that parcels could be posted at any town in the United States for
transmission to places in, say, Europe or Australia, at the rate of 12
cents a pound, but could only be posted for transmission to another town
in the United States on payment of a rate of 16 cents a pound. When this
situation was realized, there was naturally a good deal of irritation,
and the existence of such an anomaly was made an argument for a domestic
service.[419]

The preferential rate obtained by parcels going abroad continued to be a
strong argument in favour of a general parcel post, and members of
Congress constantly referred to it in the discussions on the subject.

There was, moreover, and still is, an important body of opinion which
goes much further than the advocacy of a parcel post system. In that
view, the express companies are the enemy or, at any rate, the
oppressive character of the express rates is viewed so seriously that no
solution of the present difficulties of the country, and especially of
the "high cost of living" problem, is thought possible short of a
complete express service run by the general Government. Relief will
only be found under some system which will bring the producer of the
nece