Is it a pleasure to you always to be treated as if you were a fool? Do you never tire of paying 16 cents a pound on mail packages limited to four pounds, when there is hardly a little South American republic or fourth-class European state that will not carry at least eleven-pound packages for a cent a pound or less? Think of it--we have entered into agreements with forty-three nations that have the parcels post to receive and deliver their parcels when directed to any person in this country; we are permitting the Philippine Government to establish a parcels post; we have agreed to receive in this country big packages at low rates for delivery abroad; but we ourselves have no such rights among ourselves. We must not only pay tribute to the express companies, but we must believe that it is good for us to do so. _If the American people only knew their power; if they only knew their power! If they would tear off their party labels and vote as they talk at home among their neighbors, they could push this country half a century ahead at the next election. Everybody knows something is wrong, but almost everybody votes the thoughts of those who make the wrong._ _Shall we never vote for ourselves?_ The italics in the last paragraph quoted are mine. So, too, are the sentiments of that paragraph--both the expressed and the implied. That is I believe in them--I believe in them hard and stubbornly. If my readers will think hard about them for a few minutes, I feel confident they will conclude that it is about time for them, for all of us, to act on Mr. Benson’s advice--tear off our party labels and begin “to vote for ourselves.” In support of his charges of bad faith on the part of the government in giving the people a serviceable parcels post, Mr. Benson’s remarks are most illuminating. He makes reference to a public or semi-public document of the government, written by one Mr. Turner and proceeds as follows: “‘This will open a great business for American retail merchants,’ wrote Mr. Turner. ‘Brazil can be flooded with catalogues. This information, in advance, will enable those desiring to go after business to prepare for it.’ “Mind you, these are only occasional sentences from his enthusiastic article. He dwelt at length upon the eagerness of the Brazilians to buy such articles as we make. He even became specific and enumerated some of the articles that could be advantageously sent by parcels post. ‘This opens up great possibilities for the retail shoe houses,’ he said, for instance, ‘as elegant shoes are worn.’ Also, there was a great market for gloves, embroideries, ribbons, silks, stockings, and underclothing.