The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-18
FAST MAILS AND BUSINESS INTERESTS

FAST MAILS AND BUSINESS INTERESTS,
The Chicago Inter Ocean, one of the benei-
Charles of the experiment defends the alleged
fast maiP from that city with more JUNCTION
than discretion. It asks: "Why should not
newspapers and newspaper readers be accom-
modatedp We know of no special reason, but
it should not be done under the
gllise of plea that the 'business interests"
are thereby accommodated. Anyone with
a thimblefull of experience knows that the
number of business letters written in Chicago
between 10 o'clock at night and 3 o'clock in
the morning could be carried in a hand-basket
and that to delay 'fast mail" train two hours
and thirty-fve minutes in order to gather up
this business mail is the veriest farce.
If the Chicago 'fast- mail" train is
honestly acknowledged to be for the special
accommodation of the Chicago morning pa
pers, and the country is made TO understand
that fact and not gulled by deception
about ''the business interests" we have no
objection. But if the business interests" are
to be consulted and served, change in the
time and schedule will have to be made. This,
however, would not accommodate
the Chicago morning newspapers. This
fact spoken of by the Journal at the time the
"fast mali started on its career of usefulness
to our favored contemporaries is becoming
understood in the Northwest, whose business
interests" were to be so greatly advanced. The
Minneapolis Tribune says the whole scheme
has been manipulated not for the benefit of
the interests of commerce or for anybody ex-
cept the Chicago newspapers" And it adds:
'"The logic of both circumstance and situa-
ton is that, while the fast-train arrangement
between Chicago and Minneapolis has posi-
bilities Of very decided advantage to the
business interests of both cities, there is no
hope whatever of their accomplishment under
the time schedule as now announced. The
general public will appreciate the situation at
glance, and it is to be hoped that, in con
Guiding the new arrangements, either the Post
master-general or his First Assistant
who has himself furnished so much
of the information contained in the fore
going outline of the character of the service
which may be expected from the fast train,
will so arrange that it may become a public
convenience, and not mere incident in the
business system of few Chicago newspapers.
Certainly, the duty of the executive depart
ments of the government is to devote the APP
preparations made by Congress to the legiti-
mate objects for which they were designed,
and it appears that at least one opportunity to
do this or to neglect to do it, is at hand Let
the fast mail be run for the public benefit and
at business hours, or let us have the slow
coach and save the money, which is taxes, for
Legitimate public uses
The Milwaukee Sentinel says:
'"The business correspondence between Chi
cago, and St Paul, and Minneapolis is of much
greater importance than that between New
York and the twin cities of Minnesota. The
same fact holds good in relation to other
points along the line of the st. Paul road be-
yond Milwaukee. But by the new arrange
ment such correspondence is delayed rather
than expedited. The mail hitherto sent from
Chicago by the o'clock P. M. train is taken
off, and letters are held back till 3 o'clock the
next morning reaching St Paul little later
than before the fast mail was put on. and after
the close of banking hours.
'FWhile the fast mail, therefore substan TALLY
offers little or no advantage to st. Paul and
Minneapolis, it causes positive delay in the
delivery of the mail at many points in the
Northwest. The former mail train, leaving
Chicago at o'clock in the evening, connected
with intersecting lines of railway at various
points where mail matter was transferred.
Under the new arrangement the fast mail is
held so long in Chicago that the train which
takes it to st. Paul arrives too late to connect
with the intersecting lines along the
route, and in many cases letters and other
mail matter which before the change would
day are delayed from twelve to twenty-four
hours"
The Journal believes in the very best pos
sible mail facilities for the people of this vast
and constantly growing nation 1t favors the
largest proper expenditures to make the mail
service the post-boy of the public; but it OBJ
jects, on public grounds to the expensive
fol-de-rol of 'fastmair' from Chicago which
really delays the general mail to benefit three
OF four morning newspapers of a particular
city. while in this section of country, for in
stance, the regular mail is dependent upon
the demands of the oyster trade. This is a
large country, and while Chicago is large
city and grand one, it is not the entire re-
public.
Mr.. HENRY WATTERs0N refuses to be
comforted. In double-leade article from