The Iola register., 1891-05-01
GOVERNMENT MONOPOLY.
Judge Parkinson Writes Interestingly Of
Its workings in England.

versy now grinding in the courts be
tween the postmaster general or gov
ernment and the District Messenger
company of London, is interesting II
me from two standpolnts-the one as IL
Illustrative of the tenacity with which
the English people, and particularly
the conservative section OF the body
politic, cling to old customs and oppose
innovation; and the other, and princi
pal, as affording an object lesson in the
workings of the "paternal government
idea. towards which we seem to be rap
idly drifting. The history of the con-
troversy, which has stirred up bitter
fight upon Postmaster General Raiks,
is briefly this:
Some three years ago company es-
tablished in London district messen-
ger office upon the same plan and using
the same methods, even to the uniform
OF the boy messengers, as is carried on
in every city of any consequence in the
United States. In fact, the whole thing
except the employees was transported
bodily from America. Here was. of
course, an immense field for such an en-
terprise, though many snags and
stumps of prejudice, such as meet all
new enterprises and innovations, were
at first encountered. The service
grew, however, and to-day its offices are
in every quarter OF the great city, and
the English messenger boy with Yam
kee uniform, may be seen at every
turn and corner. So great a con.
venience to business and to comfort
could not long remain unappreciated
by even Mr.. Bull. In his office or club
or house he can summon a bright. ac-
tive boy to run his errands, cabman
to carry his person, "a policeman to calm
his fears or the fire department to
quench his flames, and all this by the
simple turn OF little crank put up and
maintained free of charge to the user.
OF course he would use it, and having
taken the first step he was soon in full
run in utilizing the yankee invention.
Letters. parcels, invitations to dinner,
messages of love and of hate and all
sorts of things were sent hither and
thither by the messenger boy. Now
the government has post for CARRYING
letters, telegraph in connection there
with for transmitting messages and a
parcel post for conveying packages
something after the plan of our express
companies. And of these things the
government, in behalf OF the great pub
lie, claims monopoly. Hence the ac-
tion now pending to suppress by legal
process the rival and infringing Ameri-
can institution of the messenger SER
vice. 1t was to no purpose that the
company, appreciating its developed
and rich field of operation. offered to
pay tribute to the postOfiice department
for the letters carried, messages deliv-
cred and parcels conveyed. These du-
ties and the rights incident thereto are
the prerogatives of the government,
and must not be interfered or
tampered with By the individual
or company, upon an organized scale.
That the courts will decide against the
company. and make permanent its in
junction against its competition seems
to be regarded as quite certain. To off
set the inconvenience to the public from
this source, the government has eStab-
lished an Institution something on the
same plan, but not nearly so convenient
or effective. By the placing of &n ex-
ira stamp upon the letter or parcel, q
carrier starts at once upon the errand of
delivery. He may wait ten minutes for
reply, but not longer. OF course the |
government could do all that the mes
senger company does but it don't, and
probably can't without loss to the post !
Office department. But if private enter |
prise is to be thus shut out of comDeti- !
tion, what is there to stimulate govern |
ment to better practices? No one sup
poses that the present government SER
vice would be as good as it is now ex-
cept for this private competition. That |
it might be still further greatly bene- |
flied by private rivalry and competition !
is quite as plain. But if the govern
ment is to own the railroads and tele-
graphs, and all other public or quasi
public enterprises, what use will there
be, or what place can there be
for the competition of private owner
ship of similar enterprises. The greatest |
incentive to invention is no doubt the
demand for accomplishing certain
things better and more cheaply and
thereby gaining profit. But what if
the profit be destroyed by the interven-
tion of the government. or the very
hope or expectation of profit be blotted
out? The government will be COM
PEELED to adopt plan as good and as
and cheap as the one it pro-
poses to destroy, it is said. But when
and how? And is the strong arm OF
power only to be put forth
against successful rival? The eXper-
mental, the weak, the hating and the
MANNED, messenger services in small
towns, telegraphs in sparsely settled
and railways across de-
serts and arid plains. may be operated
by private individuals and corporations,
but the moment they begin paying div
idends the government steps in to
claim its rights in behalf of plundered
public. Atall events, this case of the
postmaster general against the Mes
Senger Boys Service company brings
into prominence what government
may do in the destruction of private en-
terpriSeS, and compels us to reflect
upon some of the probable consequences
)f destroying the competition of indi- {
Viduals by wholesale monopoly upon i
yhe part of the aggregated whole. The
.heOry OF the farmers alliance, that the /
way to DESTROY monopoly is to form an
association or monopoly big enough to .
destroy all the others by absorption and
1t one gulp, has not yet solved all the !!
difficulties which the evolution of new
conditions bring to the turbulent sur {
ace OF thought and action. The snake i
hat swallowed all the others was the 6
greatest miracle snake" but our fear |
'f the serpent family is as deep seated :
IS though he had swallowed only an ap- :
Die. Here, for instance, is case where =,
the government is put in charge OF
very public function" as your new SEN
ltor demands, and greatly to the incon- I
n:c,.,. l. 4 Il = q