The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-06-23
THE lola REGISTER.
FRIDAY, JUNE %, 1898.
THE WAY IT WORKS.

John j. Ingalls,: The most popular
demand promulgated by those who
are engaged in the reconstruction Of
society is the naturalization, as il
is called, of railroads and telegraphs
and their operation Sin the interest OF
the people," No doubt the owners
and managers of these corporations
have been guilty of shameful jobbery.
gambling and extortion, and have pill
ed up stupendous fortunes by practic-
es that are as repugnant to financial
integrity as they are shocking to the
public conscience; but the cost OF
transportation and service has stead
lily declined, till a ton of freight or a
passenger can be carried further for a
dollar than at any previous time in
the worlds history.
The administration of the postoffice
department is constantly presented as
an illustration of the feasibility and
economy of governmental control OF
these great agencies Of civilization.
Unfortunately for the argument, the
expenses of the post-office department
constantly exceed its income, and
many millions are annually appro-
priated from the Treasury to supply
the deficiency. Under the same cir
cumstances any private business con-
Germ would be treated as insolvent
and forced into liquidation. Practic-
ally, all that the government does is
to increase the cost of postage to its
citizens. 1t owns none of the facili-
ties of transportation. These are all
furnished by private enterprise. The
government appoints a superfiuous
and costly staff of officials to collect,
separate and pouch letters, papers
and packages, receive and pay money
orders and notes, and attend to the
bookkeeping. To do this work it
pays its Washington force nearly ST.
100000, to POstmasters and their
clerks more than $4,000, 600, for free
delivery above Sl0,0O0,0OO, for railway
mail clerks $1,000, OOO-an aggregate
of more than $4,000, 600, or 5000, 900
above the entire amount paid for
transportation to private railroads
and steamship companies, by whose
enterprise alone cheap and rapid pos
tai service is rendered possible.
The government is always the worst
served of all employers. The hours of
labor are less in number and the sal
aries larger thanin any private bust
ness, and this is nowhere more con-
spicuous than in the postoffice depart
ment. Any of the great express COM
panies, Wells-Fargo, the American or
the United States, could profitably
perform the postal service of the coun-
try at half the present rates with
equal promptness and efficiency, and
with greater responsibility. Our
present system is a typical monopoly.
If letter or package is lost by the
carelessness or knavery of a clerk or
Postmaster there is no redress. The
government endeavors to detect and
punish the culprit, but makes no
reparation, even if its agent and SER
want is proved to have appropriated
the property of the citizen. The an
nual list of Gepredations is appalling,
but there is no redress. An express
company or other common carrier
would be liable for the full value of
it's loss, and, failing in restitution,
would be compelled to respond or for
felt its character. No private citizen
could deal with his customers as the
government treats its patrons in the
post-office department without being
in bankruptcy one-half of the time
and in the penitentiary the other halt.