Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-06-19

General (who generally knows very little
the same time that he only exercises the
authority delegated to him by Parliament,
to which he is directly responsible for the
management, and from whom he may re-
ceive instructions or suggestions. Then
again Parliament is supposed to represent
Thus we see nominally the Post Office
answers to the first designation of being
national institution.
(2) 1t will now be my endeavor to show
that the Post Office is carried on for use
fulness and efficiency and not for profit.
While it remains fact that large sum is
handed over to the Treasury annually as
profit on Post office business, it must be
borne in mind that this is comparatively
small; that is to say-that while the sum in
itself is large it becomes very much dimin-
ished in size when compared to the gross
value of the transactions made.
When business consisting Of several
branches is carried on for profit, each
branch is expected to show profit to the
individual or company controlling it. Were
one branch to persistently show loss year
by year, the ultimate result would I'm
doubtedly be that this branch of the bust
ness would be discontinued. Now the
telegraph business of the Post Office has,
ever since it was taken over by the Govern
ment, shown loss to them annually, but
the department has not been discontinued,
and, as we know, is unlikely to be. The
reason of its non success is not far to seek.
have frequently heard it argued that,
seeing that private telegraph companies,
whose charges do not exceed those Of the
Post Office, can and do make considerable
profits yearly, the inference must be that
individual effort is more economical than
will be merely necessary to point out that
private telegraph companies would not run
line to any place which, in their opinion,
would not use it to a sufficient extent to
make it profitable, and would not continue
to serve places which persistently showed
a loss ito them. With Government mon
opoly, however, public convenience is
studied to greater extent.
Last autumn was travelling in the west
ern counties and was somewhat struck by
the fact that all villages of any size had
telegraph Office, and, in particular, noticed
that wire ran to the Lands End from
Penzance, line which would cost SO much
to erect and be used to such small extent
that concluded it could not show profit
to the government (unless used by the sub
marine cable companies, about which l am
uncertain); but the idea which was the
basis of its erection must have been that
the residents of st. Buryan, St. Just, and
other places in this district were entitled to
the same privileges and conveniences as
those refiding in more populous districts,
even though it were improbable to grant
them these privileges.
Consider again our penny postage sys-
tenn. A letter posted in Londo on Satur
day afternoon for Cornwall can receive a
reply at a. IN. on Monday morning, being
carried return journey of T20 miles for
twopence. Surely this shows very little
profit to the Post office, and is an example
of its splendid organization. venture to
state that were license granted a public
company could profitably undertake the
delivery of letters in London at farthing
each instead of one penny, but l scarcely
think they would be prepared to grant the
same boon to those in the more distant and
less populous parts of the kingdom.
(3) 1t can, however, hardly be stated
truthfully that the Post Office is carried on
for the benefit of its employees, and this is
undoubtedly the count wherein its claim to
be Socialistic is defeated. The Post office
is probably one Of the worst sweating dens
staff is based upon principle entirely an
tagonistic to the aims of Social Democracy.
The staff is divided into two classes-minor
and major or working and gentlemen stats.
The minor or working staff are paid at
shamefully low rates, and work hours
which compare most unfavorably with
those of the average capitalist s slave. The
major staff are treated as a superior breed
of animals entirely, the longest hours be-
ing six or seven daily. Then we find that
the superior appointments in the Post office
las in all other Government Departments)
are open only to the sons Of the middle and
upper classes; very seldom does the off
spring Of working parents succeed in OBJ
tanning a situation. Then promotion
(which according to regulations depends
upon merit is generally made by nomina-
ton from the heads of the various depart
ments, which are generally given to per-
sonal friends of the chiefs only.
Much more might be said against the
claim of the Post office to be Socialistic
but would remark in conclusion that the
Post office, in my opinion, presents a
splendid example of organized labor on col
iectivist lines, not necessarily Socalistic,
but collectivism practiced for the benefit OF
one class as against another, system
which may be the consequence of the ap
preaching general breakdown of the capt.
talist system, and which it must be our en-
deavor to avoid by preparing the unedu-
Gated workers for that higher, nobler and
fuller ideal-Liberty, Equality Fraternity
by the organization of labor for the bene
fit of all, as against individual or class,
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