The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-03-10

and at the contract price, and no more.
The government pays the railroads for a
great deal more weight than the roads
really haul 1t is the fault of the govern
ment that this is done. Besides the CON
tract price is entirely too high. During
the last 20 years freight rates have been
reduced about 40 per cent. yet the gov
ernment is now paying about the same
rates that it did 20 years ago. Why do
not those who are SO much concerned
about the deficit in the postofiice depart
ment turn their attention to these big
leakages and gross abuses? Let those
who profess to favor economy and re
| form help to correct these abuses.
Mr.. President, we today not only pay
the railroads nearly $4,000, 900 year to
haul the mails, but we also pay them
rent for the cars in which the mail is car
ried. Why pay rent for cars when we
pay freight charges? Besides the rent
| we pay for the cars each year would pay
for the cars in year or two. Why not
own our cars and pay the railroads fair
price to haul them? These are the re-
forms needed. They will stop the deficit
and not rob the people of any OF the
blessings they now enjoy from the postal
system These changes would result in
such economy that the postoffice depart
| ment would have a surplus instead OF a
deficit.
But, Mr.. President ii the people must
| be robbed OF one Of the greatest benefits
of the postal system to stop small de-
| ficit Of $1,000 900. then | say, Let the
deficit stand There is no way that the
money could be expended that means SO
much for the benefit OF the general pub
lie.
Think OF it-S3o 900 900 paid to the
railroads each year for what mail they
carry, while the whole mail star-route
| system OF the country costs only a little
over S5.ooo,ooo a year.
| Mr. President, enough can be saved
on what is paid the railroads in two
years to buy every telegraph line in the
country and establish postal telegraph
in connection with the postoffice system.
If you want reform, if you want econ
omy, if you want to make both ends
meet and at the same time bencht the
public, that is the way to do it. The
| facts are too plain and positive to be de-
MED or even questioned. A postal tele-
graph would mean that all the avenues
and agencies OF information would be
open and Tree to all alike.
Mr. President, that bill-and | address
my remarks now to the Republican side
| OF the Senate-Will close down many ell
terprises. like the Republicans say re
form tariff Bill will. The bill will close
down prosperous book firms. 1t vii
close down legitimate enterprises that are
today in operation 1t will throw people
out OF employment. 1t will put the book
business in the hands OF a smaller MUM
Der than those who are now in it. How
can any man who says that he oppose,
throws labor out OF employment favor
this bill unless he can show better rca
sons for its passage than are in it?
Mr. President, it goes further thar
that This bill will bear hard upon the
country weekly newspapers. The bill
robs the editor OF the country newspaper
of his only chance today OF advertising
his paper and increasing his circulation
1t robs the man who wants to start pa
per. and who has little means, OF the only
chance to build up his paper and com
pete with papers that are already estab
lished and have plenty OF money behint
them The bill robs them OF the sample
copy privilege, which today is the mail
resource that the country editor has tt
advertise his paper and extend his cir
culation | dare say that ii the bill passes
your newspaper. the Silver Knight (turn
ing to Senator StewarD will be crippled
You have built up your circulation chief
ly by sending out sample copies. Th
profits from your paper would not justii,
you in putting a man on the road to pa,
railroad fare and hotel bills to get sub
scribers for your paper. You must de
pend upon sample copies largely.
Mr.. President, the bill will create
newspaper trust. as we'll as rob the pco
pie OF half the benefits today that the
get from the postal system.