Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-18
where REFORM IS NEEDED
Necessity for Government Control Of
Lines of Transportation and
Communication.

OMAHA, Dec. ito the Editor Of The
Bee: II the transportation OF mail were at
the mercy OF a private corporation, how
much would 1t cost to send a letter from
San Francisco to Chicago, or from Omaha
to New York?
The minimum charge by an express COM
pany is rs cents, and by a railroad COM
pany from rs cents to So; that Is. an express
company would not take a one-ounce letter
| from Omaha to Chicago for less than rs
cents, and II the person addressed al
Chicago had left there and gone to New
York, there would be another 25-cent charge
for forwarding the letter to New York. A
railroad company would not take the letter
from Omaha to Council Bluffs for less than
rs cents, and from Omaha to Phoenix. Ariz.
the least charge for transporting this one
ounce letter would be $2.85.
With government ownership OF railroads
and express companies, merchandise could
be transported at one-fourth and in many
cases, one-tenth the amount which the
public 10 required to pay under present
conditions.
Where large shippers are concerned, ex-
press companies compete with the postal
service for business, In many cases the
charge being Just enough less than the gov
eminent rates to secure the business. The
Interstate commerce law is supposed to
prevent such discrimination on the part Of
railroad companies, and while open favor
Is not show to large shippers, yet many
and devious are the ways whereby the law
Is evaded.
1t is a strange but true fact that, not
withstanding the interstate commerce long
and short-haul law, merchandise is
roOi,lar1v fronconrfad frnv, Chiooc "a r An
Angeles. San Francisco. Portland and other
coast points at 81 per 100 pounds and less,
whereas, the charge on the same class Of
goods frocm Omaha to Montana, Colorado.
Arizona, Idaho and other interior points is
from $3.50 to SO per 100 pounds.
In the former case the railroad companies
come in competition with water routes, while
In the latter case they have no competition,
but have everything their own way.
1t strikes an ordinary observer that II the
railroads can carry freight from Chicago or
New York to San Francisco at 81 per hundred
weight (and they would not solicit the
business II they could not handle 1t proft-
ably) they should be able to give at least
as low a rate for . haul OF 1000 miles less.
Passenger traffic can be proftapiy con-
Quoted, according to the best authority, at
less than 1 cent per mile per passenger.
With the elimination Of the free list and the
large increase In travel which would result
from q low rate, 1t Is fair to suppose thai
the net cost Of travel under government
ownership would be less than one-half cent
per mile.
The apathy Of the people to the present
condition Of affairs in departments Of trans
portation and communication would be as
founding were 1t not evident that the reason
lies In the fact that they have not been ac-
to a different state Of affairs. Man
Is largely a creature of habit and as q rule
accepts as a matter of course a system to
which he has been accustomed from in
fancy.
II the postal service had remained in the
hands Of a private corporation and the
charge for conveying a letter from Omaha
to Chicago was 10 to Is cents. we would
generally accept 1t al quite the proper
thing and not take serious interest in agi-
tating for a lower rate. Yet. IL the United
States government were to now turn over
the postal service to a private corporation
which would charge 3 cents per letter. what
q how Of protest would go up. All ave-
nues Of communication and transportation
should be OF and for the people and the
should be rendered at absolute cost
OF maintenance.
So long as the people emain apathetic as
to existing rates and conditions, for just so
long will said conditions continue.
Corporations are active In protecting their
own interests and work to retain the favor
active cooperation OF the powers that
be. United States legislators are carefully
cared for in the matter Of railroad passes,
express and telegraph franks, etc. They
pay no railroad, express or telegraph bills,
and. really. they cannot see why the dear
people should have cause for complaint. ;
they never will see 1t until 1t is forced
10 their attention in a manner not to be
overlooked.
These changes cannot take place in a day,
but they can be begun now, and the be-
will hasten the ending. The par
post and the postal telegraph are the
to further development along this
inc, and government sanction should be
urged by petition, personal letters to repre-