The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-08-15

RGIIDIdl DUDllCs AlClC 46 III UOlnf thai
a very large part of the collisions and
derailments are caused by the Oyer-ser-
| vice required of engineers and others.
An accident not long since in our section
entanlng the loss of many liveswas caus.
ed by the engineer having been ON duty
20 hours out of "a. He was nearly
drunk for sleep. The strain upon the
nerves of a man charged with the respon-
sibility of many lives, who stands at the
throttle valve of a 80 ton engine as it is
driven across the country IN it's narrow
ribbon of steel, is such that it lis doubt-
full if the law should not prohibit him or
other railroad employees ON the trains
from being engaged more than eight
hours out of "a. / believe that is now
the law in New York.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
Some of your Commissions are charged
with the regulation of rates and assess
ment for taxation of telephones, tele-
graph and express companies. In all the
countries of the world l believe except
this and Canada, the telegraph and the
telephone are part of the postOffice sys-
tenn, legally as we'll as logically. for
they are simply methods of communicate
ing intelligence. | have always believed
as a lawyer that under the provisions of
the Federal Constitution which requires
Congress to establish postOffces and
postrOads, it is its duty to transmit in
telligence by wire as well as by rail, by
electricity as well as by steam or pneu-
matte tubes, and as this power vested in
Congress is held by the United States
Supreme Court to be an exclusive power,
that the operation of telegraph and teIe-
phones for hire by others han the gov
eminent is as illegal as their running the
pOstOffice would be. Great Britain which
alone has stood with us against govern
ment ownership of railroads, has had to
leave us on this matter for there the
telegraphS are a part of the post
office department. The rates under
government ownership abroad Justify
the belief that under government owner
ship here we can have a uniform teie-
graph rate of 10 cents and probably of
) cents for 10 words between amy two
points in the country and 81 a month or
less for rental of a telephone. Back in
1891 Postmaster General Wannamakcr
said to Congress that if telegraphS and
telephones were turned over to the post
office, as in other countries, a uniform
rate of ten cents for kilograms and ,
cents for telephone messages would pay
handsomely. If so cheaper rates would
be practicable today. Immense public
benefit would result from this change.
As YOU are charged with fixing their
rates, there is certainly room for large
reduction not only from comparison with
foreign rates, but from the fact that
the Western Union which now has a
capitalization, bonds and stocks, of
500, 000,O 0O. has acquired its plant and
its capitalization entirely out of its earn
ingS over and above the steady payment
of dividends. for only $440,0 600 cash
less than half Il million-has ever been
paid in by its stockholders. This was
shown i'll several Congressional inveSti-
cations. Though II out of Is Commit
tees of Congress, to whom pOstOffice
ownership of the telegraph has been re-
ferred have reported in favor of that
measure, as well as four postmaster
generals have recommended it, the mea-
sure has never yet gotten to Il vote owing
to the immense lobby maintained by
the Western Union monopoly.
THE EXPRESS ANOMALY.
1t is an anomaly that express COM
panies (which are also in your juriSdic-
tom should be permitted, thus placing
a double tax upOn a patient and Oppress-
ed people. In other countries the post
office has a parcels delivery branch,
which collects and delivers by wagon
parcels at residences like other mail
matter, up to / and in some countries
Is pounds, and at p cent to
1 cent per pound, a small
fraction of express charges in
this country. In Austria and Germany
more thar 800, 100000 of goods are an
nuaIly sent by the Parcels Post. In
these matters the United States is a
back number. The corporations dwarf
us. As long as the express business re-
mains for private emolument, nor for
public convenience it should be noted
that the rates charged by the PostOffce
Department abroad show that there is a
margin for reduction of rates un-
der public control here.
NAIL CHARGES.
In no particular are railroad rates more
eXOrbitant than those charged for the
carriage of United States mails, s cents
per pound for an average distance of 40
miles, with d further charge of POO per
cent per year on their cost for rental
of postal cars, while the charge to ex
press companies is one half cent per
pound or less. This is of interest to the
as it is the sole cause of a de
in the postal revenue, and thereby
a reduction of letter postage to
one cent and a further reduction on other
In fact railway rates to the
postOffce are often 80 per cent higher
than the charge for freight by wagon.
This, however, should be remedied by
Congress which has full knowledge of the
facts and hardly comes within your jur-
isdictiOn. The corrective power Of pub
lie opinion may effect something.
THE MATTER OF VALUATION.
Most of your boards, if not all are
charged with the valuation of railroad.
express and Telegraph and Telephone
property for taxation. This is a gov
eminent function and it has been decided
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