Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-07
GAME NEAR SCANDAL
Scramble to Sell Mail Boxes to
Rural Patrons Was Dis.
graceful.
Deeenerated Into a "Hold.Up"
and Restraining Order Was
Necessary.
Box Business Practically a Mon
opoly $. Government May
Adopt Different Plan.

complete and unqualified success in al
most every instance, the recent ruling
of the department denying to postmas-
tiers the privilege to sell delivery boxes
to patrons was wise order 1t was
more: it was a necessity. The box bus
mess was rapidly verging toward
scandal In several notable instances
that came under the writer's observa-
ton the patrons of rural mail routes
have been held up" They We're shown
a box which they We're informed was
the government box" and which it
was compulsory to purchase on penalty
of being denied the rural service. The
box cost s1.25 in dozen lots laid down.
The price to the patron was from " to
$3.50. He was told that absolute uni
fornity was requisite on each route
and that mail would be delivered to no
other box than the one offered for sale
by the postmaster or carrier or who
ever CHANGED to be the vendor. He
bought it. In fact he had no choice.
Occasionally the box company sent its
representative in az early as possible
and arranged matters with the post
master. deputy or carrier or all three.
He went out and sold few for a start
err and the rest was easy. In one In
stance where six routes started from an
Iowa town the profits on something like
600 boxes must have amounted to from
$500 to 500. When 1t is realized that
mail routes from any postoffice mean
direct increase in receipts and conse-
quent rise in commissions or salary 1t is
hard for the average man to see why
postmaster should profit from so cents
to 81 on each patron who receives the
free mail delivery. This kind of bust
ness would create scandal in any city
in Iowa 1t was leading up to the same
thing in the country when the order
was promulgated bidding for those con-
nected with the r. f. D. to profit by the
sale Of boxes.
The order, which in effect forbids
postmasters and carriers to sell or rec
omend for sale any particular box, is
still, in some cases, Ineffective.
The carriers wife, the postmaster's
or some complaisant
friend who mas, perhaps, an ak to grind,
accepts the agency" There's good
thing in the box business and 1t is like
losing a registered letter to give 1T up.
He lodges it If he can and he can for
a time. But when the farmers get to-
gether and compare notes; when they
discover the proverbial niger In the
woodpile things are going to hard be to
explain. And the trouble Will be last
ing-for farmer never forgets.
In many cases patrons would, and do.
cheerfully pay good percentage OF
profit on the boX-when the gain is
made by the carrier. They realize that
his contract to drive twenty-four miles
daily for $500 per year calls for more than
he gets pay for. The average man reels
glad 10 pay him profit. But in nine
instances out of ten the carrier gets lit
tie or nothing out of the box deal. He
is usually a poor man and can't buy a
hundred boxes out of hand or secure the
box company against loss. The post
masters position ,rakes him good. He
gets the boxes. He usually gets the
profits also.
At Malcolm, wte.ce a r. F. D. route
Will start Feb. 1. Postmaster johnson
did precisely the fair thing by his pat
rons. He opened the competition to the
different companies, and invited their
to meet committee
frcn the patrons of the route. They
met, q box was selected, a reasonable
price agreed upon and the business
closed l.. the most satisfactory manner.
There was saving to the patrons OF
nea1..y SIS by this method. Neither Mr..
Johnson ncr the carrier made cent in
the trarsaci:Cn.
Just why fourteen box companies
should have monopoly Of the box bus
mess is another thing mo fellow can
find out" The manufacture OF mail
boxes is large business now, and is
growing greater every day. With per-
aups $500 route petitions piled up ahead
of he special agents there are at least
250. 800 people waiting anxiously to buy
boxes At So apiece this means 100000
of business waiting-and 1t is waiting
for these fourteen companies In Iowa
it is waiting practically for two COM
panies, the -- and the --- COM
pany, who are supplying nine-tenths of
the boxes used in the state, and who
are in combination. Figuring profit
of 81 per box between the factory and
the patron, there is a quarter million in
profit waiting for the box monopoly.
And this is but drop in bucket.
These patents are held outside this
state, and the boxes are manufactured
outside of Iowa. Why shouldn't an
Iowa company have a chance at this
business? Why should the money be
sent outside the state? And to return
to the beginning. why should the de-
partment create monopoly, anyway
The box business should be open to
competition Certain necessary speci-
fications should be complied with, en-
surfing against destruction or damage OF
mail by rain. ETC., and minimum OF
size and construction of metal should
be required That Is sufficient. The
only uniformity needed on the route is
a uniformity of locks. The uniformity
rule and the fourteen company monop-
oily are costing Iowa farmers too much.
The probabilities are that the box
question will be settled by the depart
ment furnishing the boxes either fol-
sale or rental. If by rental, the box
rent of say 25 cents quarterly would pay
the cost of the box at the end of the
first year and add 500 income to the
,o,,te thereafter. This would also set