The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-12

ment," laughed the colonel. 1.-The
carrying of letters is an absolute mo-
nopoly--a government monopoly. Yet,
how seldom do we hear any complaint
against it, There are few institutions
on this earth's surface more perfect
than the United States postal service.
We are now installing rural free deliv-
cry. The farmer, miles from any
postoffice, has his letters delivered and
collected at his very door. Now, why
does the government do this? What
right has the government to monop-
olize this enormous business, 1 am
asking you, Jenkins"
"Why-why-it has always done So"
answered the postmaster with a puz-
zled expression. It's the right thing
to do. 1 don't see what you're driving
at. Col. Monroe"
but let us suppose that it had not
always done so' continued the colo
mel. 'It's a difficult thing to imag-
inc, I admit, but let us try. Suppose
that Benjamin Franklin and others
had not been wise or influential enough
to tablish a national postal system.
Suppose that there had been a hun
dred competing companies as there
were once hundreds of competing rail
roads and that each of them contend
ed for business. Then suppose that a
day came when they formed pools to
keep up prices, and that the various
states passed laws to prevent these
combinations. Then suppose that j.
Pierpont Morgan organized all of them
into a gigantic trust. We will sup
pose that the original assets of these
100 companies were $400, 100000, but
that when the American Postal De-
livery Company was formed by a
syndicate of New York banks the cap
ital was increased to 81, 500, 900, 900, with
preferred and common stock, and a
gift of a hundred millions in cash to
the all-powerful promoter. Do you fol-
low me?"
II think 1 do" said Judge Sawyer
with a smile, but the perplexed look on
Jenkins face deepened.
And then suppose that five of the
old competing postoffices in Lincoln
vile were abolished" continued the
colonel. I'VE will assume that our
friend, Jenkins, was working for one
of them and that his salary was 81 500
a year. He is retained as the agent
of the Lincolnville branch of the trust,
with his salary reduced to $500 a year.
Now, let us suppose that the trust
raises the postage rates from 5 cents
to 10 cents a letter, abolishes deliv-
cry to scattered districts, eliminates
postoffices in towns which do not yield
a pro1t, gives rebates to allied trusts
and corporations from the mails-in a
word. let us assume that the Ameri-
can Postal Delivery Company conducts
it's operations on modern business lines
in an attempt to pay dividends on a
billion dollars worth of watered stock
what would you say, Jenkins?''
"I would say that it was an outrage,
and that the American people would
not stand it," declared Postmaster Jen-
kins.
81 wonder If you would" unused the
colonel. Keep in mind, Jenkins, that
the people we are considering never
had heard of a government postofice.
no more than they have of a govern
ment railroad or government meat
packing establishment. The trust is
specializing in its postal stock in Wall
street, its president draws "a salary of
100000 a year and spends his time in
Monte Carlo. It costs 10 cents to send
a letter from Chicago to New York
and 20 cents from New York to San
Francisco. The annual statement of
the postal trust shows profits of S135,-
000. 900 for the year. Do you catch the
drift Of my remarks?"