The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-06-11

letter from Inlcak0 10 New aofk ana
20 cents from New York 70 San Fran
cisco. The annual statement Of the
postal trust shows profits OF $l35I000,-
600 for the year. DO you catch the
drift Of my remarksf'
You seem 70 be making your ar.
gument clear" remarked the judge.
"And now what follower
"Now suppose that some man writes
an article or makes a speech in which
he asserts the government should ac-
quire by purchase or condemnation the
properly OF the American Postal De
livery company pay them 3 fair price
for their actual assets and conduct
the postal business for the benefit moi
Of stockholders, but Of the people.
Don't you think such q man would be
looked upon with suspieioRi Mind you.
we are assuming that no one has ever
heard Of q public postal syStem. What
do you think Jenkinsr'
"BGs we've always had q pOstoiiice
system" objected jenkins. There's
no other way to run one"
"Ahd now suppose that this crazy re-
former goes Into prophetic details"
calmly proceeded the colonel "de de
eiares that IL Il possible 10 carry let.
tiers for 2 cents instead OF 10 and 20
SCENTS, He asserts that the motive
should be service instead Of profits and
inkaneiy declares that IL Is practical 20
carry a letter 1900 miles for the same
rate that il charged for half a mile.
Do you suppose any one would listen
90 himf The trust, IL il paid any at
tention to bis rawlings. would denounes
htm as an epemy 10 vested interests
Every small ktockholdeF would recog
niEe In his theory = menace 10 divi
dsnds Wise editorial writers would
prove that the government has no right
70 engAEe Ia any business other than
police duty. II would be urged that q
government; postoflce would create an
army Of otiiciaia which would have
slectionh az their mery. II would be
proved that the government could not
possibly make national postal system
q SUCCESS even II Il dared attempt IL
Where would they get the brninsi
Who would GUARANTEES against whole
sale and petty thievogf The whcls
thing would be snecrvd at ABd rrylled
ha a Utupian dream. well enough IN
theory perhaps, but possible Of resiizA.
ton only Ia some future time when
sclaahncsa has bcen eliminated from
human nature
you make q strong case against Ger
tain q our ioEsclans," admitted judge
sawyer "Of course you are swarg
tia, the government loses money on ia
p0slai scgvlrc az the present time. Il
Il amau. OF course. but there IL \ loss
There Ia . loss. II thereY- exelaim
es1 colonel Monroe with some warmth
Il did not expect that from you. judge
sawyer. n the government loscs mon
ey. 60 whom doos Il lose Rf II yoJ
pay eenta for 9 stamp when yor
should pay q, who s. tho gainCrf Th'
government spends millions ~ dallari
y year building lighthouses, maintain
inR life saving Herv &c. dredging bar
boris. conducting an agricultural de
partment Of inealculAhle benens TO tbs
farmers. also a scientific aud expert
mental department which challenges
the admiration Of the world. and ever
J crnt Il expnuda 90 these msgnifceu
Z institutions IL a direct losA. according
90 your theory You know or shoul'
. know that were II not for the fnc
that the government Is shamelessl!
robbed by the railroad companies Il
the matter OF charges for hauling maj
cars Il could az once establish on
ccut postage rate and derive = surplu
! from the service"
] You therefore urge. Euppore. tina
. the government should take possession
. OF the meat industry" remarked Judg
] Sawyer.
. Il have not done co. returned CD
' colonel. However. Il occurs to N
that the proper distribution Of mea
IL sa essential to a country 80 the dii
tribution OF magazines and uewspt
pcrs. And ! am also Of the opinio
that had Il been decreed In It's carl
history that the nation assumed n
sponsibility for the production and dil
: tribution OF meats aud left 20 privat
enterprise the handling OF the mai
a there would not be wanting an init
+, entail faction TO declare that. while n
/, meat business was by nature a fun
ton Of government. the distribution {
/, the mails should ever be safeEuarie
by private enterprise"
'~Tha government could not distril
ute meat" objected Postmaster Jel
kins ct would spoil on It's way frol
Washington