davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
LAWMAKERS PLAN
WORK FOR WEEK
IMPORTANT MEASURES TO BE
CONSIDERED - COMMITTEES
WILL HOLD HEARING ON PRl-
MARY BILL.

With the opening Of the fifth week
Of the legislature much work has
been laid ous for the lawmakers
Committee work on appropriation
bills, primary election, Chicago char
ter and civil Service will form the
most important work of the lower
house this week. &S
On Wednesday the committee on
Chicago charter will hold public
meeting and it is anticipated some
interesting debate will take place as
a number of Chicago bodies will
have representatives present to pre-
sent their piece of legislation. The
primary elections committee will hold
meetings every day during the week,
and those also will be open to any
one seeking to present arguments for
or against the bill now being consid-
cred by the committee. Tuesday and
Wednesday the appropriations com
mittee will give hearings to represent
atives of the various state institu-
tions and on Thursday the appro pri-
atoms committees of both houses
will hold joint sessions for this same
purpose in order TO expedite the
handling of the big appropriation
bills.
Committees Are Few.
But only seven of the sixty stand
ing and special committees of the
house have been named thus far.
These. II ig true, include the most
Important ones, but already vast
cunt of proposed legislation awaits
action by unnamed committees. This
is especially true of the judiciary
committees, fully two-thirds of the
measures introduced thus far hav-
ing been referred to these COM
mittees.
Two years ago the last of the house
committees was not named until
about Feb IA. This part of the
speakers work may not be finished
this season any earlier as Mr. Sher-
man is proceeding very carefully in
the selection of committees.
Outside of this. however, the work
of the house is proceeding very slow
ly. Practically there have been only
three legislative days each week ow-
ing to the apparent unwillingness of
the members to remain here over Fri
day. and Thursday night sees a gen.
eral exodus. Speaker Shurtleff has
stated tina. if this continues some
members may find their bills put back
on the calendar, or other measures
will be taken to bring members 10 a
realization of the fact that the house
meeis Monday, and has sessions Fri
day.
interesting Bills Offered.
A number of interesting and Inn
porsant measures will be introduced
l.-.a..-- L. - 4 n-.r,-nrarintf.... Of
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
Nearly Drowned By Kanamoo.

While chasing full-grown male
kangaroo at Reedy Greek. Victoria. a
local resident was suddenly seized by
the animal and ducked repeatedly in
the water. being only saved from
death by the courage of his dog. who
finally put the kangaroo to flight.
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
Tree That Should Pay Rent.

Probably the most costly tree IN
tho world is the plane tree which
grows in Wood street in the city Of
London. 1t occupies space which
would bring in rental Of $3.50 per
annum, and this capitalized at thirty
years purchase gives o value or
$4,000. W.
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
Interestlno elIIs oHered.

A number of interesting and Inn
porlant measures will be introduced
during the week. An appropriation of
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
Worlds Postal Employees.

Germany has 242 600 postal en-.
pIoyes. the United States, 239,0oui
Great Britain. $4,000. None OF The
other states in The postal union pos
sess 100000 postal employees. France
has $1,000, Austria $4,000, Russia
81, 1862 and japan 1885,. IL
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31

A man. who says he IS an English
man. writes to the Westminster Ca
zette that he las learned that in 1861
there were only th.rty-six Scots in
London, and that he nov knows the
meaning Of the expression, sthe good
old times
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31

St Moritz. in Switzerland. has the
biggest toboggan slide in the world.
It is three-uuarters OF mile long, and
has been descended in a whiz OF only
geventy-one seconds.
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31

People who so bare footed ami
those who wear sandals instead Of
shoes, IL is said. rarely have colds in
She head or any form of influenza.
The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-31
KUROPATKIN'S
UTTER FAILURE
Concluded from First page.)

to be that the advance was under.
taken in order to divert attention
from veents in European Russia
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16

each year more than the entire cost of the
postal cars used.
The railroads have ready replies to some
of the criticisms on their alleged graft, and
find easy access to committees of congress
and departmental authorities in presenting
their arguments. some Of which are con-
Veniently ignored by the critics. The ratio
OF the dead weight of cars to amount OF
mall carried is legitimate element of the
calculation, Mail cars cannot be loaded
to their full capacity-there must be con-
venient space for sorting and distributing
mail enroute. Hence a car weighing thirty
tons may only carry three tons Of mail.
Then, too, all the employees and officials of
the department travelling on its business
are carried free by the railroads.
But in spite of all modifying excavations,
there is seemingly good ground for the pre-
vailing sentiment that the. compensation
for carrying mail by railroad ought to be
materially lessened.
Cost of Service in Europe.
In this connection we are all interested in
the following authoritative statement as to
the amounts paid to American railroads for
carrying the mails. In comparison to what
the railroads in foreign countries receive for
like service
The United States pays the railroads, for
carrying mail, about 81, 10000 per annum-
This sum is further increased to $46,OOGOO
when rental OF mail cars is included.
. In France, the railroads, in return for
their grants OF right-of-way, carry the mail
free. The only exception is where the gov
ernment uses a postal car of its own; then
the railroad receives about a cent mile.
almost. nothing, for hauling government
cars.
In Switzerland, prior to government own
ership, the railroads received nothing: their
concession from the government provided
that the railroad company should carry the
mails free. An exception was made where
the company earned less than slz per cent
dividend per annum.
In Germany the railroads haul one mail
car free. Where a second or more cars are
needed the government pays the company
II a government car. pfennig per axle per
kilometer, or 10 pfennig II the car belongs
to the railroad company. This amounts
to from to 70 cents car per mile, repre-
senting barely the cost OF hauling the cars
In Austria the same regulations prevail
as in Germany. except hauling extra cars
averages from 10 to 10 cents per mile.
Italy pays nothing to the railroads for
carrying the mails, as It is provided in the
concessions made 20 transportation COM
panies that the government mails must be
carried free.
Belgium's laws are similar to those Of
Italy.
In England. even with the immense vol
ume OF parcels carried by the British gov
ernment. instead OF, in this country,
by express companies. the money received
by the railroads for carrying the mails Is
only about one-ninth OF the amount paid
by the United States. 4
More money Is paid every year by the
United States to the railroads for carrying
the mails than is paid by all the nations
OF Europe combined for all kinds OF mail
transportation.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16

cents down to the fraction z cent per ton
per mile. And passengers are individually
ticketed, including 100 pounds of baggage
free at what will approximate 1s cents per
ton per mile.
The rates paid to the railroads have not
been reduced since 1873.
In the meantime, as everybody knows
operating expenses, as compared with the
tonnage transported, have been enormously
lessened. How. freight charges have been
lowered, Mr.. James ]. Hill, most astute
and intelligent of railway magnates, testi-
fed, May 3, 1905, before a senate committee,
In these words:
In 1882 the average freight rate was
nearly 2.52 cents per ton per mile: the rate
twenty years later was .S57 cent. one-third
what 1t was twenty-one years before"
On the same occasion the proud flesh"
OF the question at issue was gingerly ham
died thus:
Senator Foraker-It is some advantage to
the road to carry the mail. is it not?
Mr. Hill-It is an advantage to the people
along the road and TO us and for every
body.
Senator Foraker-Nobody is allowed to
stop the mail, and they might stop a coal
car?
Mr. Hill-That is an advantage had not
thought OF.
Undoubtedly the railroads could we'll af-
ford to carry the mails free, and in many
countries they do carry them free, in con-
sideration of the franchises they have OBJ
tained from the public and of the incaIcu-
liable incidental benefits they receive. More
than once. when all other resources had
failed. our federal authorities stepped in
and by military force gave protection TO
railway property in order that the passage
OF the mails might be unimpeded. Besides
the protection enjoyed generally by busi-
ness men and corporations, the railroads
get this special, invaluable help-and are,
In sense, paid for accepting 1t.
Excessive Railroad Charges.
A former United States senator is author
ity for the statement that the government
pays the railroads each year $40, 600 900 for
carrying the mails. while the same lines
carry the same amount of express for less
than SOO0.0OO. The ex-senator said: The
New York Central railway, for carrying
the United States mail from New York 20
Chicago over its main lines. receives each
year Sh per cent OF the value OF those lines,
as well as Of all rolling stock, and OF term
inals in New York, Chicago and other cities.
Aot "heh IL was moved atter proving these
facts, that this compensation be cut down
%, and afterwards 10. per cent. It was voted
down In committee OF the senate"
The fact is that the railroads will receive
this year, incIudiHg rentals OF pOstoffice cars,
nearly S46,oOO0OO for carrying the mails.
The allotments are made on the basis OF
supposed weight-but the weights are taken
only for thirty days once in four years
Il is all crude guesswork. with ample ia
cilities for padding during the Weighing
period. Hence the railroads practically
charge what they please. Conservative es-
Inmates have placed the overcharge for in
flated weights at NO,Oo0,0O0 year. And IL Is
claimed. In addition 70 all this, that the de-
partment pays the roads IN car rentals
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16

partment suggests local parcels post,
which is, perhaps, worth trying.
Objection to Money Orders.
The issue and payment of money orders
are not in any legitimate sense a govern
ment function. 1t is a feature OF banking
business, and is regarded by many thought
ful men as dangerous development of
state socialism. 1t is a complicated and in
convenient process for remittance, but is
carried on with such diligent enterprise BY
the department officials and the local post
masters who conduct it's operations, THAI
one who looks only on the surface sees
little to condemn. 1t has been shown, how
ever, allowing. a proportionate share of
salaries Of postmasters and of clerks in
postoffices engaged in money order work.
together with all other necessary items OF
expense. that there is an annual loss Of
S2,5OO,OOO in the money order business at
the postofice.
Fifty millions OF postal money orders were
issued by our postoffice last year. On H.
10000 of these. which exceeded $ in
amount there was a small margin OF
profit; on 100000 small orders the fee,
cents for those above and cents for those
below $3.50, there was heavy loss, as the
average cost of printing. issuing, redeem
ing, reporting and auditing is more than
10 cents. The loss on the small money or
ders was 81 s3S,O0O while the profit on the
larger ones was about $4,000.
Thus, II the postal order for less than s.
could be superseded by a simpler and
cheaper method of remitting, the heavy
annual deficit In the money order service
would be avoided.
This method has been found in the pro-
posed post check currency, which has re-
ceived the endorsement of hundreds OF
periodicals, OF national commercial bodies
and postmasters' conventions, has been
unanimously approved by the postofhce
committee Of congress, but hangs fire
through the covert hostility OF express
companies. The post check plan provides
that our 81. 81 and s. bills in general circu-
lation shall be printed payable TO 49,
or order" instead Of ito bearer" When
wanted for remittances the name OF the
payee would be inserted. and they could
then be safely sent by mail like money
orders. They would be redeemed at banks
and postofices, forwarded direct TO United
states subtreasuries. cancelled and reissued
like mutilated currency. A 2-cent postage
stamp affixed to a bill, when transformed
into a check. would pay all the cost OF re-
demption and reissue.
% So simple and obvious a means OF doing
away with the grievous loss on postal
money orders should be promptly put into
operation.
There are other features which contribute
appreciably TO the sum total OF needless
waste whereby our deficit in postoface
revenues is made 90 exist and 10 Increase
steadily. Those which have been cited are
the chief delinquents. The railway over
charge, the franking abuse. the second
class mail graft, the rural free delivery
deficit and the small money order nuisance
must one by one be subjected 20 intelligent
business methods II We are TO avoid ire
trievable disaster.
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16
ABUSES OF OUR NAIL SERVICE
Why Two Thirds of the Government: Deficit
Occurs in the PostofiOs Department.
ENORMOUS TOLL ExAcTEO BY RAILROsAp
Suggested Remedies for OverchRrEeH,
Abuse of FrankinE Privilege
and other Features of
Service.

Henry A. Castle. former auditor OF the
Postofice department, presents in Harpers
Weekly a notable expose of the abuses
of the postal service which produce de-
ficit In the revenues of the department.
The facts presented are particularly
timely. inasmuch as the government is
confronted with a deficit OF $2LO0O.0OO IN
its revenue, two-thirds OF which, as Mr..
Castle shows. is due TO overoharges by
railroads for transporting the mails abuse
OF the franking privilege, etc. Mr.. cas-
ties paper follows:
At present writing. treasury experts es-
timste the deficit in our national revenues
that is to say. the margin on the wrong
side between receipts and expenditure
for the fiscal year nearing its close, at
25OOO.OOO
The postmaster general has officially es-
timated the deficit in the revenues of the
postal service for the same period at N4.-
s4Osss.
II these estimates shall prove to be ap-
proximately correct We are confronted with
the significant fact that one-half the total
losses in running our government machin-
cry occur in the Postohice department.
And while publicists are formulating new
schemes of taxation, business men. ac-
customed to deal with plain financial ex-
hibits OF profit and loss, will look one an
other In the face and anNiously inquire
why, In a purely business enterprise like
the postofhce, having money transactions
aggregating more than a thousand million
dollars a year with no dividends to pay
on stock, or interest on bonds. there should
be an enormous loss. and not a snug
proat
But even the figures above given do not
tell the whole story. To the deficit pre-
dicted should be added legitimate expenses
OF the service which under the system of
Bookkeeping IN vogue do not appear. be-
cause they are not charged directly against
the postal revenues. One OF these items
is the salaries OF the employees OF the
Postofiee and Treasury departments In
Washington who are engaged In postal
work, amounting 10 nearly $4,000. An
other item Is fair allowance for rent,
light heat and janitors for the govern
ment buildings In which postOnices In all
large cities are located. which has been
estimated az 100000. Therefore. the to-
tai loss In our mail system during the
current fiscal year win probably amount
70 S2o.o0oOoO or four-hfths OF the whole
government dencit
The plain citizen Is all the more per-
picked by these disagreeable revelations
when As learns that last year the British
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16

rate of the letter post seems to be levied
because of an expedited service. In any
other country low-class matter goes by
slow trains-the Parcels Post" we hear so
much about goes by freight train at small
cost to the revenues. Here, all our mail
goes on the fastest trains each road sends
out. This is doubtless one explanation OF
the extravagant cost.
Abuse of the FrankinE Privilege.
The abuse of the franking privilege is one
of the most costly performances to which
our people are treating themselves at their
own expense. A conservative estimate fixes
the loss to the postal revenues from the
free mail facilities enjoyed by the various
departments at S15OOO,OO0 every year.
Unfortunately no adequate accounting
methods are provided for ascertaining the
magnitude of this free business or what
should Justly be charged TO it: approximate
estimates only can be made. Nobody seems
to care to know definitely what this in
cubus amounts to, but IL the administration
OF so great an enterprise were in private
or corporate hands there would unques-
uonably be a provision for knowing ex-
acty what proportion of the cost this
element of the equation should bear. A
deplorable incident Of doing private busI-
Indifference which prevails as to questions
like this, which ought to command general
interest.
The frank is a menacing evil of our
mail service, saturated with fraud, deceit
and demagoguery. Its utter depravity has
been known and commented on for many
years. Efforts have been made to curtaiI
IT, but In some particulars IL is worse than
at any previous stage of our history.
Every branch and department OF the gov
ernment loads the transmission OF its mail
matter, legitimate and illegitimate on the
postal service. Congressman and the de-
partments not only send free of postage let
ters reports, speeches and all kinds of So
called public documents" but often ship
ments OF machinery, fire proof safes and
other articles scarcely less ponderous than
pig iron. on the pretext that they are in
some mysterious way connected with the
public business.
The franking abuse leads directly to the
free seed" graft and to the printing OF
thousands Of tons Of useless public docu-
ments-all of which is an enormous bur
den on the treasury. aside from the cost
OF transportation. In brief. our present
loose leaf scheme Of postal franklng is
dangerous, corrupting and enormously ex-
penslve
The franking franchise should be cur
tailed at every possible point. Ironclad re-
strictions should hedge in its use by all
public officials. Then adequate approprla-
tions should be made to cover the actual
cost of this gratuitous service. Every
franked letter or parcel should be weighed
and the postage debited 10 the proper ac-
count All branches OF the federal service
would then show the real expense OF their
Operation-and the postOfice deficit would
be TRANSFORMED into a surplus!
SeeORd-CIass Mail Rate.
The abuse Of the seeond-class mail rate,
which formerly cost the service many mil
llnna annualIL- has haar. I...aIl.l.L.. ..,--..
Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-16
Magnitude of the Service.

Wnllb lndl OF GeIHunX 1OllOWeu
closely with a profit of S15.OO0,OOO.
Magnitude of the Service.
Although the postal service touches di-
rectly every man, woman and child in the
United States, there is little popular COM
prehension of it's magnitude and import
ance.
The Postofice department is the great
est of the federal departments-in many
respects 1t is greater than all the others
combined. Its total of receipts and dis
bursements, including the money order sys-
TEN, viii be 81, 900 this year. The
postal employees number 240,0O0. We have
more postmasters than soldiers. We have
more names on the postofTice payrolls than
in all the other branches of the govern
ment, including the army and the navy.
This service is growing more rapidly than
any other feature of our administrative
economy. Every step in its growth in
voles new problems, new perils, new com
plications. Yet its organization is crude
and illogical; many Of its methods are an
tiquated; its wholly inadequate accounting
system is an invitation to fraud.
There is enough dynamite hidden In sew
eral of its blind recesses to blow
the lid on al some inopportune moment.
and astonish the nation with revelations
viii be tame and voiceless
But a condition not a thory, now con-
fronts us. We are warned of a prospective
deficit greater than any known in postal
histOry-nearly five times as great as in
1902; greater than the entire expenditures
of the department in 1864
What is the cause OF this loss, and where
can We find a remedy2
II may be broadly stated that every
branch Of the postal system loses money to
a greater or less extent except the trans
portation ana delivery OF first class mall
matter. In other words, the postohice busi-
ness has numerous qualifications, but the
2-eent letter pays for It all. with an un-
appreciable contribution from fourth class
C'merchandise') mail.
Sources of Loss.
But there are few leading sources Of
heavy loss. which may be separately cata-
logued and briefly considered. They are:
Excessive pay to railroads for carrying
the mails.
The cost OF carrying free franked matter,
not only for the POstoffice department it
self, but for all the executive, legislative
and judicial departments OF the govern
ment.
The abuse OF second class rates.
The rural free delivery service.
The postal money order system.
As evidence that the government is taxed
excessively by tho railroads ior transport.
ing its mails. the following comparative
figures have recently been given; The av-
erage charge by railway companies for mall
matter is n.H per ton per mile on a min
imum Of 800 pounds a day; cents on a
daily average OF $500 pounds and SIS cents
on each additional 1000 pounds average
But the express companies will carry for
patrons 100 pounds 200 miles for $3.50. which
Is cents per ton per mile, and the railroads
themselves carry 100 pounds OF freight Loo
miles for from 81 down to Is cents, OF from