The Cairo bulletin., 1905-02-10
URGES OUST|NC
OF FSENATORPL ATT
{. W. Post Files Petition With
United States Senate
EXPORTING FROM PEOPLE
THROUGH COMBINE or EXPRESS
COMPANY IS THE CHARGE
SAYS He Is PLEDGED 70
THE CORPORATION.

Washington. Feb "a petition tor
the expulsion Of Thomas Collier plaft
Of New York from membership III tho
United States senate has been MED
wkh that body II was presented BIZ
g. w Post Of Bat Il Greek, Mich, who
has interested himself largely N the
establishment Of d parcels pest syss
TEN.
The pet'tfon is based on the asser-
tion that Senator PIatt, as the exceed.
tive office Of the United States Ex-
press company Il a party to a conspf.
'racy to maintain Identical rates among
express companies for articles shin.
ped over their lines, ana Post asserts
Platt has declared he will oppose Eli
legislation iniuriously affecting his
eempany's interest.
In his petition, Mr.. Post charges
Six express companies II thd United
stat wilh conspir.ng to violate the
antitrust aet By monopolizing the ex.
press business of the country and fix.
ing the rates
y by reason Of this unlawful comhi-
nation, he alleges, the express com.
panies have maintained charges for
al the different kinds cf business far
IN excess OF reasonable rates.
They have been collecting and are
now annually collecting from the peo-
PIE Of the United States and from the
banks, trust companies and other n
nancial institutions and from publish
ars Of books ana others having IRE
qnen- occasion TO require the service
4 express companies, hundreds os
ho'isAnas of dollars over and above
lust compensation for the service
which they render
Pleads for Post Check BIlIs.
MI Post then mentions the Post
heck currency bills. which have been
before congress several years, ANA
iays that by the plans proposed in
hem much of the business of sending
mall sums Of n ney through the
tails, which now Ii transacted BY;
he express companies, would be fa-
ken from them. TO their injury. but 10
he benefit OF the people Of the Unit
"a States and Of the government of
be United Sta es. which itself pays
thousands of dollars every year to the
express compan es fer services which
u is one cf the objects Of such bills
D render unnecessary
Mr. nguf rboru.Se ah~4
ia his canacity as president OF the
nited S ates Express company, Is
anticipating in the conspiracy charg-
n and proceeding. says;
He is daily engaged In performing
ert acts in pursuance thereof. and
2 the senate he has uged and N con.
nulug TO use bis inauence as. a sen
or TO oppose the passage OF the bills
ferred to cr any Of them. His
round is that il passed, they would
fec iniuriousiy the business of said
'Xpress conpan es and reduce the
noun which sad companies, by rea-
On Of said combination and conspi-
cy are yearly obtaining from the
enple of the United States and from
ne government thereof, over and
tboye Just compensation for the ser
vice which they render"
Calls on Senate TO Expel Him.
The complainant. therefore, asks
he senate 20 institute an exam ma
ton into the case. and demands that
4 the charges are proven the senator
be expelled. Explaining his reason for
proceedings against the senator he
says:
The petitioner and the public arc
without an adequate remedy else
where Ssainst eha said Thomas c.
Plat, because Of the p4ovis ons Of sec.
ion OF article of the constitution
II the United States. witch makes The
senate the sole judge Of the qualifica-
ions Of its members and gives 60 the
tenate cnly he p-wer 10 deprive a
enator Of his seat.
In support OF his statement Mr.
Post iled an affidavit ny Clarence E.
Dawson 10 the effect that Senator
'la't had told him that he. was
'sains the Post ch=ek bills because
he plan. If adopted would interfere
vith his business. and that he would
zee his position as a senator to defeat
hem