The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1906-05-04

- pie that the new Counties. Inc deeci
e in the iTogt- onice Department I
q caused by the outrageously high rate
Il paid to the railroads for transport
ing the mails.
\ recent issue of Wallaces' Farmer
March 23d, page 413) contains an
account Of the German parcels post
system, closing with the statement
that when the American people really
want and demand a similar convenient
system they can have it. 1t is also the
custom at farmers Institutes, clubs,
and oranges, to resolve in favor Of
some such system and to request their
representatives, to support it,
There is one consideration bearing
directly Oh the subject that is, APP
prehend very imperfectly understood
among the farmers, but which de-
serves the widest publicity, that is
the compensation paid by the govern
ment to the railroads for carrying the
mails.
The statement has been published
and contradiction challenged that this
compensation is more than four times
the rates charged by the express com
panies To be more exact, the govern /.
ment pays the railroads for carrying .
the mails about $500 per hundred |
weight, the average haul or distance .
Travelled by piece of mail matter be-
ing something over 400 miles. The
express rate on merchandise from Chi
cago to Cincinnati is $3.50 per hun.
dredweight; to Buffalo and Plttsburg,
S1.75; to Omaha, Kansas City, and st.
Paul, $500; the average of these dis
tances being greater than the average
mail sack haul. The statement is also
made, on authority of a United States
senator that this compensation paid
ly the government to the railroads
'or carrying the mails is ten times
greater than the compensation paid ,
~ the express companies to the rail l
Dads for carrying express packages.
These two statements do not neces-
arly conflict, but they do indicate the
rofits of the express business and q
lso explain why the postoffice depart
lent is run at a loss. They also
Justify the assertion that of the fifty J.
lillion dollars paid annually to the
ailroads for carrying the mails at :,
Al ,f,,sI. fa 81 ole hnfp !
nat much in excess OF a reasonable y
ompensa ton for the cost Of the serv- II
e.
Moreover, as the money paid for VI
lrrylng the mails Is approximately ~
le-third of all the expenses of the 81
,st office department, it follows that az
e actual cost, figured on the basis ~
weight, Is in round numbers S24OO ="
n hundredweght, or $2.4O per pound -
5 the postage on merchandise is 1G vi
nts per pound it is plainly evident ~
here the loss comes in and what $500
ust be the result of the extension of
e merchandise service. a"
1t is evident, therefore, that par ~
Is post system cannot be put in -.
Grafton in this country unless the -,
ople are willing to foot the bills in .oo
me form of increased taxation, and -.
IS fact should be kept in mind. -,
It is of course possible to adopt a 6v
'dlfed form, as you suggest, for tur
lrt distances at reasonable rate, tbe
t this is not what is usually under fin
3D. and would not be acceptable. ma
e insurmountable obstacle is the
nblned power of the railroad corpo-
ions, and the fact that If their com
lsatlon is reduced they will cripple
service. Who will point out Ma
1edy? hig
n addition to all this, read what the it
raj New Yorker says about writing bio
col,
ONE Of those congressman who der
e little use for parcels post will and
that farmers have less use for 9TH
m on election day. We find the yer.
ing growing everywhere that it is For