Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-08
Railways Declare Mail Contract
Legislation Means Poorer
Service
WEIGHING NOW IN PROGRESS
Weights on Which Contracts Arc Based
New Being Taken in Western States
Companies Forfeit Heavily Under
Contracts and Don't Like it-Now
Compensation Has Been Cut $4,000

Washington, March S.-The transport
tation worm has turned. The rail-
road magnates have threatened repris-
ais on the government for what they
allege to be oppressive executive orders
and legislation. The complaint is not
SO much against the railroad rate law
as against the limitations put upon con-
tracts for carrying the mails and pen
alties and forfeitures imposed for IT.
Irregularities.
The chief complaint is against the
legislation in last years postoffice ap-
precipitation bill authorizing a reduction
in the mail pay of roads that ran 70
keen TO their time schedules in the ar
rival and departure of mails.
This law recently has been put INTO
perfect operation. The result has been
that there is hardly railroad in the
conntry that mas not forfeited some
thing from its stipulated contract price
for carrying the mails under tne Id"
during the current quarter. In some
cases the forfeitures fan heaVlly ana
lrender the contracts Improbable
Added to these Inconvenience inc
present congress reduced compensation
for CARRYING mails about $1.0O0,Ooo on
the railway postcffice car Item, ana
lowered compensation on other con-
tracts about $3000,000 Right on the
heels of congress adjournment, When
the railroad managers were consrs.tu-
lating themselves on the fact that the
La Toilette Murdoch amendment,
| changing the devisor to be used from
| to Z in ascertaining the weight OF mails
during the mail weighing season, hau
been knocked out by congress. they
were started by the announcement that
Mr.. Cortelyou, then postmaster general
had issued an order applying the new
devisor as proposed by the rejected
legislation and the effect of the order
viii still further reduce compensation
for carving mails about IL per cent
from present prices.
1t would have been better for the
roads if the proposed legislation aiaa
passed. for it would not have gone in
to effect until the beginning OF the
new fiscal year, July 1. AS 1T Is, the
order OF the postmaster SeiiSi 81 "PPiiSs
the new devisor to the weighing Oh
mails at once.
The mail weighing season is now on
in the district which comprises the
states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana,
Ohio. Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and
Iowa. The aggregate weights when as
certained at the close of the season IN
that district, early in June, will be sub
jected to the new divisor.
The railroad managers have told the
postoffice officials that they cannot
meet the new limitations put upon
them without changing their schedules
to give slower and less frequent train
service. They insist that this policy IS
not reprisal, but matter OF business
necessity. 1t is asserted by the trans
portation agents that general reor-
ganization of schedules and the drop
ing of many trains, especially in Sun
day traffic will follow inevitably. The
railroad men say that if people COM
plain of poorer accommodations they
may put the blame on the legislatures
and the postoffice department. The
postal officials are concerned over this
threat.