Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-25
CARRYING THE MAIL.
Representatives of Railroads Making
 Efforts Against Reduction of Rates


 Washington, D. C., Feb 25.-Rail- road representatives are swarming to Washington. They are here to insist that the pay given railroads for car rying the United States mails shall not De reduced.
 Until the postoffice appropriation bill was reported to the house, the railroads had no idea that a serious plan was in contemplation to reduce the mail-carrying pay. They were surprised by the provisions in the measure. Some representatives of the railroads had asked the committee on postoffice and postroads to give a hearing on the subject. but so little attention was given the matter by officials of the roads that the hearing was not held.
 When the measure was reported to the house, it was found that the committee had made cut in the railway mail pay amounting to five per cent on 5000 pounds 8 day or less than 4S,000 pounds; ten per cent on 4S,000 pounds day or less than S0,000 pounds; and fixing a fiat rate of $19 per ton per mile for mail carried in excess of S0,000 pounds a day. The measure also provides that empty mail bags shall not be taken into account in the weighing of the mails and that the entire number of days, including Sun days, shall be made the divisor in computing the daily average weight of mail.
 When the railroads realized the extent of the proposed cut in their pay they entered vigorous protest. Their representatives came to Wash ington and now are sitting up with members of the house and senate in an effort to defeat the proposed pro- visions. They urge that, even at the present rate paid by the government for carrying the rails, there is little of profit for the railroads, because the postofice department requires so much of them in the making of fast time. that they are obliged to run special mail trains on schedules that Hay out" the regular business of the roads.
 Feeling as they do feel, the rail- roads probably will press their fight against the proposed cut right up to the moment the bill is to be signed by the president. What will happen if the reduced pay is insisted upon, remains to be seen. No doubt exists that the railroads have favored the postofilce department greatly in facil- itating the transportation of the mails, but it seems scarcely likely that they will throw any obstacles in the way of the department even if the cut should be made.
 One important system-the Bur lington route-already has cut the rate allowed it by law in order to retain the transcontinental mails which, for years, it has carried west of Chicago. It was forced to make this concession in order to prevent the Rock Island line from getting the business. If the Burlington can afford to make this cut, 1t is argued that other big systems also can afford to carry the mails at a cheaper rate than they now are receiving.
 Inasmuch as the provisions for the proposed cut are new law, they are subject to point of order in either the house or the senate. An effort will be made by the railroads to have this point of order made against the provisions in the hope of staying of the legislation which, it has been figured, will cause a reduction of ap- proximately II per cent in the rail- way mail pay.
 The fight is an interesting and spirited one. It is important, too, as the proposed cut will save the government about $6,000, ,00O year. By some government experts who have figured on the question it is re- garded as unfortunate that the cut should be made at this time, as they say the railroads no longer will man. ifest the interest in the transporta- tion of the mails which they have shown heretofore in furnishing spe- cial facilities, in making particularly fast time and in arranging their schedules so as to meet the connec- tions which have to be made in order to get long-distance mail through to its destination in the quickest pos-