The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-06
NOT ALONE THE EXPRESS.

We find in the Chicago Tribune an
editorial which states strongly one
branch of q subject which is much dis
cussed, namely, the extension of the pos
tai service to carry parcels. The idea
conveyed In this editorial is that 1t is
the opposition of the express compa~
MES that prevents the enactment of a
law allowing for parcels post. The
Tribune S editorial is as follows:
Washington dispatch says that a
parcels post package mailed at Bremen,
Germany: May ?. was delivered at Seattle
May II. That was, indeed quics time,
but there is another fact worth mention
! II Is that the postage rate was only
- - cents pound for journey across
| the Atlantic and the continent of North
| America.
Why should man living in Germany
be able TO send TO friend In Seattle a
| package at less cost than TO send IL from
Spokane to Seattle? Simply because the
| general government allows the express
companies, cooperating with or con-
| trolled by railroad officials, to plumber
| the people through excessive carrying
charges. 1t has been In the power OF
congress @ at any time since It's attention
express companies TO end them by the
| establishment OF a home parcels post
system, 1t has failed to do so. though
with many foreign countries II has
failed because of the opposition of sena-
| tors and representatives owned by rail-
roads. and the indifference Of others not
thus owned.
When the railroads first came to recog-
ni2e the public need OF an express serv-
Ice they should have furnished IL them
selves 1t was as much one OF their
functions as the transportation OF pas
sensers or slow or fast freight. But
keen -witted railroad managers saw in
| of
much money for themselves II the situa-
tnnsd ,nn TeTe oTer properly t0 per handled So they
cream of the traffic OF the roads. the
terms being that they should pay the
latter al least i5 per cent of their re-
one-half more than the railway freight
rates. This is a condition the express
companies have loyally observed. Usual
~ they have kept far above the minimum
rate. The stock OF the express companies
is largely held by railroad officials. who
are thus the direct benelcaries OF a sys-
tenn which takes business from the roads
for the profit OF the railroad officials On
the other hand, the assets OF the express
companies include $4,000 900 in railroad
securities.
The total investment OF the five ex-
press companies in plant Is but $3.50. 900
Their enormous capitalization is chiefly
based on the presumptiye earning, power
How profitable the contracts have been
is evidenced by the fact that the assets
OF the companies aggregated two years
ago s97 0o00o0, of which 500, 600 900 rep
resented undivided profits mostly held in
investment. Those millions the people
were made to contribute through eX-
orhitant express charges.
The express companies are parasites
which prey upon both railroads and peo-
pie They take from the former profita-
BILE traffic and overcharge the people for
handling il. The Hepburn law puts the
express companies under the jurisdiction
Of the interstate commerce commission.
r, IL.
to try to regulate their charges. Con-
gress could regulate them more effective
~ and speedily by parcels post iegisla-
to act2 Because the evil influences
which have baked legislation in the past
are still potent. If the senators and
the New York New Haven e. Hartford
which dominates New England. to the
Pennsylvania road. and to the Southern
Pacific would abandon their opposition,
we could have a parcels post this year.
That is a strong statement Of the
case, which might be designated "The
Public VS.. the Express Companies. -
But it by no means states the whole
case for the opposition. There is an
other branch of it altogether, and that
is the objection made by local traders
everywhere to the idea of parcels
post which would allow Of mail orders
and their carrying by post of parcels
of goods from the large cities to cus-
toners generally. These mail orders
would unquestionably cut down local
trade to an alarming extent. With the
parcels post in operation, Chicago
!, houses, San Francisco houses, New York
or Boston houses, would advertise
throughout the country bargains by re-
4 tail. They could send by circular and
C otherwise catalogues of what they would
$ mail for given price, guaranteeing the
: goods delivered through the postoffice
In this way the local dealers would be
n deprived of large portion of their
trade and the large establishments in
!, the big cities would flourish. 1t is not
L question alone of express companies
G but of trade relations and very nat
T ural desire of merchants in any given
e locality to obtain the trade of the in
habitants of that locality, that incites
d opposition.
& The parcels post has always beer
u fought in this country, for tho reason:
n given. AT the samo time, there is nc
d question about tho anomalous condition
81 which arises in parcels being sem
e through our own postoffces from
'e abroad. when like parcels cannot bc