The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-02-11
RURAL ROUTES
ARE QUITE SAFE
Postoffice Department Has No
Thought Of Cutting Them,
Despite the Deficit.
WORTH THE COST INVOLVED

BaIlInger-Pinchot Row stirs UP Muc
Bitterness in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
} Hearings Are Likely to Be
Lively.
Washington.--Con is maxim,
every effort that it can to tind a wa,
to cut down the expenses of govern
ment. In former years there has beer
the appearance of striving afte
saving rather than real saving 1t
self. but this year results are beint
accomplished. 1t can be said, how
ever, that while there will be pairing
of expenses in practically all the ap
preparation bills there will be no at
tempt to curtail expenditures which
will cripple the rural mail deliveries
of the country.
Postmaster General Hitchcock was
the last Of the cabinet chiefs to hand
In his annual report. He had a hard
problem to solve. The demands made
by the people on the postofiice de-
partment are greater year by year
and there Is always resentment OF any
recommendation that an increased
| price should be added to any service
rendered by the department to the
people. Perhaps the country will have
| one-cent first-class postage some time
In the near future, for while the cost
OF maintaining the department is in
creasing 1t is hoped that means will
be found to make the revenues great
| md IN oil IT., W
cost of letter postage.
The postmaster general is firm
believer in the rural route system
The delivery Of letters through the
country districts costs the govern
mept several millions of dollars year
more than the returns, but the i'm.
mense convenience to the people who
live outside of the great centers more
than overbalances, in the eyes of the
department chiefs. the extra money
needed to continue the service.
Ambitious Plans on Foot.
Demands will be made during the
next year to find some place in which
the jostoffice department expenses
may be cut materially, and some
means by which the income may be
increased without affecting the purses
of the great body of the people. II
the present postmaster general can
put his department on a paying basis
he will count 1t a victory sufficient to
make his administration stand in a.
bright light. There seems to be little
chance. however, that affairs can be
so arranged that the pages of the
ledger of the postoffice department
will balance themselves at the end of
the next year.
One thing can be taken for granted,
the rural route service of the country
will be strengthened year by year,
even though 1t be necessary to weak
en- some OF the other branches of the
service.
Satisfied with Antitrust Law.
President Taft seems to have found
to his own satisfaction, as shown by
his recent message. that the Sherman
antitrust law is equal to every de.
mand that the country makes of it.
This is the presidents legal opinion,
and uEtil some greater lawyer or law
yers or group of judges find to the
contrary 1t probably will have to
stand. The fact that the interests
that have attacked the Sherman law
have been 80 Numerically opposed to
one another seems to have convinced
the president that the law must be a
pretty good one. At any rate he has
advised that 1t remain unchanged on
the statute books.
There are several celebrated cases
upon which the supreme court Of the
United States has yet to pass judg.
nlent, cases which came into the
courts as a result OF the entering Of
government prosecution under the
Sherman law. The case OF the Stand.
ard Oil Company, which was decided
adversely to the great corporation.
will come before the high court with.
in a short time. The lower court.
which sat in the city OF st. Louis. de
clared the Standard Oil Company 10
be corporation in restraint Of trade.
This was Sherman law case and It
Is expected that within few weeks
the supreme court will decide it.
Bitterness In Pinchot Row.
When the members of the committee
on investigation into the Ballinger.
Pinchot controversy get into the real
heart of their work the case unoues.
tionably will prove to be one of the
most interesting which has ever been
heard In the capital. It would be hard
for anyone at distance to realize
the intensity of feeling that there IL
In this city over the matter, which con.
gress has finally taken into Its own
hands at the request Of Secretary OF
the Interior Ballinger.
Indications are that the COMPRESSION.
a investigation which the secretary
has demanded. will take on much the
form Of an actual trial, q stout de,
Tense and well-defned prosecution,
4 Several Of the land cases which have
had or are yet to have their day IN
court. probably will figure prominent.
" In the proceedings before they are
ended. There are several cases which
were tried in different parts sof the
colntry when Mr.. Ballinger was com.
i missioner OF the land once under the
Roosevelt administration. and Il Ii
said that some Of the opinions that be
expressed as to tho results Of one OF
ee>>~~~~~~
Human Naturs.
~Qreer thing about men. isn't TT
remarked the thnagh tfTul thinker.