The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-12
GRAFT FOR RAILROADS,
FOR CARRYING THE MAILS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
Publishers Make Charge Before
House COmmittee-Lack of Busi-
ness Principles Alleged.


roads throughout the country are re-
ceiving from the government too
large compensation for carrying the
mails; that they are receiving more
than they receive from the express
companies for equal service, has
been persistently and vigorously urg-
ed before the committee on post
offices and post roads of the house
recently in letters from citizens and
in statements from periodical pub
fishers.
"Readjust the rate of pay to the
railroads.; get that down to a fair
and just basis; ascertain the truth of
the charge that the roads are receiv-
ing from to 16 times too much for
the service they render the govern
ment, and then talk about increasing
the postal rates to magazines" say
the publishers.
The postal commission in it's re-
port, published year ago, made the
suggestion that the railroads were be-
Ing overpaid. Representative Muir
dock insisted that some additional
millions of money was paid annually
to the roads through the use of an
ineQuitable and unjust system of ar
riving at the average weight of the
mails. which might be cut off.
In statement before the house
committee on postoffices and post
roads Herbert Myrick dwelt at length
upon the subject Of railway mail pay
In connection with the proposal to in
crease the postal rates to magazines
He said that before taking this step
to tax the dissemination of intelli-
gence, the whole organization and ad-
ministration Of the postoffice depart
ment should be probed to the bot
tom.
Mr.. Myrick appeared before the
house committee on postoffices and
Mr.. Myrick appeared before the
committee as the representative Of
the National Agricultural Press
League. He is president of the Or
ange Judd Company. and the Phelps
Publishing Company, publishers Of
The American Agricultural New
York;, The Orange Judd Farmer
(Chicago), The New England Home
s.ead (springfield, Mass }, rar,n and
Home. Good Housekeeping, and then
some.
He made a very exhaustive dis
cussion Of the subject and endeavor-
ed to show that very large part of
the $17,oo0.o00 postal deficit could
be made up, II the excessive pay
ments to railroads was stopped. He
said:
If the postoffice were run on busi-
ness principles. free from politics.
graft and overpayment of railroads,
even its present rates Of postage
would earn q profit"
Adverting to the postal commits
sion's recommendation Of a reduction
Of pay on the heavily travelled main
routes Of road, he quoted from their
report as follows:
There is also widespread belief
that the high total cost Of the postal
service results, in some degree at
least, from what is regarded as over
payment to the railroads for mail
transportation. Much of the contro-
versy as to proper charge for Sec
ond-class matter has ragged around
the question of railway mail pay. So
far as this commission has felt it to
be within it's authority, it has en-
deavored to formulate just conclu-
sions as to the merits of that contro-
versy. 1t has accordingly recon-
mended in this report a reduction of
mail pay upon dense routes where
the great volume of second class
matter permits economies in trans
portation, and it has also recon-
nenued the elimination of return
empty bags t.om the computation of
weight.
Mr.. Lloyd, a member of the COM
mittee, asked the question: "You
are aware, are you not, that the rail-
road rates were changed since that
recommendation? To which Mr..
Myrick replied that he believed it
had been done but did not know to
what extent
Questioned further by the chair
man of the committee to know
whether he was acquainted with any
man In the United States who had
made careful investigation Of the
subject within year and believed