davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
the postal year ended March 81, 1909,
shows surplus of $500, 237.03.
Producer and Consumer Kept Apart

| shall undertake to show by COM
parison of accepted facts and figures
that our whole system is laundering.
and worse, and that the suffering
caused 10y our failure to adopt the
methods employed by not merely one
but by many European countries is a
governmental crime of monumental
proportions.
Instead of the butter and cheese
producer being able to ship directly to
the user. as in Germany, in refusing
a parcels post we have put the whole
army of American consumers into the
power of all sorts of combinations that
pay the lowest price to the producer
and seem to be able to charge any
sum to those compelled to buy.
So fragrant has this system become
that in the early months of 1910 the
high prices of food are ascribed as
forcing 5000 children vi Of the public
schools Of Brooklyn to help support
their households by child labor.
Fruit in the orchards of New York
state has been permitted to rot on the
ground because the express charges
and the middleman's charges would
not leave the cost of packing for the
horticulturist,
Cheap Railway Transports ion.
Here are a few simple facts to be
kept in mind:
First.-Tn the United States our rail
ways have been able to ship freight for
one-tifth of a cent per ton per mile | be
Heve no European country has been Abe
10 equal this cheap rail transportation.
As the cost per ton per mile forms the
basis for all kinds of freight carried, it
would seem that we have a primary ad-
vantage.
Second.-The transportation of parcels
Is like the carrying of letters. 1t is gov
erned by the law of averages. There are
some letters carried by the United States
into difficult regions which must cost the
government s. apiece. But as the price
demanded for hauling letters Is regulated
by the average haul. so the price for car
rying parcels must be based upon the
same law.
Third The average express haul today
Is less than thirty-eiGht miles. This Is be-
cause trade Is largely carried on with
those living near by.
Fourth.-If the government carried par
GELS at even cent pound 1t would get
the hundreds of millions of packages sent
out by the great dry goods houses. This
would probably reduce the average haul
to twenty miles or less.
Fifth.-The United States government is
already equipped with more than 5000
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

completely organized stations. These have
their managers and clerks. their rentals
heat and light. their detective and legal
services already paid for To handle par
cells would cost nothing additional in tens
OF thousands of postofiiccs except the
wagon haul In the locality.
Sixth.-ls 1t possible to conceive OF any
business men taking part in operating
private express companies II the govern
ment were to make use OF this farreaCh-
ing and costly machinery?
Seventh.-The government is spending
more than 49,, 900 annually on coun-
try delivery service which the postmaster
general reports as carrying only twenty
five pounds per trip per wagon Each OF
these wagons could carry from 600 to 700
pounds per daily trip each way. AT l
cent a pound this service, instead of be-
ing conducted at an almost total loss. az
now, would be clearing tens of millions.
The wagon that now carries only twenty
five pounds. loaded each way with 500
more pounds at | cent a pound. would
bring in $40 a day additional
Finally. at what price will experts agree
to move parcels twenty miles? No: let us
make the figure large enough and say 5Ol
miles. With Offices and managers and
clerks all provided what would IL cost to
carry parcels this average distance and
then deliver them by carriers or in
wagons?
With all the facts and figures before
him any able business man who could
be put in possession of the vast ma
chinery OF the postotice, with only its
present deficiency of S1S,OO0,OO0 to
make up, would know how to fix Il
figure well within cent a pound at
which he would feel certain Of profita.
bly, handling the average parcel.
In recent communication to the
New York Evening Post Don Seitz
the manager Of the New York World
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
NITROGEN THE SOILS NEED.
Missouri Lecturers Are Telling Farm
ers How to Get II.

ers How to Get II.
Kansas City Feb 25.-Every farmer
can't go to school and learn the sec
rets of scientific farming hence the
Missouri state board of agriculture
has started an agricultural university
extension course. S. NJ. Jordan, d.
rector of Institutes, working under the
board and in conjunction with the
State Agricultural college, was in Kan
sas City yesterday. He is touring the
state giving lectures for farmers and
was on his way to Columbia.
I'VE are holding meetings of from
one to six days in each place" Mr..
Jordan said. and the talks cover
all phases of farm work. Some of the
lectures are on domestic science for
the benefit of farmers wives and
daughters. AT only one point in the
last two weeks was the hall large
enough to accommodate the attend
ance. At Appleton City, where a weeks
session closed Saturday, two overflow
meetings were required to accommo-
date the crowd. One of the pleasing
features of the work in Appleton City
as we'll as in Clinton was the large
attendance of farmers children. C.
NJ. Long and Professor Chandler gave
lectures on the general feeding and
care of live stock, with special refer
ence to the dairy and the work of
horticulture in its various forms. Pro
fessor Trowbridge discussed live stock
breeding. feeding and care of stock.
My work treated of the methods
and discussions of the various causes
for the comparatively low yields of
corn in the state and endeaVOring
to show that practically every one of
the causes for low yields is largely
within the control of the farmer him
self. Corn improvement work is dis
cussed in all its phases; the selection
of the seed and its testing, methods
of planting and cultivation, and the
use of catch crops for building up the
| soil.
"a catch crop is any crop that Is
grown with or after any regular crop,
| such as cowpeas, following wheat or
i
ed with the corn; or where wheat, rye
or clover is planted in the corn to
! grow at the same time, for the pur-
pose of affording pasture and prevent
| ing the erosion of the soil and to add
| to it's fertility.
1T is a fact that all our soils, es-
pecially those that have been grow
ing continuously several years, are
absolutely furnishing for nitrogen. No
plant nor animal can exist without
nitrogen. Our soils have been de-
| pleted of that great element, yet in
the air above every acre of Missouri
soil there is approximately ten mil
lion dollars worth of nitrogen. Such
plants as corn, wheat, rye, oats and
trees cannot get nitrogen from the air,
but must find it in the soil. The 9th
err great class of plants, to which al
falfa, clover, beans and peas, and
some of the weeds belong, have the
power of extracting nitrogen from the
air"
The state board of agriculture plans
to hold institutes in every county in
the state wherever a sufficient local in
terest can be aroused to warrant send
ing representatives of the board to
instruct the people. Mr.. Jordan, next
week, is going to southeastern Mis-
souri,. He will hold institutes in
Campbell, Carruth and Caruthers
vile.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

said
If congress will repeal its act of monop
oily under which the postoffice exercises
the right to tax as 1t pleaSes ! viii en-
gage within thirty days to establish a de-
livery service for mail matter that woulc
put the government out of business by itt
celebrity and economy.
What, then. is the matter? Why
should Canada clear $500 237.53 year
while carrying periodicals over its vast
and sparsely settled territories, while
the United States is unable to make a
profit even if it charged thirty-twc
times as much as Canada-so our post
master general assertS-in fact, has q
deficiency of $1S,O00000 while charg
ing upon merchandise siXty-four times
as much as Canada charges for period
icalS, or 5000 per cent more than Ger
many charges for carrying parcels?
More than twelve years ago | calico
upon Mr.. Wanamaker, the then post.
master general, in Washington regard
ing postal parcels system. There
are four insuperable Obstacles" he
said when asked why we could not
have what England and Germany had
| looked surprised, and he explained
"The first is the Adams Express com.
pany, the second is the American Elk,
press company, the third is the Wells
Fargo Express company, and the fourth
is the United States Express company
That was a recognition Of conditions
which every citizen must make if he
Stu1ioS the facts
Millions Lost to the Public.
The Wells Fargo Express company
recently declared 800 per cent divi.
dend. But its stock and that of al
the express companies is Il small drOI
In the bucket compared with the losses
TO the American people through a
cumbrous and unscientifc system of
parcels delivery. My own impression
IS that S3OO,00O,OO0 would not cover
the direct loss. while the evils arising
from the system cannot be measured
What price should the government
charge for parcels deliveries? l am
firmly Of the opinion that eventually
the government will realize that the
rate charged in Germany -one-third OF
cent a pound will he found sufIi,
cient. But for the present | would
urge the PASSAGE Of law making
cent pound the rate for all merchan-
disc, books and Notwithstanding all
into one class-and accepting pack
ages up to 200 pounds weight.
A price OF ! cent n pound would
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
SPORTS OF THE DAY

bank, thinking run was in progress
joined the throng When Jefries
emerged he was compelled to all but
fight his way through the mob and,
retreating to his cafe, locked himself
in his private office.
His fellow townsmen have made
Jeffries popular idol and he hardly
dares show himself on the street, as
his appearance is the signal for hun
dreds to make a rush to get close
sight of him.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

Ww YHILE the German postal
~ service is carrying packages
wv for one-third OF a cent a
pound. transporting them, IL
necessary. from one end of Germany
TO the farthermost town In Austria
Hungary, carrying all sorts Of parcels
up TO hundred pound trunk. the pres
ident Of the United States In his mes
sage to congress and the postmaster
general In his annual report are arous-
ing the attention of the country to d
loss of $S,OOOOOO per annum incurred
in transporting periodicals at cent
a pound.
The actual cost of these periodicals
has been accurately measured by the
postmaster general down to the one
thousandth part Of a cent He says
that for each pound of one cent mail
carried the government is put to an
expense Of 9.235 cents.
If any one suggests that Germany
and Austria Hungary and pretty near
~ all the countries of Europe are car
rying parcels ut fraction of Il cent
I'tI HOuIiu' Tue thlleu suites poSt-
office department retorts that they are
all small countries, thickly populated.
But Canada is country as wide as
ours and sparsely populated. While
we have been losing 1885 cents per
pound on periodical mail Canada found
that her profits on such mail at one
half cent a pound were excessive. Ac-
cordingly the rate was reduced to one
quarter Of cent per pound. and at
this price the government report for
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
SPEECH AND HEARING RESTORED
Cook in Lincoln Restaurant Happy
over Restoration of Lost Senses.

Lincoln, Feb. 25.-An electric shock
received while adjusting a light bulb
in its socket is declared by E. C.
Walker, cook, to be responsible for
the restoration of his ability to talk
and to hear. About a month ago
Walker obtained a job as cook in
Deahls restaurant. BY signs he indi-
Gated that he could neither hear nor
talk, and all communication with him
was by signs or by writing.
About midnight last night he aston.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

be sufficient. II the government Ot1cr-
ed n service at a cent pound for par.
cells up to 2W pounds II would almost
undoubtedly take over the hundreds
of millions uf parcels sent out 10y the
great dry goods stores, aud rs the aV.
crAgc haul for these Is less than FIVE
miles it seems not improbable that the
average haul for the United states
would from this cause he reduced to
fifteen or twenty miles.
What would bc the cost of delivering
parcels with an average haul OF but
twenty miles? II one had the con
tract ut half Il cent Il pound. starting
with the use OF government offices and
officials, he could quickly pile up a
fortune that would make Harriman's
look small.
But the matter need not require dis.
cussion. 1t could quickly be determin-
ell by six months experimental work
under the direction of disinterested
men OF intelligence and integrity. but
let us suppose that the average haul.
instead of being only twenty miles or
fifty miles, should prove to be 500
miles or 1000 miles. Who&vould claim
that ! cent pound would not bc
ample?
The New York World ships It's daily
papers to Buffalo at IA cost of one-half
a cent pound by express. The gov
eminent rate is so high that the postal
service. equipped to do all this bust
ness without additional cost, gives II
over to the express companies. just as
1t does Seven-tcnths Of the news com
pany business and all of the book bust
ness OF the country. the express com
panies always bidding under the gov
ernment's price, all this business
OF millions OF dollars lost to a plant
equipped to take care of 1t, with men
under pay to do the work because
United States senators devise legisla-
ton to give it into the hands Of the
express companies.
One thing does not require any ex-
perience. We know that more than
$50 100000 is being expended annually
to provide wagons making country de-
liverics. The postmaster general says
they now carry an average Of but
twenty-five pounds. Each Of these
could handle 500 pounds and with q
second horse, at so cents a day, 1000
pounds.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
WOLGAST To
MAKE FORTUNE
STAGE OFFERS GALORE REACH
NEW LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMP.
NELSON is OUT WITH A Def
Dane Offers to Bet Money In Three
Different Ways That He Can Beat
the Conqueror-Wolgast Won't Do
More Than Ten Weeks stunt"

San Francisco, Feb. 26.-Deluged
with offers from theatrical promoters
for Wolgast to go on the road, Tom
Jones, his manager, has not made up
his mind which of the propositions
to accept. Wolgast will not take on
more than a ten weeks engagement
at present, after which he will take
rest.
1t is also announced that while VOL
CAST will be perfectly willing to de.
fend his title against all corners, he
will refuse to consider date for the
next three months. There is some
talk of match between Wolgast and
Freddie Welsh the English champion,
but as Wolgast wants $4,000 for his
end there is little chance of any one
taking up the fight
The shifting of the lightweight title
has caused quite shakeup. Whereas,
there were not more than two nell
outside of Wolgast considered to have
a chance with the Dane, there is now
a large field to choose from. Welsh
is the shining star, but owen Moran
has friends who think he would stand
a good chance.
Thompson Wants Chance.
Cyclone Johnny" Thompson is an
other possibility and George Memsick
and Lew Powell will endeavor to press
their claims and, finally, Battling Mel
son wants another chance.
The Dane, accompanied by his man
ager, Jack Robinson, and his brother,
Arthur, left For Chicago. In spite of
his defeat he will open a theatrical
engagement in Chicago tomorrow, but
he says he will not play more than
three weeks. He plans to go to his
ranch in New Mexico for rest, and
will be ready to fight in April.
Negotiations are now under way for
a forty-hve round fight here between
Nelson and Cyclone Johnny" Thomp-
son before Louis Blot's club. Blot
has offered Nelson $4,000 for his end
and the Dane is willing to accept
The only hitch is about the permit
Blot has March permit, but if he
can trade with jim Griffin, who has
the April permit he will stage the
fight.
Nelson Makes a Proposition.
Nelson loked woebegone, but he was
full of fighting spirit He wants to
fight Wolgast again and made this
proposition:
II will bet Wolgast $1,000 even on
the result He ought to be faVorite,
but | don't care. | will also bet him
$1,000 to $4,000 that stop him in
twenty rounds and $4,000 to $4,000
that he doesn't stop me-"
According to the moving picture
men the films of the fight are good
and and the figures of the two men
remarkably large. 1t is probable the
interested parties will sell their rights.
Nelson says he has been offered $l5.-
600 for his 80 per cent interest and
Hester has received an offer of S2O,-
600 for his end.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
COLUMBUS MAY GET IN.
Town Wanted to Complete Circuit
Finds Some cause TO Hope.


Columbus, Neb., Feb. 26,-Columbus
may decide to enter the state baseball
league the coming season. President
Henry Sievers of the recently organ,
lied state baseball league was in the
city this week and interviewed some
of the local fans, and they have taken
up the question, with the result that
an organized effort will be made TO
secure money enough to make the
team a go, ii possible. On account OF
its desirable location, Columbus is
easily reached from anywhere in the
central part OF the state, and this is
strong point in favor of this city be-
ing member of the league. And
then, besides the local attendance, the
Union Pacific branches out of the city
would furnish a fair percentage OF
attendance.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
To Study PelIaqra.

\ committee has been formed in
England, the membership OF which in
cludeS the Italian ambassador the
Marquis Of san Giuliano; Sir Thomas
clifford Allbutt, regius professor OF
physics at Cambridge, and a number
Of prominent scientists and physicians,
to promote the investigation and study
of the disease pellagra.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
Names In Politics.

81 want Ia make name for myse
III politics" said the ambitious youth
"Well." answered Senator SOrShuul
its liable to be Il long and difficult
enterprise, lou'll probably have /,
put in Il considerable share of YOU
time allowing your enemies to cal.
You amy names they happen TO thiuE
Of Washington Star.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
kETCHEL SIGNS ARTICLES.
Champion Will Fight Caponi Before
Michiuan Athletic Club.

Chicago, Feb. 26.-Articles were
signed yesterday by Middleweight
Champion Stanley Ketchei and Tony
Caponi of Chicago for their fight at
Kalamazoo, Mich. The contest is to
take place on the night of March l6,
and both men are to weigh in at 100
opunds at o'clock in the afternoon,
The bout will be staged by the Ran
dali Athletic club in the Michigan
town.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04

Great Scott.
What rot
We h'gggart nation?
Com" of! You're dishing dirt.
Perhaps were somewhat gushy.
Ent lot enough to hurt.
or course We've Eot country
Z. ats second now to none,
And MS a nifty people
We rut.or take the bun.
OLA Glory is "A banner
That tops all other Aagu,
And as a textile fabric
1t Is the first OF rags.
Oug Slips Of war that cirCled
THIS biz. round globe have set
SOM" pegs of navigation
Noholy's followed yet.
IT." steel that's in our railways
Would roach the NOON and back,
And We've got locomotives
To haul them down the track.
Our buildings scrape the heavens,
And when the stars get tired
They roost upon their ridgepoles
And shine by being wired.
Our farms are so extensive
That one of them alone
Could swallow up a kingdom
And hide its king and throne.
Our one and only Peary
Through arctic storm and stress
Wont for the north pole trophy
ANA branded 1t "U. s."
our trJsts-but, say,
Why get gay
over our natural way?
By crimes.
II Uncle Sam swipes
Everything in sight
Haven't we got a right
To refer in a modest manner
To the star spangled banner?
w. J. hampton In New York Times
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
JEFFRIEs A CURIOSITY.
Big Crowd Assemblies to See Boiler,

Dig 70 wv ~S''N'
maker Cash Check. Stop Traffic.
Los Angeles, Feb. 26,-Jim Jeffries
nearly caused a run on one of the big
gest banks here today when he en-
tered to have a check cashed. The
crowd saw Jeffries go in, and all,
eager to get a better view of the big
fellow, lined up in front to see him
come out.
The crowd increased until traffic
was blocked and depositors OF the
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
PARCELS POST

How The United States Cow
eminent Could Make Better
Use of Its System and
Change the Big Postal Deficit
Into Profit Canada's Great
Surplus Cited as an Example.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
Big Increase In Deliveries.

The farmers along these country de-
livery routes suffer the greatest in
convenience and loss because they
cannot send into town their butter
and eggs and cannot receive back the
merchandise which they are constant
~ needing. II n parcel rate of / cent
a pound were established these cOun-
try delivery wagons would be loaded
to the limit Immediately. instead of
twenty-five pounds delivered, there
would he J2J pounds carried each way,
which would mean so day addition
al profit on each for the government
The only condition comparable to the
absurdity of the government operating
a S32000,0O0 country delivery service
and then making a prohibitory sixteen
cent rate for parcels, so that the wag-
Ons should travel empty, would be for
some big department store to operate
a hundred wagons in New York solely
for the purpose of delivering kid
gloves. whether there are any sales of
kid gloves or not, while his deliveries
of other merchandise were being held
back to his own loss and the public 5
discomfort.
But by far the most costly part OF
all this betrayal Of the peoples inter.
ests is not the dividends of the express
companies, but in the combinations il
restraint Of trade made possible by the
lack of means for connecting the con
sumner directly with the producer and
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
Just US. us.

THE United States is q braggart M
u.-ProfeeSor Goode of Chicago univer.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
Why Articles Cost More.

The only cheap transportation today
is in bulk. This puts it out of the
power of the consumer to secure his
food supplies in any way except
through combinations formed for the
purpose Of squeezing the last cent from
those compelled to buy The consumer
and the little storekeeper are com
pletely AT the mercy OF these combina
tons. AS Il consequence milk that on
the farm fifty miles from New York
sells for 49, cents per quart is given
out by the combination, with part OF
the cream removed, for cents in New
York.
A cent pound rate would brea
these combinations in a month. Every
man would have it in his power to get
into direct touch with the producer.
who must now let his fruit and vegcta-
bles rot on the ground or accept the
cut rates Of the combinations.
What is the answer? There is but
one. Buy out the express companies
ut any p;ice Their most extravagant
capitalization in total would not equa
the sum which the country loses in {;
single year by the present vicious sy
TEN of distribution. Then put the
ablest experts in transportation and
delivery Of merchandise at work to de-
the minimum Of labor and expense.
The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-03-04
REASONS FOR
Would Relieve Merchants,
Publishers, Farmers, Con-
surners and Manufacturers
of Incubus of Express Com
pany Domination, Says John
Brisben Walker. :: :: ~:
BY JOHN BRIsBEN WALKER.

WW YHILE the German postal
AA service is carrying packages
wv for one-third OF cent