The Winslow mail., 1911-06-24
Will FIGHT
EXPRESS RATES
PROPOSE TO PUT THESE TRANS
pORTATlON COMPANIES OUT
OF BUSINESS.
OPPOSE PARCELS POST
CLAIM THIS is STEP TOW RD
FEDERAL CENTRAL
IZATION.

Washington.-The Democratic lead
ers in the House are opposed to the
establishment of parcels post and
propose to provide relief from the eX-
tortionate rates of the express COM
panies by abolishing these agencies of
transportation.
If they can have their way the rail
roads will be forced by legislation to
convey all packages now carried by
express companies at rates which will
be approved by the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
There have been several conferences
on this subject during the last few
days, participated in by Speaker Clark,
Representative Underwood, the floor
leader; Representative Lloyd, chair
man of the subcommittee of the
House Postoffice Committee, and Rep
resentative Burleson of Texas.
The leaders are opposed to the par
cells post because they assert that it
would be another step toward the cen
tralization of power in the hands of
the federal government which they do
not propose to permit. To avert what
they think would be calamity they
have reached the conclusion that the,
way to deal with the question of the
transportation of small packages is to
legislate the express companies out of
existence and require the railroads to
perform the work they now do.
Before any action can be taken in
this direction the ability of the rail
roads to handle the business now
done by the express companies must
be established. A few days ago Mr..
Burleson introduced a resolution in
the House directing the Bureau of
Corporations to investigate the COM
panies and their relations with the
railroads.
Under the law creating the Bureau
of Corporations it is forbidden to deal
with transportation agencies. Mr..
Burleson therefore will confer with the
Interstate Commerce Commission, and
as a result expects to modify his reso-
luton so that The commission will be
instructed to conduct an investigation.
In this shape it will be passed by the
House.
The investigation will be conducted
with the particular object of ascertain
ing the capitalization of the express
companies and the present market val
ue and actual consideration paid for
their stocks and bonds in money; the
value of their physical properties and
the assessed value of the same by
cities, counties or states; the relations
of their officers with railroads; how
bonds of an express company are
owned or controlled by railroad com
panies or other express companies;
the causes of the excessive transpOrta
ton rates charged for express; Wheth-
er the companies are using their
funds to oppose the establishment of
parcels post, and finally whether any
agreements exist between the express
companies or between the companies
and the railroads in restraint of trade
Mr.. Burleson' said that express COM
panies constitute form of graft upon
the American people. When they
were organized it was for the purpose
of enabling the officers of the rail
roads to ''get something on the side
The Texas member sees no reason
for the existence of express COM
ranies in view of the fact that the rail
roads are amply equipped to supply
this service under proper govern
mental regulation.