The Nome daily nugget., 1911-07-11
Especial CorrespondentD

WASHINGTON. June l4.-The sub committee on postoffice and post roads met today and took up for considera- tion the Lewis bill. which provides for condemning and purchasing the eX press companies and adding them to the postal system, and establishing complete system for the quick trans port of packages and the eatable pro ducts of the farm and truck garden etc. At their last conference in Wash ington the representatives of the busi- ness men of the country and of the farmers granges asked congress to establish such system, and represen- tatives of these interests were pres ent at the hearing before the commit tee today
 "There are two main reasons why the express companies must be added 10 the postal system" said Mir. Levi, in his argument First the express company service does not reach beyond the railways to the country or the farmers, which the postoffice does. through the rural free delivery, which is waiting with empty wagons to re- ceive the express packages and take the into the country stores and the farmers, and carry back to the towns and the cities the produce of the farms and truck gardens for the people to eat, at living prices. Second. the con- tracts of the express companies with the railways give them an average transportation rate of three quarters of a cent a pound; and with this rate the express charges by post would be re- duced from two-thirds to one half on parcels ranging from pounds to 50 pounds and about 2S per cent on heav- fer weights, as a consequence of the coordination of tn express compnav plants With the postoffice and rural delivery, and the elimination of the express company profits. which are av- eraging over 90 per cent on the in vestment
 ''The express companies are positive hindrances and obstacles tu the busi- ness of the country. The average charge for carrying ton of express in Argentina is s65l. and for the coun- tries of Europe $4l2, while the aver age express company charge in the United States is s3I.2O. They charge i've times as much to carry ton of express as a ton of freight in other countries. Here the express companies charge sixteen times as much. Of course. these charges simply prohibit by half or more of the traffic in the United States. Our average is less than one hundred pounds per capita. while that of the other countries k over two hundred pounds per capital al- though we have far greater demand for quick transport on account of our longer distances and more extensive business.
 We cannot have an efficient parcels post. The government cannot conduct it on mail railway transportation rates. at over four cents pound. in compcti- ton with the express companies pay ing but three fourths of a cent a pound. excluding the weight of equipment in both cases. which enables the express corporations to pay over fifty per cent in profits to themselves. although rem dering no service whatever to the farmers and to points off the railways"
 Mir. Lewis has worked out a system of zones" based on scientific methods from which a five pound package. for Instance, can be sent l96 miles for II cents, while the express companies now charge 25 cents and more for like dis tances; from Calais. Me. to san Fran cisco. will cost 20 cents for five pounds and S2.42 for % pounds. as against the express company charges of S5 cents and s15O
 With the rural free delivery a part of the express system, an agricultural parcels post will market the farmers produce and save them the time and