The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-07-14
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.


mittee on Post Offices and Post Roads at
its recent hearing on the various parcels
post schemes merits serious consideration
SAYS the Philadelphia Record editorially.
Mr. Lewis is a new member of the House
representing the Sixth district of Mary
land, and the suggestion is that the Gov
eminent take over by process of condem-
/ nation the contracts, franchises and equip
ment of the express companies and estab-
lish Postal Express. The proposition
is revolutionary in the sense that it is new
i'll this country; but similar system has
long been in complete operation in Ger
many, Austria-Hungary, Switzerland and
Belgium and, less perfectly, in every
country OF the European Continent except
Russia and Turkey Indeed. the United
States and its economic dependencies,
/, Canada and Mexico, stand alone in their
adherence TO the eXcrescent, parasitical
and uneconomic express company as
means of parcels delivery.
No argument is required to prove the
imperfections of the existing system and
its utter inadequacy to our needs. The
inadequacy Of the remedies suggested is
not SO apparent but Representative Lewis
made mastery demonstration of their
insufficiencv. While the express compan-
les earn enormous dividends on their
swollen capitalization, their profits amount
to but little over per cent. of the rates
charged. The margin of possible re-
duction by rate-regulating commissions is,
therefore, insignificant. 1t is true, as
Representative Lewis shows in another
part of his statement, that 40 per cent of
the $50, 273,o55 of operating expenses is
waste; but the waste is inherent to the
| express company SYSTEM and is mainly
the result of the complex method of ac-
counting between the express companies
| themselves, and between them and the
railroads. Only by the unifcation OF the
service and new and simpler way of adj
justing the payments for railroad trans
| portation could this waste be eliminated
Neither would any of the proposed par
GELS post plans prove adequately remedial
! The proposed rate of cents a pound
would impose tax of SO cents ON a 10
pound parcel, which would be twice the
average express rate for average distan-
ces, and would be prohibitive for ship
ments going no farther than the assumed
average of 100 miles from the shipping
point. The result would be taking of all
the profitable short hauls by. the express
companies, while the Post Office would
be left with the Improbable long hauls on
| its hands. A reduction OF the postal
charge below the S-cent-a-pound package
rate would not be feasible, for the avera e
pay for railroad transportation of mail
matter is over a cents pound while ex
press matter is carried at an average rate
of q cent pound. The contracts where
| by the express companies have obtained
a monopoly of low-priced railway trans
portation have been approved by the
| Supreme Court. If, therefore, the Gov
eminent should force a breach OF these
monopolies in its own favor the proceed.
ing might amount to the taking OF prop
| erty for public use; and the Government
would probably have to pay the express
companies as much as buying them out
would cost
The total assets of the express compan-
les amount to $IS6, 22l ,3oo, but tn major
part of this sum represents investments in
other companies, with which the Govern
ment would not be concerned. The in
ventory value of the companies property
and equipments according to the latest
available reports IS a little under Sac. 900,
600. and in this is included $40, 900, 600 OF
| franchise values. Interest and sinking
fund charge on United States bonds OF the
amount stated would be 81, 900. 900 a wear.
| Against this would be set the nearly S23,-
600, 900 of savings in operating cost made
possible by unification OF service and SILL
600, 600 of express company profits The
unit rate of about ~ cents pound
charged by the companies could be re
duced to Postal Express unit rate OF
LIZ cents
| To ha hfot, tf,
cover the cost of door-to door collection
and delivery, which is estimated to aver
age 5.SS cents per package. According.
| ed" with special collect and delivery
charges. The unit rate for all packages
up to five pounds in weight is provisional
| " fixed at II cents AS the weight of the
parcel increases the need of loading
the rate with special collect and delivery
charge diminishes. AT so pounds the
ordinary collect and delivery charge i'm
cluded in the basic rate OF LIZ cents a
pound amounts to So cents. and the
necessity for special loading" charge
disappears. Because Of this sliding scale
I of special charges the postal express rates
would not increase directly in proportion
! to weight. The rat for 10 pound par.
CCi NOuiu NC 10 ItlllS dllu iOl Il ZO-pOulC
| parcel from II to % cents, according to
| distance
| These rates are for average" distances
assumed or estimated from express com
pany experience, To be 100 miles. This
average is obtained by dividing the tota
OF express packages into the olal number
| of mies OF carriage. Freight rates do moi
increase directly in proportion to miles OF
transportation; and for obvious reasons
: The cost OF billing. unloading and Other
terminal operations Is the same whether
the piece OF freight has been hauled long
or a short distance. The charge for IoC
mile haul is, therefore. not four times bu
twice that Tor Il haul Of rs miles. There
is a formula, which, translated into the
vernacular, would be that freight rate.
double as distances are quadrupied
From all these data tentative scedul,
I of rates has been prepared by Representa-
tive Lewis, OF which only lew can be
specified by way OF illustration. Thus, :
10 pound package could be expressed b,
post 1000 miles for 80 cents and 1000 mile.
for so cents Is against existing company
rates of abou' 81 and 81 so respectively
Near by rates for SO pound package.
would be Ie cents for 36 rnles and II
j cents for 100 miles; for 100 pounds III,
rdteS for like distances would be as ano
SO Gents. BY a simple mechanical device
the correct rate payable for any packag,
of known weight for any distance couc
be determined AS easily as the rate Of pos
tage is by the familiar Office letter scale
Not only would the rates recommended
make the Postal ExnrecS self etnnnrtinu