Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-10
READY TO SURRENDER, FEARING
PARCELS POST LAW OR FED.
ERAL OWNERSHIP.
ACCEPT REGULATION OR BE
FORCED OUT OF BUSINESS
Interstate Commerce Board Has at
Hand Evidence Showing Extortion.
ate Ratss and Other Abuses and
Drastic Reforms Are to &c Enforced
-Aequiesecnes Expected.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, May 10 Commissioner
Franklin X. Lane, Of the interstate
commerce commission. is engaged in
making an analysis of all the testi-
mony and evidence In the express in
vestigaticn. He will submit this to the
commission within a short time and
it will devolve on that body to make a
report upon it and to impose new reg
uations on the express companies.
Commissioner Lane refuses to pre-
dict the outcome Of the investigation
or to say what in his opinion will be
the effect on the express companies.
1t is not yet possible to say definitely
/; whether the commission will hand
down its findings before it takes the
usual summer recess tho tho impress
sion Is strong here that it will do so.
The country is looking for results
growing out Of the inquiry and there
will be much disappointment among
the patrons OF express companies II the
matter is allowed to drag along until
fall.
Drastic Regulations Expected.
The impression has become strong
here, in spite OF the failure of Com
missioner Lane to disclose what he is
going to do. and what he is going to
urge on the commission, that the ex-
press companies are in for a new ex-
per!ence and that they are going to be
subjected to sweeping and drastic reg
ulation. Commissioner Lane has COW
cred the field thoroughly in the inves-
too t0v, ,S ~ e;1y,
have been at work for many months
exploring every phase of the express
business. Testimony has been OBJ
tanned from many sources. The sub
jects of capitalization, earnings, rates,
methods. and practices have been
raked over with fine-toothed como.
Gross abuses are alleged to have been
uncovered Commissioner Lane has
had wide experience with the subject
and was pretty familiar with the situa-
ton before he undertook the present
investigation. That is. he had gone In
to IT deeply in the consideration Of
cases coming before the commission,
and when the subject of blanket in
vestieation came up he was thoroughly
prepared to sink the probe to the bot
tom.
Rates Are Extortionate.
The report of the commission is ex-
pected to- show. aside from such evils
as overca pitalization and exorbitant
earnings. that the express companies
have saddied on the country a system
Of rates that is a, once extortiorate,
unfair and unsyster,atic. Investiga :
tons made by some of the state rail
road commissions have shown such
conditions Against no leading public
service agencies in this country is there
such widespread feeling as against the
express companies. This feeling is pro-
ounced In congress. where II is freely
declared the express companies are GO
ing to ne put out Of business. The
sentiment in congress for their abolish
ment is strong. This is one reason why
the Goecke bill to have the govern
ment take over the express companies
is having hard shedding. Many mem
beers think that IL the government
bought up the express companies 1t
would have chiefly lot Of junk on its
hands for which it overpaid. The
feeling is strong for the parcels post
and there is likewise much sentiment
for requiring the railroads to do the
express business
Facing . Crisis.
Under the circumstances, II Is the
simple truth that the best thing that
can happen to the express companies to-
day is a drastic order or series OF order's
from the interstate commerce commits
sion reducing rates. overhauling prac-
tees. and doing away with the numer-
Gus impositions Of the express COM
panies on the public. Unless the COM
mission does make drastic regulations
and unless the companies submit to
them. congress is in the mood to tear
them up by the roots. II the express
companies continue in existence. they
will have to submit to stringent regu-
and lower rates at the hands OF
the interstate commerce commission
Otherwise public sentiment will grow
more and more inflamed against them
and drastic congressional action can
not be avoided. If the commission
should SO reform the express companies
as to make the public feel that they
could be tolerated. ii would give the
companies a much more secure lease OF
life than they have at present. 1t ts
believed the members OF the commits
sion fully realize. not only the need OF
stringent regulation. from the stand
point Of the public. but that the ex-
press companies are in no position to
offer effective opposition to stringent
regulation.
Ready to Aequieses.
Judge Lane has had number OF Inn
portant conferences with express OF
Acials This does not. 1t is believed
point to any compromise. 1t rather
point. to the fact that whatever STEPS
he recommends Commissioner Lane VIII
know are practical and capable OF be-
ing followed. 1t is also thought to In
dictate that when the commissions md
ings are finally given out. there Will De
no attempt on the part of express In
terests to try to block the enforcement
Of these findings thru long litigation IN
the courts.
MILLIONS IN POSTAL BANKS.