The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-22
TWO KINDS OF EFFICIENCY


 This report an Illuminating document for those who cherish the deuson that there is magic by which public service corporations efficient than mun cipal corporations
 The neciencv of the city is the favorite cry of those who are opposed to municipal ownership because they own stock companies that might be acquired This cry of the inefcency of the city is repeated by many well meaning persons who know nothing about the matter, excepting what they have heard from the lps the newspaper organs of interested privilege.
 In considering the efficiency of the express compa- nies the commission has disclosed degree of incompet ency that would make the managers of the most igov erned city in the United States blush for shame.
 The commission declares that the express monopoly has practiced double collection of lawful charges That is the sender of package has paid end and the receiver on the other.
 The monopoly has made undercharges and over charges affecting discrimination between shippers arising out of obscure rate system and ineffective revision and supervision of accounts, which local department store should sell article to person at price, and little later the article to another person at another price.
 In order to get more money for it's service the monop oy sends packages the longest routes defeating as the commission well says, the for it's exist ence the very purpose of express company being to transmit goods in the shortest tme which the shortest route.
 The monopoly has many other pretty little ways that scarcely distngushable from ordinary swndng, for 
 It keeps from patrons knowledge of the limits of free delivery any community and takes money upon the the oy that the package to be delivered at it is not to be.
 It compels the shipper to take unreasonable re- cept with the idea of impeding recovery if his goods lost in transit and make his way justice diff ct it delays settlement of just claims and in it's greed delays COD collections to consgnors, enjoying in the meantime the usufruct of the confded to it.
 It charges unreasonable rates and makes it's rate list obscure that the public is not informed by it. and at the mercy of the monopoy's agents. z
 These but afew of the matters which the Inter state Commerce Commission has unearthed to show the real character of the express monopoy dishonest bus mess organization and public bunco steerer~
 In one respect only has this impudent and grinding monopoly proved efficient. .
 TT HAS BEEN PEERLESS PROFIT TAKER.
 Rotten service, but profits, is the story of
 The ten leading companies have taken since 1854 $2120S5 392 in profits from the American public. They have accumulated from start of almost nothing assets amounting to $185,568, ,469
 Connected with these companies some of the lead ing corporation managers of the United States; of such business shreWdness and executive skill to pria ac warrant conclusion that they knew of the robbery being daily perpetrated upon the public and that the ob rates the crcitous routing, the holding of other peoples money the overcharghg and the underchargng devices deliberately made and contenanced by them to obtain the money of others by false pretense deception and fraud.
 Compared with the express monopoly the city is a miracle of efficiency.
 Only in taking profits does the city make poorer showing because it does business comparatively at cost and takes profit.
 Which kind of efficiency does the readers of this paper prefer that of the city which gives efficient vice. that of the express monopoly which takes double and triple profits and gives inferior service? l-==-==@== -========== The