The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-11

Express Companies Compelled to Re-
duce Rates, Parcels Post Law En-
acted and Other Notable Progressive
Policies Made Effective by Taft
Without Boasting and Noise.
Dispassionate judges will accord to
the Taft administration the credit Of
putting In force more measures Of d
positively progressive character than
any other administration since the
civil war. Not only have such meas
ures been numerous, but they have
been Of great and farreaching impor-
tance. President Taft has labored in
defatigably to serve the whole people,
and by means of his broad experience
and rare judicial mind and having at
his command legal talent Of the high
est order he has put his progressive
policies one after another into valid
and practical legislation. This has
been done without boasting and noise
Whether vindicated or not at the com
ing election, Mr.. Taft's work will stand
as a chapter of achievement as bril-
liant as it is meritorious.
We wish at this time to invite atten-
ton to two specific features of gov
ernmental progress. One consists of
the interstate commerce commissions
investigation of the express compa-
nies, resulting in the recent report or
dering the companies to reduce rates
and institute sweeping reforms in vari-
GUS directions. The other Is the en-
actment Of the Bourne parcels post bill.
one Of the most useful measures ever
administration. These two reforms.
taken in connection, will exert a pow
erful influence for a reduction of the
cost of living.
Mr.. Taft has been in complete SYM
pathy with the interstate commerce
commissions inquiry into the express
business, process consistent in all re-
spects with the Administrators gen.
eral policy Of compelling big corpora
tons to square themselves with the
law and the public interest Some of
the more powerful corporations do not
like that pGogcy. but the public ought
to indorse it. The enactment of par
GELS post law brings to fruition a plan
that found Endorsement in the platform
upon which the president was elected.
Through the action Of the senate the
Bourne bill, looking to a parcels serv-
ice at the lowest practicable rates
within given territory, was subsd-
tuted for the house bill with its fat
rate provisions. The measure as pass
ed probably is not perfect, nor should
the rates be regarded as permanent.
The plan is experimental in certain re-
spects. But we believe the principle
of the act Is correct One Of the most
important aspects of this measure is
its bearing on the food situation. 1t
will give consumers and producers a
new medium of direct contact. The
interstate commerce commissions rul-
ings respecting the express companies
also make special account of this prob
lem. The express companies are re-
Quired to order their business In such
manner as to give quicker service
and lower rates on food products.
1t is recognized by all economic in
vestigators that one of the greatest
problems related to the cost of living
is that which has to do with the sys-
TEN Of distribution. Express reforms
and the parcels post will be of great
value in promoting prompter and
cheaper distribution of food products
especially, and at the same time the
scope of these measures is so compre-
hensive as to apply to all classes Of
merchandise. Production, too, should
be greatly stimulated by the influence
thus invoked.
We do not say that President Taft
deserves the sole credit for these de-
partures, but we cite them as features
of an administration that some persons
would have us believe is nonprogres-
sive, when in reality they form log
ical part OF a great progressive epoch,
which opened with the Inauguration Of
Mr.. Taft and which, in the peoples
patriotism and good sense, will be con-
tinued during four more years of the
same courageous and able leadership.