New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-11
URGES FLAT CHARGE
FOR EXPRESS MATTER
Secretary of Postal Progress
League Says Companies
Favor Europe.
COURTS CRITIC SCOLDED
st. Louis Man Asks Commerce
Commission to Enforce
Even More Drastic
Reductions.

Washington, Oct. 10.-A fat charge TOT
all packages, whatever their contents and
whatever the distance OF transportation
was advocated by James L. Cowles. secre-
tary of the Postal Progress League, on
| the resumption to-day Of the express rate
hearing before the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Mr.. Cowles said the American Express
Company at present was carrying parcels
from Europe up to eleven pounds weight
at fiat rate OF % cents to any part OF
the United States. He believed that such
service could be given to the people OF
this country at a profit 10 the carriers.
provided their business was managed ef-
iclently
"One trouble is that there Is no eff
cheney In the car service" he insisted.
The Railway Age has pointed out that
81 80 a day and that its average daily
mileage is only sixteen miles. Why, the
modern freight cars do not earn as much
as the old-fashioned stage coach earned
half century ago."
c. l.. Delbridge. Of st. Louis, who said
he appeared for "one hundred million un-
crowned kings and queens Of America,
urged the commission TO enforce even more
drastic reductions than those proposed.
He related some Of his own experiences
in which he said he had received no salts
faction either from the companies or from
the courts.
81 have ceased practising In half the
courts" he declared, because l found
them to be merely the refuge Of thieves
and murderers."
Chairman Prouty interrupted with an
admonition to Mr.. Delbridge not to be Sc
critical of the courts.
The statements to-day covered wide
range OF views, various representatives OF
shippers occupying most of the time
Walter Drew, of Madison. Wis. speaking
for the Master Bakers Association. urged
that no disturbance OF the existing spe'
cial rates on bread be permitted. His
contention will be made the subject Of q
special petition.
Says ST. Louis Is Favored.
T. K Redchick, of the Memphis Freight
Bureau. said the proposed rates favored
competitor Of the Missouri city for West
ern business. He urged that the ineQuali-
ties in rates be adjusted.
3. L. Fairchild, speaking for the Boston
Chamber OF Commerce and several New
York commercial bodies. vigorously In
sisted that the case should not be re-
opened to permit the railroads TO become
interveners.
Frank Lyon, formerly an attorney for
the commission. maintained that the rail-
roads ought not to be permitted to inter-
vene In the case. because the express
companies were the natural principals.
and the rail carriers were merely the
agents Of those companies. He pointed
out that the railroads. as shown by Stats
tics he presented. were receiving at pres
ent quite rs per cent more revenue from
their express business than they received
prior TO 1900.
Walker D. Hines. for the express CON-
panies, began the closing argument with
an elaboration of his first statement, that
the express companies would suffer not
only serious losses, but would be con-
fronted by a heavy deficit. II the proposed
rates were made effective. While the
companies, he said, had made prior 10
1857 u or Il per cent In profits. the per-
centage Of actual profit for 1912 thus far
was less than T. Mr.. Hines had not I'm
ished when the commission took recess
until tomorrow.