The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-09
RAILROAD NEWS
Rail Lines Say Mail Pay Is
Much Too Low.
Statement Issued in Answer to
Postmaster General.
EXPENSES NOW ARE TOO HIGH
Roads Cannot Afford to Handle
Mail at Less Revenue.
Other Items of Interest in the
Traffic World.
EXPENSES NOW ARE TOO HIGH

THE drastic reductions of recent
years afford unanswerable proof that
railway mail pay is now too low is
the contention of the railroads of the
country, according to a statement
made public today
The committee on railway mail pay
Is composed of Ralph Peters, chairman
president of the Long Island rail-
road; Charles A Wickersham. preSl-
dent and general manager. Western
Railway of Alabama; w W. Baldwin.
vice president, Chicago, Burlington x
Quincy railroad; w. w. Atterbury,
vice president. Pennsylvania railroad;
George T. Nicholson, vice president
Atchison, Topeka & Santa F'e railway;
f J. Pearson first vice president MIS-
souri, Pacific railway; E q. auckland.
vice president. New York New Haven
& Hartford railroad; c. F. Daily vice
president, New York Central lines; w
A Worthington. assistant director of
maintenance and operation OF the
Union and Southern Pacific systems
w. F. Allen, secretary, and H t New
comb, statistician-
This committee has recently been
making a vigorous answer to the post
master generals assertion that the
roads receive some 100000 too much
mail pay.
In 2 statement issued today, the
carriers say: The congressional joint
service, which reported on January Il
1901, is authority for the fact that, at
that time, railway mail pay was not
excessive. Senator William B. Allison,
of Iowa; Senator Edward 5 Walcott'
of Colorado; Senator Thomas s Mar
tin. of Virginia; Representative Eugene
f Loud of California; Representative
w H Moody, of Massachusetts, and
Representative T. c. Catchings, or
Mississippi, six of the eight members
of the commission, then united in the
following:
'UTuon a careful consideration of all
the evidence and the statements and
arguments submitted, and in view of
all services rendered by the railways,
we are of the opinion that the
''prices now paid to the railroad COM
panies for the transportation OF the
maiIs'' are not excessive. and recon-
mend that no reduction thereof be
made at this time
Since the commission reported, the !
volume of the American mails, the rev. /
enue Of the American postal service /
and its demands upon the railways Tor /
services and facilities have greatly in
creased The costs Of supplying rail- /
wav transportation have also greatly /
increase The necessary cost OF rail-
way property per unit of service has |
iucrea sed. and in consequence, the |
amount required as a reasonable re
turn thereon, on account of higher /
wages and prices. the higher standards /
of service demanded and the higher /
value of the real estate required for |
extended and necessary terminal /
plants
Operating expenses have grown oE |
reason of repeated advances in rates /
of wages paid to employees of every /
grade and increased prices of mater |
iaIs and supplies. Taxes have increas-
ed with the rapidly augmenting exac- !
lions of state and local governments, /
and the imposition of an entirely new
federal corporation tax
Yet during this period of rapidly /
advancing railway expenses, and IN 1
spite of the fact that at it's COM |
mencement the railway mail pay was 4
not excessive, the rates of payment for /
railway mail services have been sub
jected to repeated and drastic de-
Creases accomplished both by legisla-
tive action and administrative orders
These reductions have 50 much more
than offset the rather doubtful advan-
rages which the railways might be as
sumed to have obtained from the in
creased volume of mail traffic that in
1912 they find their mail service more
unavoidable than ever before The
following table shows the facts:
Average railway mail :
Fiscal Total railway pay per Sltoe" o.
year. mail pay postal receipts
J g91 $500 So. las. s69 S4-IS
1904 ------ 1851. SIS Us