The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1913-01-10
MARTIN AFTER
EXPRESS TRUST

Washington, ID. C.,-Believing that
express companies are great mono
poly, ana merely parasites which
should be abolishoo, Representative
Martin, of South Dakota. is to push d
measure which would require the
railroads tc do all the express business
Of the country. In an interview hlr.
Martin made it clear that while he Is
a member OF the house committee on
interstate and foreign commerce, he
does not speak for the committed.
while l do not believe that there
is great opposition to my measure,p
said Mr.. Martin, ''N hateyar / say 10
to be understood as expressing rsy
own views only. The proposition is
important, and in such matters only
the chairman of the committee, Mr..
Adamson, OF Georgia. could repre-
sent the committee. My bill was In
troduced ait the last session of con-
gress, and shall push it itimmediately
after the holidays for hearing,
Express companies are merely
parasites, as view it. They perform
no important junction except merely
the collection and delivery Of pack
ages that could be done more cheaply
by local teamsters in every village
and city. The Great Northern Ex-
press Comnany follows this plan, and
according to figures furnished to tho
shows the smallest operating expense
of any OF the express companies. The
main function the express companies
as now operated appears to be to
stand between the shipping public
aud the real common carriers, which
are the railroad companies, as an ex-
cuse for exacting two cr three prices
for the services, Generally these COM
panies are owned in large part by the
chief owners of railroad stock. The
simplest as well as tho most logical
relief for the present abuses il TO ~
bolish the express companies sltogeth-
er and compel the railroad companies,
which are the real common carriers,
to do the express as well as the freight
business.
Next to the indnstrial trusts which
are compelling tribute OF many mil
lions annually, in my judgment, from
consumers by manipulation OF prices
of the necessities of life, the biggest
graft in this country is tho express
companies graft. The charges paid
for express rates for the last fiscal
year amount TO Sl46, ZIG, 600. The
amount invested in property used by
express companies is Sc .325, 900. The
companies declared dividends last
year amounting to S32, ,703. 600, which
is 1913 per cent of the Investment in
the business. A portion of this large
dividend is declared from so called
surplus, cut nevertheless TIE surplus
funds increased during tie year from
$50, ,525, 600 to $5J,2l5,0oo notwith-
standing the liberal dividend. These
companies have made 80 much money
from exDrbitant express rates that
they have controlled very large
capital. which is invested in niseei-
laneous matters. such as stocks,
bonds, and other firss class securities.
They also loan large amounts to COM
mon carriers upon which they are
holding common carriers securities
TO the amount Of $4,000, 900. They
haye worked their monopoly in the
carrying of quick transit packages to
such an alarming extent that the
rights Of the public have been serious
ly imposed upon. Express rates la
the United States are practically three
times the charges for like service in
European countries and Great Brit
ian, while freight rates in the United
States are generally lower than in
these other countries"
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