Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1913-08-28
ASK INCREASE IN PAY FOR
HAULING PARCEL POST MAIL
Western Railroads Unite In Petition
90 Postmaster General.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 16.-Officials OF
seventeen Western railroads signed
a telegram that was sent today TO
Postmaster General Burleson, urg-
ing the government TO increase the
compensation for handling the mails.
The Increase Is asked on the ground
that the volume OF mail greatly has
increased as a result Of the estab-
lishment Of the parcel post, and will
increase further after August 90.
The telegram was sent as the re-
suit Of investigations conducted by
a committee appointed by the rail-
roads. The telegram says:
THE undersigned are prompted
respectfully TO ask you to consider
whether the United States govern
ment Is really dealing fairly with
the railroads OF the country as 10
the matter OF pay In connection with
the introduction and extension OF
parcel post service
THE testimony OF the postoffice
department before the senate com
mittee. July 25th, showed that the
first three months business in that
department after the installation OF
the parcel post had a gross increase
in postal revenue OF 1854 per cent,
OF which at least ole per cent was
attributed TO the new parcel post
system.
ION the basis OF this statement,
the government must have collected
not less than i1.226. 500 In revenuoI
from the parcel post for the first six
months beginning January LIST.
"As this was before any arrange
mcnt had been made TO reimburse
the railroads for taking care OF this
new feature OF the postal service,
not ono dollar OF this big return was
paid TO any OF them for transporting
the entire business referred 10.
ITO remuncrate the transporta-
ton companies for the additional
parcel post business transported.
congress provided, beginning July
let. per cent gross Increase In |
their mail pay based upon rates, /
zones and weight limit In tho origi-
nal act, although the additional
business transported amounted 10 at
least Gle per cent, according 60 the
testimony OF tho postofflco depart
mont. or nearly double that provided
In the allowance Tho extension OF
the parcel post to be lnauguratod
August 18th. when the weight limit
IL 10 be raised from fl 10 20 pounds
aud mileage increased. IL certain 10
result In n vast enlargement OF bust
noas.
The government will collect
postage on this business. but no pro-
vision has yet been made TO pay the
railroads for transporting Il. Not
only viii they receive no compensa-
Ion for this Increased business. but
will suffer tho actual loss OF earn
ngs previously derived from the
'ame traffic when carried as express
Ind freight.
mo code Of business requires
service without pay. and Il 10 espe-
Tally for the United States govern
nent TO require the railroads or any !
'ther interest TO serve Il without re-
Congress IL In session and can
Immediately remedy this condition
n accordance with suggestions made
" the committee on railway mail
'ay In letter to you July 3Oth,
which we endorse and urge upon
our consideration" I
The telegram 10 signed by officials
u the following railroads: Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe. Missouri Pa I
'ifie-lron Mountain; Chicago. Bur I
lngton AID Quincy; Missouri. Kan Z
'as and Texas; Chicago. Milwaukee /
Ind ST. Paul: 81. Southwest I
Urn; Chicago. Rock Island and Pa /
'ific; Union Pacific; Wabash; hi I
nols Central; Chicago and North !
western; Chicago Great Western: ,
g. Louis and San Francisco; Den
yer and Rio Grande; Texas and Pa 1
rifle; Chicago and Eastern Illinois:
Chicago and Alton.