Arizona sentinel and Yuma weekly examiner., 1913-10-30
(By J. E. Jones)

to secure the parcel post III the OHIC- ed States than any other living being is MT. James l.. Cowles, who has de voted more than twenty years to the work, during most of which time he was secretary to the Postal Service League. MT. Cowles is still at the task, and insists that flat and uni form rate should be given to all par eel post packages, the same as is ac- corded to first class mail, and to the publishers of newspapers and printed articles. He further contends that there should be no weight limit to articles received in the mails, and that all transportation of freight should be under the control of the government.
 Of course this will be recognized as a step in the direction of govern ment control of railroads, which MT Cowles asserts is the ultimate solu- tion of the entire transportation prob lens of the country.
 At the present time this pioneer in postal reform is pushing a plan for an experimental auto-postcoach ser vice on rural routes. He would com bine the methods of olden times when the stage route was so popular with the facilities afforded by the modern benzine wagons. His plan for the experiment is to have two large autoes equipped for freight and passenger traffic start in opposite d. rections from central postoffice twice a day over route along thor oughly graded and macadamized roads carrying only mail, as is done on rural routes, but likewise conveying chil- dren to their schools, and the people to their work, at a minimum fee of approximately ten cents for adults and five cents for children for the round trip.
 MT. Cowles declares that this plan is entirely feasible, and from an in vestigation he is positive that farmers along the routes would in every in- stance cooperate building cabins and waiting rooms. He has received some encouragement from the Post office department, to whom he has ex- plained the plan, and in time the idea will be tested This latter as sertion is entirely safe, because MT. James l.. Cowles was for years about the only man in the United States who considered the parcel post live wire issue; and whenever there was a political convention of any party, he was on hand and worked in a plank in the platform in favor of the par eel post. He brought the issue before the grangers, and farmers associa- tions, and through him they became ardent supporters of the movement and, while shippers were complaining of inadequate service by the express and railroad companies, James L.. Cowles was hammering fifteen or eighteen hours a day telling them that the remedy was in the parcel post.
 Finally, this brave general won his first great battle; and while most of the country has settled down into placid content, he is still on the firing line, declaring that only start has been made, that the present work is in it's most pioneer stages, that the problems of transportation thru the postoffice are still mostly untried and that they should be solved in the interest of the great public by bring ing the postoffice as a common car rier to its greatest efficiency.
 Are Senators "Earning their Sat?"
 There is one enterprising Demo crat in the senate who would like to earn his salary Senator Ashurst of Arizona told the senate about it Ac- cording to the Congressional Direc- tory, he was once a hyoG carrier, al though no one would suspect him of anything of the sort In addressing the senate MT. Ashurst said he want ed to protest with all the vehemence" of which he was capable against try ing to make the American people be- heve that the senate was at work, while in fact that body was engaged in drawing salaries fir work that it vas not performing Senator Shaf- froth, another We~.tin man, replied that while the senate was waiting upr on the currency hearing that it could not proceed faster than it has been doing, and he asserted the belief that the Arizona gentleman was mistaken in his statement that the solons of congress had been loafing.
 Nearly $1,ooo a Room
 An average of nearly $1,000 per room for the furnishings of the fifty three new offices for congressman that are being added to the house of flee building, has been voted by con- gress A bill was passed appropriat- Inc eS0 mn fO hn f,,v,Y, icI,;