The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-01-23

legislation 1t Is within the power OF
Uncle Sam to enlarge the parcel post
operations to an almost unlimited ex
tent under the authority which the
law gives to the postmaster general
acting with the interstate commerce
commission
Hitchcock Has the Power.
The law provides that II the pres
ent system does not work we'll and
economically and II notifications or
extension Of the zone system and OF
other provisions Of the parcel post
law are necessary. the postmaster gen
eral, after consultation with the In.
terstate commerce commission. and
on it's approval, can make such
| changes by executive order as he sees
| fit.
II is known that Mr.. Hitchcock Is
| extremely advanced In his ideas OF
what the post office department should
have within its Jurisdiction. 1t is
| said he holds that the express com.
panies for years have been infringing
upon the natural rights Of the postal
service, and that therefore the TAX.
ing over Of the business Of the com.
panies ought to follow in order that,
from the Hitchcock point o. view. the
/ government should have a monopoly
In postofflce business of all kinds
which he thinks belong to 1t.
A bill already has been prepared
and introduced into congress by Rep
resentative Lewis OF Maryland and
Representative Cooke of Ohio looking
to the ultimate taking over of the ex.
press companies by the United States
government Now It would be per
fectly possible for the government, un'
der the clause In the law which al
ready has been quoted, gradually to
extend the parcel post until the field
Of the express companies had been SO
intruded upon that they might be
forced out of business without any re.
compense. 1t seems, therefore. to be
the intention OF the proponents OF
government ownership, to take anoth'
er course, and to propose that The en-
press companies business be taken
over, and that they be paid fair
sum for what they give up, and that
the stockholders shall be reimbursed
for their investments.
1t seems likely that, II congress
shall listen attentively to tn, propos
al for the taking over Of the express
companies business, dollar for dollar
will be paid for all the valuable rights
and properties that are received after
a properly constituted board has de-
cided the matter. It may be. and per
haps will be. that years will elapse be-
fore the sentiment Of congress will
allow the government TO enter into the
express business wholesale. Perhaps
the day OF such a proceeding never
will come. but the plans are laid &c
! make the attempt and the proposal
has perhaps 90 many friends as p
ponents IL the two reUses Of con
gress as they are at present consti
tuted.
Useless Tariff Hearings.
| Representative Oscar W. Under
wood and his Democratic colleague:
forming a majority OF the ways
and means committee already have
heard the pleas and the protest:
on chemicals, on earthenware, glass
ware. metals and a host of Other
things and they will so on hearing
the fors" and "the againsts" on otheI
imports until the iaet day OF this
month and then they will prepare tar
in revision measures IN virtually the
same form as those made ready a
the last session.
1t is probably true that the repre-
sentatives Of high protection who arr
now in Washington to he heard b,
the ways and means committee full,
realize that their pleas will be of NJ
service for they made the same pleas
at the last session and then the com
bills as seemed right from the Demo
cratic standpoint. and this is exacti,
what is going to be done at the extrs
session The hearings have beer
granted for the purpose OF giving CIV
erybody a chance TO say what n
chooses and to allow NO opportunit,
fer anyone TO complain. when the bill,
are presented. that only one side o
the case was heard
No "Cut to the Bone"
As has been said before. the Demo
Gratis are not going to cut the tarin t.
the bone" This much Is assured ant
| no one here seems to be particular,
scared over the result to bushes.
when the new laws shall come into
force The high protectionists through
their representatives predict disaster
but few " the members OF congress
seemingly believe the predictions A
any rate the Washington legislator.
OF the protection ranks are preservin'
a remarkable equanimity II they thinl
that the precipice Is Just ahead ant
that business soon is to break It's
bones at the bottom Of the abyss
The tariff hearings in the house
committee on ways and means vii
end on Friday. January 81. II Mr.
Wilson shall call congress together
in extra session on March Is Mr.
Underwood and his comrades will
have six weeks time in which to pre-
pare their tariff bills. II Il we're no,
for the clerical work involved the
thing could be done In week. for q
secure copying guide Is to be found
in many cases in the bills which went
! through the house last year.