The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-02
LOSSES
Will BE HEAVY
Companies Tell Commission
Proposed Rates and Parcel
Post Are Disastrous.
ACCEPTANCE IS URGED
J. L. CowIes Says Body's Action Is
in Public Interest aad Should
Be Enforced.

Five Of the big express companies of
the country. in a brief filed Jointly with
the Interstate Commerce Commission yes
terday, In the commissions investigation
OK express rates. practices accounts and
| revenues used the parcel post as a lead
ing argument against the schedule Of
rates proposed by tho commission being
put into effect.
They declared the new schedule would
result in a loss OF revenue of approx
mately s26, a year. the amount d.
vided about equally between the rail-
reads and express companies. and that
under the existing rates the parcel post
of revenue. Just how much greater this
loss would be under the proposed sched-
ule Of Federal control. the express car
riers were unable to say, but predicted
that 1t would be several times 100000.
The brief. which contained the argu-
ment of the Adams. American. Southern.
United States, and Wells Fargo COM
panies. was presented by Walter D.
Hines, Of New York. Mr.. Hines con-
sions of the hearing, explaining to the
commission statements made in the docu-
ment submitted. Exceptions were taken
to several points of his argument by
Benjamin Fairch!ld. of New York. and
others. Mr.. Fairchild represented the
Merchants Association. of New York,
the Boston Chamber of Commerce. the
Chicago Board of Trade. and the ex-
press rates conference. which includes
about 300 shippers in various parts OF the
country. The express companies argu-
ment also was advanced by z. c. Lind
ley, of the Great Northern Railway Ex-
press Company.
Cowles Opposes Contention.
The argument was also opposed by
James L, Cowies, Of New York, who said
no represented the public, the common
people,"
Mr.. Cowles vigorously attacked the ex-
press companies as having until the ad-
vent of the parcel post monopoly on
express business. and favored the extern
sion of the parcel post at nat rates. He
declared that the railroads and express
companies had been leagued together IN
robbing the people, and advised them to
submit to the new situation as presented
by the handling of parcels by the gov
eminent and by the proposed government
control of rates. He cited the uprising
of night riders in Kentucky against the
turnpike tollgates as warning or what
might befall express companies II they
continued in opposition to the public
interest. the welfare Of the common peo-
ple''
Mr. Hines, in his argument. declared
that the commissions plan for an ad-
justment of rates by blocks or zones.
somewhat on the lines of the zones for
the parcel post, II in force for the last
fiscal year, would have caused his fve
companies a loss of $2o,0oo,0oe He said
that the business of one sample day.
October q last. indicated that the loss
would be as high as $26, ooo. 900. He added
that with the establishment of the parcel
post the government has become COM
mon carrier, and the result would prove
disastrous to the carriers who had built
I'D their service at great cost and had
always heretofore served the people.