Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1913-02-07

the proposal are Republicans who OF
other matters have been called con
servatives.
One wonders u the public generally
rsaiises that without any additionA
legislation II 10 within the power oI
Uncle Gam to enlarge the parcel posi-
operations to an almost unlimited en-
tent under the authority which ths
Law gives to the postmaster genera
acting with the interstate commerc.
commission.
Hitchcock Has the Power.
+ The law provides that II the pres
ent system does not work well ant
economically and II modineations OF
extension Of the sons system and Of
other provisions OF the parcel post
law are necessary, the postmaster gen.
erai, after consultation with the In
terstate commerce commission, and
on its approval. can make such
changes By executive order a. he sees
at.
II 10 known that Mr.. Hitchcock 10
extremely advanced In his ideas Of
what the post once department should
have within its Jurisdiction. II 10
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.
paniss ought to follow In order that,
from the Hitchcock point o. view, the
government should have q monopoly
In postofflce business OF all kinda
which he thinks belong to It.
A bill already has been prepared
and introduced into con yreas 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 II would be per
fectiy 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 ield
OF the express companies had been 90
intruded upon that they might be
forced out OF business without any re.
compense. II seems. therefore. to be
the intention Of the proponents of
government ownership, to take anoth.
or course, and to propose that the ex-
press companies business be taken
over, and that they be paid a fair
sum for what they give up. and that
the stockholders shall be reimbursed
for their Investments.
II seems likely that, II congress
shall listen attentively to ths 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
q properly constituted board has do.
cided the matter. II may be, and Der.
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 proceeding never
will come, but the plans are laid 10
make the attempt and the proposal
has perhaps as many friends as op-
ponents in the two houses Of con.
gress a. they are at present consti.
tuted
Useless Tarln Hearings.
Representative Oscar w. Under
wood and his Democratic colleagues
forming a majority Of the ways
and means committee already have
heard the pleas and the protests
on chemicals, on esrthenware. glass
ware. metals and A host OF other
things and they will go on bearing
''the fors" and "the againsts" on other
imports until the last day Of this
month and then they will prepare tar
In revision measures In virtually the
same form as those made ready at
the last session
II 10 probably true that the repre-
sentatlves Of high protection who are
now In Washington to be heard BY
the ways and means committee fully
realize that their pleas win be Of no
service. for they made the same pleas
at the last session and then the com
mittee went ahead and Wrote such
bills as seemed right from the Demo
cratic standpoint, and this 10 exactly
what Ii gcing to be done at the extra
session. The hearings have been
granted for the purpose Of giving ev'
erybody q chance to say what he
chooses and TO allow no opportunity
for anyone TO complain. when the bills
are presented that only one side Of
the case was heard.
No "cut to the Bone"
AZ has been said before. "the Demo
Gratis are not going to cut the tariR 70
the bone" THIS much is assured and
no one here seems 10 be particularly
scared over the result 10 business
when the new laws shall come into
force. The high protectionists through
their Representatives predict disaster,
but few Of the members Of congress
seemingly believe the predictions. A.
any rats the washington lsgislators
Of the protection ranks are preserving
: remarkable squanimity II they thihk
tfst the precipics IL Just ahead ana
that business soon is to break its
bones At the bottom Of the abyss.
The tariR hearings In the house
committee on ways and means win
end on Friday. January 81. II Mr.