The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-25
AS Much Express Business Has
Been Transferred to That
Service.
tsrEelAL 70 1nE rELEoRAn,

WASHINGTON, June 25.-A con
fiict between the legislative and adj
ministrative branches of government
appears in the presentation of the so
called Moon postal bill, understood to
have been confirmed by the postal au-
thorities and introduced in the House
at the same time that a joint commit
tee of Congress is undertaking the
preparation of bill on railway mail
pay after a thorough investigation
which has been made during the past
year.
In this investigation representa-
tives of the Postoffice Department and
the Interstate Commerce Commission
co-operated with the Congressional
committee. A special committee OF
the American Railway Association, OF
which Ralph Peters. president of The
Long Island railroad, is chairman, has
also worked with the congressional
committee and the railroads general
ly have furnished large amount OF
data requested to develop the whole
subject.
1t was expected that growing out
of the investigation of the congress
sional committee headed by former
Senator Jonathan Bourne, Jr., of Ore
gon, would develop the facts both
from the sides of the PostoGfice De,
partment and the railroads, so that
plan affording the greatest economy
in handling the mail might be effected
and which at the same time would
grant the railroad such compensation
as they are reasonably entitled to fol
the service performed.
Transferring the express business
from which the railroads derived
compensation in such large quantities
to the postal service without adequate
provision in the matter of pay is sale
to have imposed an undue burden up,
on the railroads and led Louis l.
Brandeis. special counsel of the Inter,
state Commerce Commission in the
advanced rate case of the eastern raif,
roads, to state in his closing argument
on the rate case what his investiga.
ton had shown with reference to the
question of railway mail pay. Mr.
Brandeis said in such connection.
Then there Is another element IL
Connection with this passenger train
service which we expect to find un.
ASuluueIdI4NGp anu more anu more
unremunerative, and that is the mat.
ter of the railroad mail pay. A com.
mittee of Congress is now investigat.
ing this subject, and 1t would be I'M,
proper in advance of that investiga.
ton, to express any opinion, certainly
as to what the government ought tc
pay for the railway mail service. Il
is contended by the representatives Of
the government that the ordinary
rules should not apply as to compen.
sation, that by reason of what the
government has given to the railways
in protection, in rights of way and
the like, there should not be expected
that same return upon government
business that there is upon private
business. 1t is necessary to express
any opinion as to whether that view Ii
correct, or is not correct. But il
seems to be contended by the railway
representatives, and sincerely con.
tended by them, that there is great
underpayment and the representa-
tives Of the Baltimore & Ohio, flgur.
ing that on the basis Of the passenger
train expenses. figured on underpay,
ment to the Baltimore & Ohio Of over
five hundred thousand dollars a year