Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-26
CONGRESS SHOWING DESIRE TO
GET, RID OF TROUBLESOME
QUESTION.
COMMISSION TO SUBMIT
REPORT At EARLY DATE
To Recommend Abandonment Of Pay.
ment by Weight and Charge For
spaes-Uniform System TO Be
Adopted For All Lines-strens Com
mission at Work.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, May 26.-Is congress
going to get rid Of that ancient spec
tor railway mail pay? Some distinct
signs and portents appear that 1t will
do so. For many years, the subject OF
railway mail pay has been threshed out
at every session of congress but little
has been achieved toward reforming
the abuses alleged to exist with refer
ence to it. On one hand, many in
congress and elsewhere complain the
railroads arc overpaid and on the other
hand the railroads keep burdening con-
gress with plants that they are hand
ling the government business at a loss,
and keep one or more lobbyists here
abouts more or less constantly TO pre-
vent legislation which might impose
reductions.
Commission to Report.
At an early date. a commission pro-
v!ded for by the last congress will make
report on this subject of railway mail
pay. 1t will present comprehensive
plan for legislation and If congress
adopts this, it will probably end con-
troversy for some time to come The
commission consists of former Senator
Jonathan Bourne Jr., or Oregon, chair
man; former Senator Richardson, Of
Delaware; Senator'S Bankhead and
Weeks and Congressman futile, of
New Jersey. and Lloyd of Missouri. All
these men are familiar with the railway
mail problem and have devoted much
study to it, and they are competent to
make a valuable report. Former Sena-
tor Bourne. the chairman, is the man
who shaped the present parcels post
law
The commission found the utmost
variety of opin ions as to what ought
to be done when it took hold OF the
railway mail pay puzzle. The result
was that the members went to work
to collect all the needed data and in
formation. With this information as
foundation the members Of the COM
mission think they have worked out
plan which will be great improve
ment over the present system. Details
Of it are not yet available but the fund
amental idea in the new plan Is to
abandon the old system Of payment by
weight and to adopt payment by space.
The railroads object to this new plan
but members Of the commission say
that after year or two. when 1t has
been tried out. the railroads will find
1T fair system
Uniformity Desired.
For one thing, the commission feels
its plan would insure uniformity. no
matter who was postmaster general
Under the system now in use. the post
office departments policy varies
widely with each new head. Some
times, the railroads are heavily over
paid and sometimes. it is alleged, they
are skimped and underpaid. What the
commission wants is a system that Will
Go away with change Of policy toward
railway mail pay every time a new
postmaster general is named.
Congress in recent years has solved
the parcel post question-or at least
established system which will grad
ually be perfected. 1t has provided for
postal savings banks. Now. IT is get
ting ready to settle the railway mail
question.
The life q the commission Is extend
ed to next December. 1t is going to
tackle the second class mail problem
next and Chairman Bourne believes
this can be solved more easily than
parcels post or postal savings banks.
He also believes it can be adjusted 50
the government will get fair return
for the handling Of second class mail
without hardship to publishers. Presi-
dent Taft named a commission to con-
slider this subject but 1t is understood
that the present commission Is likely
| to come TO different conclusions.