Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-09
Postmaster General Favors Proposed
Measure, While Transeontinenta'
Railway Lines Vigorously Oppose
Probable Saving to Government Esti-
mated at s2,5oo,ooo Annually.
Especial Correspondence

49,
most gruelling work has been spent
upon this measure by the committee
which consists Of former Senator Jona-
than Bourne, Jr., OF oregon, chairman.
former Senator Harry A. Richardson.
Of Della ware. Senator John H. Bank
head, of Alabama, Senator John w.
Weeks Of Massachusetts and Represen-
tatives James T. Lloyd Of Missouri. and
William E. futile. Jr., OF New Jersey.
The committee is unanimous In ap-
prevail Of the measure and declares
that the leading governmental author
ities including the postmaster general.
favor it also. The bill will be referred
at once to the house committee on post
offices and post roads, which is ex-
pected to consider 1t Friday If possible
and to report it out Saturday. enick
action upon the measure is likely IN
the senate also, for 1t 10 the earnest
conviction of the committee that the
bill should be enacted at once. altno
it's more important provisions may not
take effect until Jan. l, 1915.
Distinct Departure.
The bill marks a distinct departure
from the present system Of paying the
railroads. 1t makes the rates q matter
Of law and not Of regulation. Congress
SO definitely fixing these rates that
they cannot be modified except by act
Of congress. 1t substitutes space In
place of space and weight as the meas
ure Of the service rendered by the rail-
roads. and by doing away with the
quadrennial Weighing OF the mails 10
determine average weight. will save the
government about 100000 a year.
Under the present system the rail-
roads receive no compensation for ex-
cess growth OF the mail service during
the four years which follow the weigh
ing. The normal increase Of the bus
mess is about I per cent per annum.
or at least this is the average annual
increase to the government in mall
revenue in the last ten years. Under
the present system, therefore, 1t Is
found that the railroads in the course
Of the contract period carry at least
IA per cent OF the mails for no compen-
sation at ALL Under the plan sug-
gested in the bill the railroads would
receive contemporaneous credit with
their performance Of service. With this
plan in operation the law specifying
would be minimized. The govern
ment receives absolute protection I'M
der this plan because the postmaster
general has the sole right Of initiative
in the authorization OF space to be
used. He can call for as much or as
little space as the postal service may
need. and compensation will be deter
mined absolutely by the amount Of
Uh
or not. It Is, Of course. for the interest
Of the government to keep its space
full
Based on Two Credits.
The rates are based on two credits.
covering two distinct services. The
first Is the line charge. based on the
car-mile, the other the terminal charge
/ covering loading and unloading in
stations, cleaning and switching cars
in stations for each of which operat-
tion sum fixed by the law will be paid
in addition to the line charge. Thus a
eO-foot car, R. P. o. and storage will
earn 81 cents the car-mile and ter
minal or transfer charge Of $3.50 the
round trip: a 39-foot car, II cents the
car mile and $3.50 the round trip; a
| Is foot car, cents the -car-mile and
1920 the round trip; closed pouch
space. cents the car-mile and s1.20
the round trip.
| These rates are admittedly little
less than the computations Of the in
! terstate commerce commission show
| the railroads are receiving for COM
mercial business Thus the lowest
| charge for a switching movement IS
| found to be $3.50, while the allowance
in the committee bill is only 1925 for
each. The allowance for cleaning is 50
cents. where the statistics show that SO
cents, has been the charge to the rail-
roads. Under the present system R
| P. O.and storage cars return a revenue
to the railroad of 22.4 cents the ton
mile as against passenger revenue OF
24.9s cents. This. it will be seen. is
higher than the 81 cents offered by
the government under the present bill
Re- reimbursement for lighting. santa
ton and hear is presumed to belumped
In the line charge.
| Ono Needed Reform.
On the other hand, the new system
will relieve the railroads completely Of
the bothersome side and transfer ser
vice Of delivery. The law now pro-
vides where postoffice is within eigh-
ty rods Of railroad station the rail-
road company shall deliver the mail
! at the door. The committee regards
this operation as wholly unscientifie
and not part of transportation. They
| say that the railroad might as well be
| compelled to deliver goods to the
door Of the merchant as to carry mai
pouches and packages to the offices
Of the government. Hereafter, under
the proposed law. the responsibility 81
the railroad will end when the mai
| is passed out from the train.
The great rans-continental railroad
systems are unit in opposition to the
committee bill. for 1t unquestionabl9
would reduce their revenues. Accord.
ing to the calculations OF DR.. NJ. Q
Lorenz. assistant statistician of the in
terstate commerce commission, thu
4 N ilroad revenue for CARRYING expres!