Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-29
RAILROAD MAIL RATES.

If the railroads of the United States
had received the same rate Tor carry :
ing the mails in 1913-the last year for
which complete figures are obtainaDle
as they received for carrying hrst
class express they would have received
ss,97S,760 less from the government
than they did receive.
In other words, based on what the
railroads charge express companies for
similar service they overcharged the
United States approximately $l0, O0O,00O
a year. Instead Of being underpaid Tor
hauling the malls, as they are trying
to convince the country by an elae-
crate system of publicity, the railroads
are overpaid This is conceding that
the periodical mail weighing is with
out graft-which it is not. II 1t were,
the railroads would get even less.
AS a concrete example of the over
charge the rates paid by first class ex'
press and government mail between
Chicago and Boston may be cited. The
first class express rate per 100 pounds
between those points is $3.50. Of this
the railroad gets one-half for hauling
the express cars, providing terminal
facilities and performing other services
for the express company. The govern
ment pays the railroads $2.S1 per 100
pounds for hauling the mAls between
those two points which Is 81 cents per
100 more than the original charge OF
the express companies and $1.56 per
100 more than the railroads get from
the express companies. Based on their
charges to the express companies. the
railroads are overcharging the United
States 125 per cent for hauling the
mails.
The railroads in their public arsu-
ments for higher rates for carrying the
mails do not tell the truth. They do
not tell the public the United States
pays them a higher rate for hauling
mail cars than they receive from any
other class of traffic. excepting only
passenger traffic. Neither do they tell
the public that their contention with
the government is that it should pay
them passenger rates for carrying
mails, and it is to get this rate allowed
that their publicity campaign OF mis-
representation is now being waged.
Passenger service is the most expen-
sive service Of the railroads. They must
not only haul passengers, but constant
ly provide for them, give them atten-
ton, service, accommodations. To dc
this requires heat. water, sanitary
equipment, light, seats, sleeping cars
dining cars, conductors, stations with
all sorts of modern conveniences, bag
gage cars and baggage facflitiese al
terminals and stations, with men to
operate the same.
To accommodate their passenger SER
vice the Pennsylvania built a 100000
900 terminal at New York: the New
York Central built a $150,00,00 one
the Northwestern built $24,0O0.00(
one at Chicago, and other railroads are
going to build S60.000,000 one; a $40.
| 000, 900 one has Just been completed al
Kansas City. There Is not only the
original cost, but the maintenance, in
terest and depreciation charges that
these vast terminals and scores Of
smaller ones, cost-all due to the pas
senger service.
Yet the railroads insist that they
should be paid Just as much per cal
mile for handling the mails, which re-
| ouire absolutely no attention upon the
part of the railroads, as they get fol
handling passengers, which demand!
all the attention and expense indicated
TO the crea:. OF the present admin.
| istration OF the postoffice department
| it should be said that It has set it,
face hard against this scheme Of tn
! railroads to mulct the government AM
has announced it's intention OF carrying
! the night to the country. 49,