Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-23
PHELAN BILL
IS FAVORED BY
WESTERN ROADS
representative Of Association
Organized 10 Combat Arbi-
tray Rulings Of PoStoffice
Dept, Outlines Grievances,

All Of the small, Independent rail.
roads Of the west, slxty-onc in number
. are making vigorous campaign In
thu Rocky mountains and coast Sec
tons IN support Of the rhclan bill
which aims to end the controversy
that has long existed between the car
ricfs and the postofficc department
rs TO what ~ u just rate for carrying
the malls
The small railroads, organized as
the Western Association Of Short Line
Railroads, had u representative In Al
bus1ucrque yesterday stirring up sup
port for the phelan bill among traffic
men and with the Chamber Of Conn
merco, Coming from El Paso In the
morning, this representative. Winfield
scott of san Francisco, left last night
for Santa Fc
what the short line railroads are
asking said Mr.. Scott yesterday after
noon, rs easily answered. We want
regulation by the Interstate Com
mcroc commission, we want To be paid
for the mail that we are carrying, and
inasmuch as our roads 20 through
sparsey settled country aud over
heavy grades We think that we ought
to be somewhat better paid by the
postofficc department than similar
roads In thlokly settled and level
country IA the east
Get Nothing for Increase.
An of the western roads are being
paid IN accordance with a weighing Of
the mails that was done IN the early
months Of 1911. We VIII be paid moth
Ing additional until 1913, when the
ncN weighing occurs Meanwhile the
postmaster general has increased the
weight Of the parcels post packages to
the first and second zones to fifty
pounds We are carrying an Of the
inefeasc since 1914 for nothing at all.
The growth with many of the western
roads has been from three to twonty
times what il was In 1914 We are
carrying everything as mail" that will
30 into a fifty pound package. like
grain and groceries and hardware and
oven ore We are not opposing tho
parcels post and do not propose to
oppose It, but We would like To be paid
for carrying It, especially when II is
largely diverted from our revenue
from freight and express.
4. o. u. Arbitrary
Most important of an Is the pro-
vision 81 the rholan bin that the In
tcrstate Commerce commission shall
adjust any differences between us and /
the postotfice department. At present
we are regulated as to freight. express
and passenger rates. 1T there Is no
place we can go for relief from what
we believe to be onerous conditions
Imposed by TIE postoffice department,
Tor il ~ trying to mako as good
showing as it can, but we object to /
this showing being made at the OK
pcnse OF the carriers Regulation has
come to stay and If it ia ribht for
railroads and shippers to be regulated
IT is also right for the postofficc de-
partmcnt TO have It's rates flNed and
It's practices regulated by an Impartial
body not q party at interest.
senator phcan made a thorough .
study OF the situation as affecting the
small railrous before the went to /
and we believe that his
hill will end the perpetual controvcr-
~ chat has been going ON, and at the
same time take from the railroads the
necessity of going 10 Washington oyery
year and irving to get relief