Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-08-04

Jul vi tne Helu OF partisan pOiltlcS anOs
like railway rates and practices, reposed
in a semi-judicial commission holding
Office for IL years and beyond the influence
OF political contests. Anti-dumpine meas
ures have been added, too. to guarantee
business stability
Times have changed. The purchasing
power Of the dollar is much less now than
20 years ago, while public service rates
have remained stationary. These condi-
tons would have wrecked most Of these
agencies were it not for the tremendous
growth of the traffic, which under the op-
Grafton Of the law Of increasing returns
well understood by railway financers has
prevented disaster in most cases, coupled
with the aid of seasons Of special pros
perity as now. But the principle Of incre-
ment thus arising seems to have exhausted
itself in the cases Of many Of our railroads
a remedy is needed. and at the suggestion
of the President Congress has passed
resolution providing for an investigation
to determine low far the needs of such
railroads require additional revenue in Or
der to adequately man the operation Of
the properties and secure the new capital
essential for their development for proper
service to the public.
IF these railroads do not enjoy the con-
fidence Of investors, then the industry
must lag or stop, and the public suffer, and
thus the panic periodically rock the boat
OF national industry, giving us railway
depression as we formerly suffered finan-
cial depressions with our banking facilities
when wholly unoreanized and unco-ordi-
mated. Difficulties there will be, doubtless,
but the difficulties will not prove insuper-
able if they are approached in spirit of
appreciation of the rights of the public no
less than of the rights and needs Of the
railways themselves.
These are some Of the more important
laws enacted to serve and improve the
business and financial institutions of the
country.
But Democracy is more than govern
ment by class it represents all classes
and much as it has done for the business
interests it has given equal attention to
that other great element-the rural inter-
ests-whch it is not flattery to address the
mainstay of modern as Of ancient civiliza-
ton. II has provided them with three
great agencies for their betterment, two
OF which are as yet unapplied. the Rural
Credit law, intended to bring the financial
resources Of the country within their easy
reach, and the Shackleford Road law,
through which some s85.000,000 become
available from the national Treasury for
road development and improvement. and
a third agency now In its fourth year of
trial. the parcel post system. conducted
under provisions Of law which had the
honor to draft, extending virtually an ex-
press service to the farms on over a mil
lion miles Of rural routes.
This system is already handling as
many parcels. four per capita, as the Ger
man parcel post, 40 years its senior, and
at service cost less than half that by
express. 1t has lifted the parcel traffic of
the country from the 300,O0O,O0 parcels
carried by express in 1912 to the more than
7O0,000,000 parcels now carried by ex-
press and parcel post combined. In 1915
this metropolis alone posted about 5,00O,-
900 parcels at an average rate of IL cents
each, when, by express. the rate would
have been so cents, or a gross saving of
100000 to Baltimore city and its trade.
81 have been at work for some time on
manufacturers and merchants inter-
national parcel post through which to help
develop our foreign export trade, espe-
cially in South America. 1t contemplates
the shipment of the ordinary packing units
OF trade, such as a case of shoes not too
bulky or heavy for postal handling, at
rates loaded to pay the cost Of postal
handling plus the ocean freight and rail-
way rates at both ends These rates from
the Atlantic States to the interior of any
of the South American Republics ought
to mean not more than about 8 or 4 cents
pound in normal times, and with proper
collect on delivery facilities would give
our exporting manufacturers means of
entry into South America, which no other
country as yet enjoys. The present for
eign parcel post is limited to four pounds
at IL cents pound, and is almost wholly
inadequate, while no other single agency
exists carrying the small shipment from
consignor to consignee. from our country
to foreign destinations.
II recognize, gentlemen of the commit
tee, that a degree Of reserve or dstrust
properly attaches to any new program.
We cannot deny that most new programs
turn out to be unwise and impracticable,
and distrust is justified. But not all new
things prove wrong. and many prove
highly serviceable to the human family.
There is an alleged constructive states
manship that is only congeries Of vaga-
ries like the recall Of judicial decisions.
There is also an alleged conservatism that
is only prejudice and unreasoning fear
that is afraid to brush down the cobwebs
lest the ceiling may fall The true con-
sentative is. take it, the man with pro-
eressive purpose, who takes the middle
ground. who investigates. rejects that which
is false, but holds fast to that which is true.
And why has the Democratic party so
signally succeeded Because it represents
the whole people, the farmer, the laborer,
the employer, the merchant and sympa-
thizes with each Of them enough to under
stand their needs and their trials. This
sympathy gives it the vision necessary for
constructive craftsmanship.
And this great work was largely accom-
plshed while the world was on fire with
its greatest war, war which like some
cosmic magnet has sucked in all the other
great powers except our own. How much
would one Of the warning people Of Europe