jj- 'tr
FEBRUARY 15, 1007
point of view. It does not entail any such s
ponses for storage, loading and unloading, etc., is
pertain to baggage. Station expenses are elim
inated. There is practically nothing but the cost
of haulage. Wellington, our highest authority in
railway economics, says that only 70 per cent of
railway expense is due to transportation. On this
basis the railway mail rate would be about one
third less than that charged for exqess baggage,
or about four cents per ton-mile instead of twelve.
"The following table presents the case from the
standpoint of probable total cost on the various
bases we haye discussed:
100,000,000 TON-MILES OF MAIL
At average railway express rates. would
cost perhaps .'....'. .$5,000,000
At average excess baggage rates would
cost perhaps 0,000,000
At average freight rates would cost
auouu ... o00,000
At average freight rates, making correc
tion for difference of dead load S,000,000
At average passenger rates, making cor
rection for difference of dead load 8,000,000
At actual mail rates (1898) 3-1,754,000
"In whatever way the subject is regarded the
railway mail pay seems many millions too large."
But the case of high-handed robbery against
Iho American tax-payers in which the American
government is particeps criminis, does not stop
with excessive charges for carrying the mails.
"In addition to llie regular mail rates the gov
ernment pays an extra charge for postal cars av
eraging $G,250 a year per car, although the cost
of construction of cars is but $2,500 to $5,000 each.
For two 30-foot apartments in two combination
cars, each carrying one ton of mail, the railways
get no car rental; nothing but the mail weight
rates; but for a CO-foot postal car with an average
load of two tons of mail, heated and lighted like
the compartments, and with the same fixtures as
the aforesaid compartments plus a water tank,
the roa'ds receive $6,250 a year special car rent in
addition to full rates for the weight of mail car
ried. This means ?5,3G8,000 a year for the rental
of cars worth about $4,000,000.
"The total pay received by the railways from
flie government on account of the mail was $14,
499,732 for the year ending June 30 1904. Out of
a total expenditure of $152,3G2,11G, a part of the
mail pay, viz., $5,308,000, was paid as rentals for
postal cars in addition to excessive rates for the
mail carried in the cars. The express companies
do not pay rentals for use of express cars, neither
does the government pay for the use of postal
apartments. There is no reason why it should pay
rental for postal cars. The whole of this $5,3GS,
000, therefore, should be cut out. As the remain
ing $39,000,000 is paid on the basis of a rate at
least two or three times greater than that received
by the railways for the carriage of express, it
is clear that the total railway mail pay should not
exceed $20,000,000 and, probably should be loss
than $14,000,000 a year.
. . .
"The excess of $24,000,000 or more which the
government now pays the railways for carriage
of the mails is much more than sufficient to ac
count for the postal deficit. For 1904 the post
master general reported the deficit as $8,812,709.
The year before it was $4,5SG,977. Sometimes it
has been less than $3,000,000 and at other times
more than $10,000,000. But there has been no
year in which the excess railway mail pay would
not have covered the deficit and left many mil
lions of surplus besides, surplus enough to have
justified the large extension of the free delivery
system, the gradual establishment of the postal
telegraph, and the introduction of the parcels-po.it,
such as the nations of Europe enjoy."
oooo
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, February 11. Congress is soon
to adjourn by constitutional limitation as every
well Informed man and woman knows. But trials
and tribulations are in store for certain elements
of our population. First and foremost those who
are advocating the construction of a navy which
will put Great Britain and all the other leading
nations of the earth to blush are meeting with ob
structions that fairly make their hearts ache.
This gigantic navy scheme has two classes of
backers. The ship building concerns, of course,
wish unusually large appropriations. That would
mean extra millions for them. They have thou
sands upon thousands of men in their employ. It
Is a noteworthy fact that these corporations sfand
together with a unanimity which Is truly surpris
ing. Twenty years ago it will be recalled they
wore not so harmonious. Then it was every cor
poration for itself, and Satan take the hindmost.
But in later years it Is well to remember that
The Commoner.
of'Tndurv u?"n lTT ln nI,nost CVCI7 branch
ol industry in the United States
hn tho Z f meu wb0 want Uncle Sam to
officers n? S "?7 71 th0 carth are nal
SoUon for Hii l" ie,ndS- lt W0llld mcftn P'
sta lemon? V, 1)eop,0' aml cumlor compels tho
flu " ,ll,ml,cr ot agencies arc at work to In
o Tone? TErnX" aSld H10 "-y amount
mZZ JL'1 '"" u'o enthusiasts think
5
roans n o finn, X , so called "tornry bu
Ji.n t V0Ul,ishing here and in other cities Ilk
S,e-.?!"..b.ny trpc- And they are mlirh tv in, nt
Liiuus uureaus. Tin
nninniil n ..i..v i.
is nmiwshifr. Tlio nn XM " ."."V "I? 6?c..ut
about that. l L ,ruilv "iUU iN0 hmuko
OfflSln Uinnvv1 I,C,nrSn Il0,,Sn' frm0r,y
a ,i?. J . r nV? aiuI a congressman-elect from
Alabama from the district represented for I o
mostnthSiS1'8 by r' "imk head' ? onS of he
most enthusiastic men in the land for a big navv
JLT, .bV?callod Uml " ,,a en lecturing
the subject in various parts of the country. Oa
Hobson is a democrat in politics. Ills frSs
however, incline to the belief that he harks along
the part of Uie government to prepare for war
to prevent any of the struggling nations from at
tacking the United States. On the other hand
Congressman Burton, of the Cleveland district of
Ohio, is violently opposed to spending so much
money for the building of battleships, cruisers
and the other vessels. Mr. Burton holds strongly
to the opinion that this country is in no danger
of getting Into a war with Japan or any other
nation. His speeches against extraordinary ap
propriations for the navy have been of tho most
forceful character. He has made a splendid repu
tation, and although ho is a staunch republican in
politics, tho democrats in both branches of cong
ress have applauded his sentiments. Mr. Burton's
idea is that while the country is prospering tne
millions of money some people believe should oc
spent for the construction of the largest navy on
the earth should be applied to a well dclined,svs
tematic improvement of the leading rivers and
harbors of the United States in order that com
merce may be permanently benefited. As Mr.
Burton is, and lias been for a number of years,
chairman of the house committee on rivers and
harbors, those who do not agree with him assert
in terms most positive that his claim is a selfHh
one that he would take all the money out of the
treasury for such purposes and leave Uncle Sam
in the lurch should Japan or any other nation -"ii-gago
us in war in the near future. For four years
or more Mr. Burton has been a thorn in the sides
of the republicans who wisli to put through ques
tionable schemes. His boldness in opposing his
party leaders is such that the casual visitor in tho
house galleries might conclude that ho is a demo
crat but for the fact that he sits on tho republican
side of the hall, and in his speeches takes occasion
to remind his hearers that republicanism is still
his faith.
Congressman-elect Hobson, who wants the
government to set aside so many extra millions
for a grand navy that will put this country ahead
of all other nations in that respect, it is under
stood will, when he takes his seat in the house
introduce a bill on those lines. It is also known
among his friends that he would like to be as
signed to tho house naval affairs committee, but
the chances are he will not be given a place on
the committee, for the reason there will be no
democratic vacancy unless one of the present
minority members should die.. This committee ts
one of the most important in the house, and it is
seldom that a new member is assigned to it Most
of Its present members, including both republi
cans and democrats, have served for many terms.
And it has been almost the invariable rule of
speakers of each of the contending parties to steer
clear of men who are Inclined to dabble too much
in the affairs of the navy.
Lively gossip has been heard within the past
week regarding the New Jersey senatorial elec
tion The withdrawal from the race of Senator
Dryden did not help the republican situation n
the state to any great extent. His corporation
connections, it is said, caused him to surrender.
Birt from what can be learned the selection of
Mr Briacs did not help matters much in !New
Tpmo? Mr. Briggs Is also identified with the
cornomtlons Thf only difference is he hasn't as
mud? money as Mr. Dryden. People well ac
min lilted with the situation aver that it was
simply a swapping of men of the same ilk . They
X declare that matters are moving along so
smoothly for the democrats in New Jersey that
athe next election the party is apt to give the
repubUcaus such a jolt they will realize that New
Tersov has gone back to her first love, and will
remain for many years democratic, as she was In
tho good old days-of long ago when there wat
no question as to how tho state would go. All
reports which reacli Washington are to tho effect
that the voters in New Jersey are tired of being
known ns residents of the worst corporatiou
rlddeu slate in the union.
Metaphorically speaking Mr. Cannon, presid
ing oflicer of the house, has a number of Import
ant measures in "cold storage." One, of course,
Is tariff revision. In this he Is being helped by
his closest friends in the lower branch of congress.
Another measure that he and tho other rulers of
the house will not lot como up is the Immigration
bill. A stout demand has gone up that I he im
migration laws should be remodelled, not neces
sarily made too rigid, but simply adjusted in
order that Justice may be done to all parties con
cerned. But "Uncle Joe" and those sharing power
with him want as little legislation tills session ns
possible. Evidently their policy is to stave every
thing off until after the next presidential election.
The investigation of the shooting at Browns
ville of several citizens by negro soldiers of the
Twenty-fifth infantry by the senate committee
does not promise any definite results for the pol
iticians who are trying to make political capital
out of the episode. President Roosevelt is Just
as firm as lie was the day he issued the order dls
missing with dishonor the men believed to be Im
plicated in the affair. And Iho consensus ot
opinion here is that no matter how much testi
mony is taken no definite conclusions will bo
reached for a year or more. The case will drat;
along pretty much as flic Smoot case from Utah.
The republicans have delayed that issue to the
last possible moment, but they will have to toe
the mark shortly. When that vote Is taken in
the senate there will be some of the most uncom
fortable republicans who ever had to place them
selves on record. It promises to bo as embar
rassing as when men of their political faith in the
long ago had to vote whether or not President
Andrew Johnson should bo impeached.
The republicans who do not agree with Presi
dent Roosevelt are known to be playing for the
negro vote In tho close states of the north ami
west. Senator Foraker is taking tho lead In this
respect. The Ohio statesman is clearly out of
line with the head of his party. It looks as if
tho breach between the president and the senator
will never be healed. All the talk hero Is that it
will bo war to the knife, and in the next few
months it will be determined whether Mr. Foraker
or Mr. Taft will secure the Ohio delegation in the
coming republican convention which will have to
name the candidate for the presidency. As be
tween the president and Senator Foraker it Is a
case of Turk against Turk. Each has his blood
up They are positive and determined men, and
the democrats are watching the smuggle with a
deal of interest. ALFRED J. STOFER-
V
DOCTOR MOTHER
A little wound, a little ache,
a iHiio hUstnrod thumb to take
With touch of love and make it well
These things require a mother's" spell.
Ah, sweet the progress of the skill
That science brings unto the ill!
Vast range of methods new and fine,
But when our little ones repine,
The mother is the very best
Of doctors into service pressed!
Sunshine and air and mother's spell
Of helping little lads get well,
And helping little lasses, too
Here are three remedies that do
So much more, often than the grave,
Skilled hands that tried so hard to save.
For Dr. Mother, don't you know,
Gives something more than skill gives so
Much of herself; gives, oh, so much
Of love's sweet alchemy of touch!
Upon a little wardroom bed
A little curl encircled head,
A little slender hand and pale,
A little lonesome, home sick wail.
Loved nursing, best of skill and care;
But, oh, behold the wonder there,
When Dr. Mother, bearing sun
From where the wilding roses run,
Leans down, with hungering love and kiss
There is no medicine like this!
In little child heart's hour of woe,
Pain, ache, or life wound's throb and throe,
The Dr. Mother knows so well
The weaving of love's wonder spell
Just what -the little heart requires,
Just how to cool the fever fires;
Just how much tenderness and cheer
Will calm the little doubt and fear.
How much of tenderness will ease
Alone she knows such arts as these!
Baltimore Sun. ,
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