A very large part of every dollar paid by you for express charges is exorbitant and exacted to pay a monstrous profit to an unrestrained monopoly.
Many of you are compelled by present conditions of competition to use the express service on a large part of your shipments, and to pay express charges which are from 300 to over 20,000 per cent of corresponding freight charges. The express charges on many classes of goods average from 5 to 15 per cent of the value of the merchandise transported.
These are the charges that you pay. But many of your strongest competitors are favored by discriminating rates and pay much less.
The express companies are now uncontrolled by law and you have no recourse against exorbitant charges; you must ship by express and must pay whatever the express companies see fit to charge.
On the 10th of February, 1909, the Merchants’ Association of New York again returned to their attack upon the express companies. Note their charges:
Exorbitant Rates
Rates so high in the case of the Adams Express Company as to enable them to pay dividends of over 80 per cent a year on the amount actually invested in their business. In 1907 they made a dividend of $24,000,000.
Excessive charges for collection and delivery varying, on 100-pound parcels, from 27 cents to $7.79 for similar services.
Unreasonable restrictions of free delivery service.