436 AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924. 



Then, when a situation arises like this export situation in New 

 York, where there is a volume of business that we should handle, 

 if we are to handle this business as we would handle a i)nvate business, 

 or if we are to make an inc ome when it is possible to make money, 

 we should have the funds available. We should handle our business 

 in just that way, so as to take advantage of the conditions, but our 

 pay roll is su( h and our balance is such that we do not dare to put 

 on two men in Now York, even though they will earn a profit for the 

 Treasury. That i< in a ])la( e where we have rent already paid and 

 where we have statutory dorks assi^i^ned, and whore we have every- 

 thing ne< essaiy. ex( opt the additional men to ilo the additional work. 



'1 his shipping point situation in western New Yt>rk is duplicated 

 right now in dozens of places all over the (ountry. Men say to us, 

 'We aro ready to pay for tliis service." They ask, "What do you 

 * do with the fees?" We can only say to them that we put them in 

 the Treasury, and if we tell a good enough story to the committee 

 they may add something to the fixed amount that we can spend 

 next year. 



Mr. Anderson. We seem to be keeping pace with you as it is, as 

 nearly as I t an figure it out. 



Mr. Sherman. 1 do not think we can find fault with the way the 

 committee has treated this project. We are placed in a situation 

 where we have to compete with private agencies. We have private 

 agencies competing with us all the time, and we have had a private 

 agency to take some railroad business away from us this year. Last 

 year it was our service, and we inspected 5,196 cars in Philadelphia 

 last year. 



Mr. Magee. What did you charge for that inspection ? 



Mr. Sherman. S4: per car. 



Mr. Magee. Wliat does the private agency charge? 



Mr. Siiek.man. The private agencies will charge whatever price 

 they have to make in order to get the business under contract. We 

 were oil'ered the business of one of the large railroads. 



Mr. Magee. What do they charge for that service ( 



Mr. Sherman. Tliey charge all that the trafHc will bear. 



Mr. Magee. That does not mean anything. What do they 

 ordinaiily charge ? 



Mr. Sjier.mw. So far as I know, they have no ordinary charge. 

 They make contracts. 



Mr. Magee. Tiiat does not indicate anything at all. Do you 

 know wliothor thoy charge $10, S25. SI, or S2 as compared witii your 

 charge of $4 per car? 1 ask for that as a matter of infttrmation, and 

 if you can give it, 1 would like to have it in tiie record. 



Mr. Sherman. In some cases one agency is inspecting for S2.o0 per 

 car. 



Mr. Magee. What is the highest amount that you know of any 

 private agency charging? 



Mr. SiiKHMAX. 1 would nut like ti> (|uoto anyl)<»dy because w i- are 

 ilopondout upon somebody s wortl for it. 



Mr. Ma(!Ee. You have a pretty good idea of it, have you not i 



Mr. Smkr.man. There is a man inspecting at Minneapolis 



Mr. .M.voKK (inteiposing). What is the maxinunn charge that you 

 kijnw about and what is the miuinuiui charge that you know al)out 

 made by |)rivate a";oncies ? 



Mr. Shei{m.\.n. Vruxn $\.!S{) to $5, where no arbitration is involved. 



