Mr. GUTHRIE. These express companies are not very opnlar in the community. They are suppose to make a good deal of money, and I never knew anybo y to be very popular who was supposed to get more than his share. An express company on a long line, say from NewYork or Boston to Cincinnati or Louisl ville, make arrangements with the railroad companies to carry a car for them or furnish them room in a car, for which they pay each press companies make, a charge beyond that road so much annually or so much per 100 i Weight carried. They undertake with the rail roa company to bear all risks, receive all goods offerd, and deliver them, and bear the railrond company harmless except from dam ages that arise from the negligence of the railroad company. It is for that guarantee, that insurance, and for collecting the goods and delivering them to the parties for whom they are intended at the place of destination, that exwhich is allowed to the railroad companies. Every railroad, to a certain extent, runs in competition with the express companies; but their guarantee under the liabilities of the law is not as good as the personal guarantee of the express companies, and hence the people prefer to patronize the latter. If an express comny undertakes to carry $100,000, and a robery is committed before the money reaches its destination, the owner expects immediate payment and not payment at the end of a law suit. When 1 was in the Treasury Dept one of these express companies lost $50,000 of Government money intrusted to them. They made avery fair representation of the case, but as SecyTreasury I told them that they could never carry a dollar more until they paid that, and they paid it up, for they wanted the business. So it is with individuals; they require them to stand up to their bargains. No railroad‘company that 1 know of would be able to respond at once to such a liability. The railroad companies are not able to keep on hand the amonnt necessary to meet such contingen cies. The Adams Express Company, which I believe is one of the strongest there is, has a surplus invested which is probably sufficient to meet all the hazards, and they do it very promptly. It is impossible that the community can have these guarantees and these extra services and thisprompt payment on the part of the express companies without aying something in return. They are running lightning express lines by arrangements with the railroad companies. They charge more than the railroad companies; but if the railroad companies were to undertake to do the business it would be broken up in u very short time, because there is not the same liability and security to the public. We found during the war that the Adams Express Company made a great deal of money. They were the only line that were allowed by the military authorities to carry anything over the Louisville and Nashville railroad. The railroad company was prohibited from carrying anything except Government supplies and Government troops. The railroad company could not can ya dollar’s worth of freight over the road, and the express companies had the business all to themselves. This threw an immense and very profitable business into their hands, and they got to be exceedingly odious to everybody who did not like to see other people grow rich fast. I am satisfied that if the pubic have the accommodation of the express lines and have their uarantee, they will always have to pay for it. lost of these express companies pay for the transportation of their goods to the railroad companies fully 1/2 of their receipts; and a tax of 3%. on their gross receipts is equivalent to 6%. on their earnings, because they pay one hulfniid sometimes a greater proportion to the railroad companies who transport their freight. The amenrment was rejected.