Obviously, there is no absolute basis for fruitful comparison. Greater distances, more sparsely settled territory, greater wealth, greater geographical specialization of function and hence greater need for integration between different sections, higher standards of living, more diversified demands--these are some of the features of the problem here as compared with the problem abroad which make an absolute comparison of express services valueless. But practically every feature of the express situation would affect also the freight traffic of the United States as compared with the freight traffic abroad. In other words, the express traffic of the United States before 1913 should have had the same ratio to the freight traffic of the United States as the express traffic of other lands to the freight traffic of other lands, in case the United States express companies were as efficient in comparison with foreign express agencies as the railroads of the United States in comparison with railroads.
In a hearing before a committee of Congress in 1912, Mr. David J. Lewis, then a congressman from Maryland, presented the evidence, which he had obtained from the original reports of the railways of the countries concerned:
_Pounds_ _Pounds_ _Ratio_ _Freight_ _Express_ _Express_ _Shipped_ _Shipped_ _Shipped to_ _Country_ _Date_ _Per Capita_ _Per Capita_ _Freight_ Argentina 1909 10,680 165.4 1 to 64 Austria 1908 11,260 116.6 1 to 97 Belgium 1909 16,320 199 1 to 82 Germany 1909 15,980 140.4 1 to 113 France 1908 7,480 140.6 1 to 53 Hungary 1908 5,540 67.8 1 to 84 United States 1909 16,300 99 1 to 165
In other words, the express facilities of the United States were used 50% less than in the country above showing the lowest development of express service and about 200% less than in the country showing the highest development of express service. When it is remembered that express is much quicker and more convenient than freight, although more expensive, and that the industrial processes of the United States have long been and still are characterized by a keener demand for speed and convenience, irrespective of cost, than the industrial processes of other countries, the above table becomes eloquent with significance.