Messrs. E. F. Oliver & Sons,

St. Louis, Mo. Gentlemen:

We have no desire to antagonize your policy in the least. We understand your superb plan to he the very antithesis of the antiquated
25 methods pursued by the Transcontinental, the Central, and other electric lines in the transfer of freight on parallel and circuitous lines, and believe that yours
50 will eventually supersede all others.

The point we wish to make is this: certain goods are now being transmitted by them free of transit charges;75 and we think it is of paramount importance that we decline to submit to such transcendent and self-evident injustice. We can not afford to postpone
100 action until our business is paralyzed before appealing to the Supreme Court and thus suppressing this short-sighted policy. The effect of their action is
125 to undercharge some and overcharge others; and we believe that we do not overstate the case when we say that such overt acts
150 are unparalleled in the history of transportation. We must anticipate their movements and do something to circumvent or overpower this hydra-headed monopoly, else it
175 will shortly crush us underneath its weight.

Yours very truly, (182)

Mr. George Frost,

Adrian, Mich. My dear George:

The writer received yesterday a call from the general solicitor of the Transcontinental Company, who with superb self-confidence began to circumvent our plan for the routing of Bailey's circus company. You
25 know, of course, my antipathy to this self-sufficient person, and that we could not for a moment entertain their policy, the importance of which
50 he greatly magnifies. I suspect, however, that he anticipated that I would soon suspend attention, so he - ever susceptible to broad hints - quickly transferred his
75 conversation to a multiplicity of other topics in which I showed no interest whatever. Of course these are matters of minor importance. The question for
100 us to decide is what action to take to avoid suspicion, and which, at the same time, will speedily bring them to task for violating
125 professional ethics.

As to the matter of extra postage, I have taken the matter up directly with the postal authorities, and may report their decision
150 to you at an early date, I hope.

Very truly yours, (161)