National Republican., 1873-02-06

clilos the free-dellyory system was an expensive
convenience, yet, In view Of the fact that IN
those cities where II existed the total revenues
tures, tho Committee on Post onices and Post
Roads had decided TO agree ~ the pfOpOaed IN
crease Of the free-dellyery syttem. .,--,
Mr.. L. Myers, Of Pa, offered an amenumeni
providing that the salary OF letter-carTiers shall
be ti 900 per annum and after two years OF ser
vice TO be Increased to 81 200. ..,-- -.
unued qsSaie Uns on us RosIon Of &r. Gsrsd q ohio
the committee rose for the purpose OF limiting
debate on the pending paragraph and amend
The amendment proposed by Mr. Myers was
rejected, and that proposed by Mt. Cotton
! adopted. --,-.,-.
for adhesive stamps was reduced from flsibcO
On motion Of Mr.. Butler, Of Mass, the appro-
pfiatlon Of t2s,o2o for Official envelopes was
| stricken out.
When the paragraph In relation to the In
| creased compensation to railroads was reached,
Mr. Randall, Of Pa, inquired why u was pro.
| posed to give this sum for what we were now
III. hickey, q Pa, said that since the intro
d1c,on Gi the postal ,SI ,6e rosds Nr were ne dG
ernment, and that on the trunk lines between
Washington and Boston were taking the postal
cars at less rate than they carried R pig G Iron;
| Rratuity to the railroads. They carry the malls
under contract, and the postal cars were con.
yenienee 70 them; The Postmaster General haI
had declined to use that discretion. Congress
had given him that discretion, but no opposed
giving any power to increase the expense, Of the
carried with passenger trains, and was hut OF
trlnlng expense to the companies,
Mr. Dickey denied that there was any contract
by which the roads were compelled TO carry the
mails and said that for the past fifteen years the
roads refused to contract.
Mr. Randall said the transaction had every
Ia aN0aRa a.aNa n aUN
MI. Dlckey said there was no contract now, but
tho bill required that the roads should make
contract.
no law to compel the railroads TO carry the mails,
much less TO furnish the postal cars. Did gentle.
men want to deprive the people OF the postal
cars7 lie considered their adoption the greatest
advantage that had been obtained through the
Post once Department for twenty years. II
was only because Of the discretionary power
given to the Postmaster General that the postal
cars were on the roads to-day.
Mr.. Speer, OF Pennsylvania, moved to strike
out the entire paragraph. lie said that the
the g Posemns,er euerS IN NH Ss report had stated
would reduce the cost OF the mall service one
fourth. Notwithstanding this, aud tho reduced
amount q mall Mister, ,aeS were ,s,in now asked
propriated, the Postmaster General would con-
strie u as leaving the matter no longer at his
Mi. BlgQs, Of DEL, said the roads were carry
ing the malls at less than twenty-five cents per
mile for an elght-wheeled car, less than third.
class freight. n the compensation was refused
the railroad companies would take on the postal
cars on the list Of April, and we would 90 back TO
the old system OF box cars aud pouches, and the
public would understand that the House OF Rep
fesentatlves refused to pay to the corporations
fair compensation.
Mr. Dlckey said tho companies had been repre-
sented before the COMMITTEES on Appropriations,
ana had opposed the provisions Of this bill as
anordlnR insufficient compensation under tue
discretionary power given to the Postmaster
General to increase the compensation, the In
crease, II made In all in cases, would he over
three millions, but the Postmaster General did
not want thls discretionary power.
lie asserted that the Pennsylvanh railroad
was now carrying the mall In 1rst-class cars al q
less rate than pig Iron or coal.
Without final action on the paragraph the COM
mittee rose.
The speaker said he hal received a oommuni-
cation, purpOrtlng to be q petition TO the House
OF Representative, from Joseph II. Stewart, and
asked what disposition the House would make
OF u. On motion OF Mr.. Stevenson, of Ohio, II
was referred to the select committee OF which
Mr.. wilson Is chairman. The House then, at
l.hS n m adjourned