, 1874-01-05
WASHINGTON.
The Meeting Of Congress
To-Day,
The Supplemental CiTil-Rights Bill
the Special Order.
stephens and Lamar to Speak
Against It.
The Fight On the Confirmation Of
Attorney-General Williams.
The Reduction Of Appropriations BY
the House Committee.
PROGRESS OF the Mexican Claims Conn.,
mission.
TIE Postmas.e1.Genera1 Objects to Being
Cut Down.


House tomorrow with regard to the cutting
down Of his estimate, Us contemplated By Tie
1ecently-adopted House resolution. He viii
show that the expenses OF his Depart
ment are for transportation OF the
mills, the salaries OF Postmasters. the
printing Of stamps, envelopes, and postal l-cards.
clerk hire and incidental expenses, such zs fuel,
gas, etc. The item for t1ansE Eorration OF the
mails and pay OF Postmasters amounts to over
two-thirds Of the entire expense Of the De-
partment. The average ratio OF increase in this
item has been for some years about 81z per cent,
consequent upon the opening up OF nov mail
routes as rendered necessary BY the growth and
development OF the country The salaries Of
Posrmasters are fixed BY law, and cannot be re-
duced by the Department. In making this budget
for the coming year, the Postmaster-General
estimates the amount that would be required by
reason OF the increase Of postal f.c lities ut S
per cent, instead of the average Of 81. He will
not be able to make any reduction in
that direction. The only way in which
TINT reduction could be made would be IN Con-
sress refusing the opening up Of new routes
This cannot be done probably, as usually each
member has new route to propose at least
once during lis term, and there is no disposition
to economic by denying the people the facili-
ties they demand in the way Of postal service.
The demand for stamps. stamped envelopes,
and postal-cards is Of course such that no delay
can be permitted or money saved under that
Lead.
In the matter OF clerk hire and the incidental
expenses, Mr. CresweH will maintain that re-
duclion would bo bad policy; that no mora
is asked than is absolutely necessary to do the
business OF tho Off ce.
Ie caunot cut down the ratef paid to railroads
and steamships, nor the salaries fixed by Con-
gress for tho Pacifo Meli line. II this matter
could be reduced il would be 1ner-
torious action. THIS line now receives
$1,000 CT annual subsidy, having secured al
increase in the last Congress- OF $780, 900, for
which they paid out 3 large sum OF mouey by
way Of buying yotes. At tho same time. the
business Of the Company was largely profits
ble,-so much SO that common business sagacity
demanded an increase Of their service from
monthly to semi-monthly, and this would have
undoubtedly have been made, even If Congress
had not doubled their subsidy on the the head
that it wus necessary to enable them TO make it.
II they could get no more, this Company would
be glad to ca1rs the mails as they noW
do 1or one-thlrd the amount they are recelV1oG.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
1feeass. McCrary, Of Iowa, and Hurlbut, OF
Illinois, Of the House Committee on Railroads
and Canals, hare devoted themselves during
tho reccss to tie work Of pel7ectloS
nason their bills oS affecting g;net the r suS
to the Committee at the first meeting. The
statement that any bills Of the sort have been
agreed upon by the Committee Is incorrect. The
bills which these gentlemen have prepared are,
first, one BY which Board Of nine Commlaaion- 1,
appointed by the President, and they shau
have power to prescribe and enforce rates
that may be charged By railroads engaged IN
interstate commerce. Dy the terms OF the
second biIl aid vii be given to sa ss Least Least
past. These will be the Fort St. Philip
Canal at New 0l1ean8, and the Niagara Snip
Canal, whlie the chances arc that either the
James River i Kanawha OF the Atlantic j Great
third bill will grant charter for
trans-continental, double-track freight road
There is evidently q tremendous anxiety
on the part OF tho Committee to demonstrate to
the G1angers and people OF the West who de-
maud cheap transportation, that no eEort will
be spared 10 satisfy their wants so far as the
Committee is concerned. The Committee can
hardly hope to have, any action on Of,
these bills before March, as they will
not be- called till about that time. They may at
tempt to Introduce them under cau o. tue
States, and try to force them through under q
suspension Of rules, but they would not be Like
II to succeed in such an attempt
THE BANKRUPT BILL.
The Sub Committee Of the Senate Judiciary
Committee. which has been 81 work during the
holiday recess preparing an amendmsnt Of the
Bankrupt bill, will report to tho 1ull Committee
tomorrow morning, aud later in the day
the proposed alterations, "a they may
be. agree on in tue = full Committee.
will be laid before the Senate The nam
feature Of tile work accomplished in an agree
ment to deprive the present ID" OF lts oppressive
provisions mixing 1t necessary to secure vote
Of creditors one-fourth in number, or one-thlrd
in amount, to allow proceedings in bankruptcy to
be begun. The Committee ia said to be ayerse to
making the amendments retrospective beyond
the beginning Of this Congress on Dec. I,
though strong effort will be developed in open
Sapatp to make them retroactive to the commence
ment OF the late financial panic. 1 number OF
the amendments have been agreed upon, AZ OF
which are ol considerable importance. The
question OF regulating fees is to DO refarred to
the 6upre1no Court for adjustment.
CONTINGENT FUND E1PESp1TuREs-
Congressman arriving ftesh from their con-
stitueuts are very much excited OF the question
Of the expenditure Of the cont1gcnt 1und. Inc
publications athave been made during the recess
seem to have contained . great deal Of news
for them. They express themselves forcibly:
and, without doubt the Appropriation bills will
receive moro attention thls session than has
been paid them for some yeArs. Recognizing
misused their contingent funds. they
membe Of Congress have been
figuring on their own expenses, where they find
much to amend They cannot cut short the per
quisites Of Department officers and allow their
own to go On, so II the yirtuous spasn lasta long
enough the little 1uxuries OF life in which our
Legislators have heretofore rolled at tho expense
Of the people will be ste1nly forbidden them for
at least two years. Various opinions are e1-
pressed with regard to tho percentage Of the re-
duction possible. Senator Sherman is quoted as
authority for the statement that allow
ance for contingencies in the uonse 15;lS
and in the Senate two-thirds. without inju1y. to
the public business Of the country. Many BE-
lieve that the House contingent fund can be
reduced to ons-baH it's present proportions
These things are agnifc&nt, and, while the
amounts saved will be comparatively tr1ding,
show that Congress have finally come to . resliza-
ton Of the fact that the people demand and will
have economy in all things.
TIE WINDOW COMMITTEES REPORT.
The report Of Senator Wlndon's Committee,
It Is understood, will recommend - Of first I'M
portancs tho construction Of The Niagara
Slip Canal, and system q steam