The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-07
THE FIGHT FOR ECONOMY.
A RUNNING FIRE ON THE POSTAL
1PPROPRT1TION hill.

The Democrats Resisting the Increase Of the
Itcms-No Frcc-Delivcry sy-tem in Ciiies
of Less than Forty thousand Inhabitants.
WASHINGTON, May 0-The House to-day
went into Committee Of the Whole, Mr.. SPRING
er Dem, lll) In the chair, on tho Post Once
Appropriation bill, and was addressed by Mr..
Holman Dem, IudD In a general defence u the
bill against the attacks made upon II some days
ago, principally In connection with the postal
car service. Mr.. Holman spoke for two hours,
and then the committee proceeded to act on the
bill.
Propositions to increase the item for special
agents from $4,000 to 100000 and the item for
CON pensation to postmasters from S6,5O0,O0O to
s7,OO0,O00 were made on the Republican side, re-
sisted the Dem ocratic side, and rejected
The latter item was. on motion Of Mr.. Holman,
increased to $6,sO0,00O.
A proposition to increase the item for COM
pensaton OF Post ONCE clerks from $50 COO to
$685. 600 was also made on the Republican side,
resisted on the Democratic side, discussed at
some length, and rejected.
Mr.. Mutchier Dem, Pa made n point OF or
der on the paragraph apprOpriatng $l,6jO,OOO Tor
letter carriers, which contains provision abOl-
ishlng the letter carrier system In all cities OF
less than 10000 Inhabitants. He argued that the
question OF economy as presented In that pro-
vision was one OF argument and Inference, mas
much as the abolition Of the letter-carrer sys-
tenn would necesstato the appointment OF ad-
MIR. Banks lib, Mass) enlarged on the idea,
and, taking the town Of Lynn for example, he
commended that u the letter-carrier system were
abolished, the 20 90 people of that town would
have to 90 daily to the Post ONCE, thereby ne
cesstating the enlargement OF Post ONCE nc
commodations and the Increase OF Post once
clerks, and diminishing the amount of matt cor
respondencc. He also intimated that 1t would
throw the business into the hands Of the ex-
Mr.. Holman replied to Mr.. Banks, and
taking the town OF Lynn as an Illus
frat inn ahn hat I'm nf
that town amounted to only $l.3i9, while the ex-
penses of the ofllce were $6,302. Part OF that
deficiency arose from the free-delivery system,
so that that very example showed that there
would be an absolute reduction OF expenditure
Mr. Randall dem, Pa.j pointed 70 the fact ap-
pearng in the report OF the Postmaster General
that in iifty.nve towns there md been last year
an expenditure of SlU3,OOO In excess OF Post Of
nee receipts, and said that the fact was estab-
lshed that by the abolition OF the letter-carrier
system IN towns Of less than 1000 inhabitants
the cost of that system colld be reduced from
$1,VOOOCU (Which II was last YEAR 10 Sl.6jOOVO.
How could ANYTHING be made clearer than the
| fact that the effect Of this proposition was to
reduce expensesI
| In the course Of the discussion Mr.. Douglas
Dem, Nn) commended that the point of order
was well taken. and he iutimated that unless
some restrictions were put upon the Committee
| on Appropriations, all other committees OF the
House might as well be dispensed with. IL was
| the province OF the Post Office Committee TO
| recommend changes. Of the Committee on APP.
prOpriations to re onmend appropriations, aud
| Of the Committee on WAYS and Means to pro-
vide the means OF supplying the revenue.
| Inc discussion beng closed, the chairman,
| Mr.. Springer, said that although two cities In
| his own district would be affected by the pro-
| vision, he trusted that he would be able to d.
| vest himself of all personal consideration In de-
| ciding question OF such i'm portance to great
| many cities OF the country. 1t seemed plain To
| him that the abolition Of an ONCE was prUnd
| tdcie retrenchment Of expenditu c, aud there
| fore he overruled the point OF order.
| MIR. Mutchler then moved to strike out the
provision aoolishing the free delivery system In
| cities OF less than 10000 Inhabitants. He argued
| thct the Tree delivery system was more for the
| benefit of the laboring classes. VINO could not
| spare time to 90 to the post ofiicc, than Of the
| mercantile classes whose clerks could be sent
| tbere. and that the proposition was aimed
| against the people. not against officials.
Without disposlng Of the question, the com
| mittee rose, and the House adjourned.