The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-10
POSTAL APPROPRIATIONS.
THE SENATE TNCREzsING rHE
AMOUNT By s3,357,1O0.
Undoips tbs Good Work Performed bv the
Hes-e-Senator sherman Proverins 20 In-
crease the Postage on Newspapers.

| WAsHrNGToN, June o-The Chair laid
before the Senate q communication from the
Secretary OF the Treasury 10 answer to the Sem
ate resolution OF May 20, In regard to the amount
OF money required TO execute the provisions
Of the bill recently passed by the House, anne nd
ing the laws granting pensions to the soldiers
and sailors Of the War OF 1912. and their widows.
The Secretary says that 1t 10 impossible to give
. detailed estimate; but, after q conference
with the Commissioner Of Pensions he enter
tains the opinion that II will require tl555eo per
| snnum 10 pay pensions under the bill. Ordered
| to he printed, ADD lie on the table.
Mr.. Hitchcock (nep.. Neb.) called up the SEN
ate bill to provide for the sale OF the Fort Kear-
ney military reservation IN Nebraska. IL author
| ICES the sale OF said reservation to the Ietuai
| settlers at the minimum price Of Bias per acre.
| that railroad and other lands Ia that locality
| sold for $3.50 per acre, aud he saw no reason
same price. He moved TO amend the bin BY
striking out sl2 as the price for which the land
After further discn.s,on. the bril- was Isidt over
| at the request Of Mr.. Edmunds.
motion TO- Js ,n w. , qJ caed mp me
| appropnatiue fljJO00 TO survey the Austin and
lopalovampo Pacific route, was indefinitely
said the construction OF the 70 ID would omen a
vast and profitable trade between the United
| Mr.. Chrstilncy (ltep., Mich) said he was not
| opposed to tins railroad; he hoped IL would he
| buit; but he was opposed to any further Gov
eminent aid or SUBSIDY to any railroad what
| ever, North or South. Our experience In the
| past IN 70 erence to the announcement of rail-
| road enterprises by the Government had n OF
been such as to warrant a repetition OF II.
Pending discussion the morning hour expired.
and the motion to reconsider was I'D over.
The senate then took uD the Post once Appro-
| priation bill.
when II came over from the House IL proposed
TO appropriate t;3,ts9, 100. As now submitted to
il proposed to V apS1opr,a'e tds.sS in
crease oil t3351,2+l. Tho bill a. 1t from tho
| tive character looking To the reduction OF ex-
| psnses. In the JUDGMENT OF tue Committee on
| Approximations, II wss not practicable to do so,
| and therefore, tue committee recommended
| non-concurrence In tue provisions of the
House bill looking to readjustment
| OF salaries and a change IN compensation to
| railroad companies throughout tue county for
carrying the mats. The subject Of compensa-
| tion To railroad comp MES Was settled two years
| ago. but the House OF hepreseut ttiyes propose
| To open II again now. Tue Coiumi tee on Post
Offices and Post Roads had examined into tue
matter, and they we're Of opinion that It was
not advis ,ble to do so. Tue reduction of this
| np ropriation would not be a ,nctioned h, the
people. IS its result would be to abolish the sys-
tenn on railway post Offices and also cause a re-
duction Of the last mail service throughout the
country. The ameDdme MT prorosed by tac COM
mittee was TO appropriate $ij0,0O0 Tor mail dep
relations aud special "ccn :, Instead oi $1,000
sppronriited by the House bill
Mr.. Herman dem y. " said the appropria-
ton for special agents last year was slo0OoO.
amount named by the House There was no
doubt that these SPECIAL agents IN aenined their
calling. and Congress should begin tue expert
ment Of reducing the appropriation for these
men. Tie had no doubt the mail service would
ton should be reduced.
Tue amendment was agreed to. Other an end
ments proposed by toe OOmmittse on Appro-
prations we're agreed to as follows:
Providing that sum not exceeding o. 800 Of the
sppropr'1t9n for special scents may oe expended Tor
l "a
aSenis subject 20 approval oy the Attorney General
SocD 20 $4,000 ~ msrsins and raias .!snps.
from Soo $3.50 an III for he prseSSso aa" ~
iolie D, frsni 10000 ESQ 600 Also sa amSii.
$4,000 posed BY the Hou-e. providing in.t the
yeaer.l mail etaass OF eaei state aud Trrrory
eassPeg1a.! pestsd up in each pet oree "a me STATE
least sixty DAYS before time Of sucl genera let
Dc rsqa red bu tLls grovi.ion shall apply say
| other han general mail lettings.
The House pror osed to appropriate e. 900
for compensation to pOstmss,efs. and the Sem
| ate Committee Oh Appropriations reported an
| amendment to make tue sum 81 .5OJ,GN.
| that the senate committee had not recon
mended concurrence with the House la the
clause la regard "a the compensl tiou OF post
masters. reduction ought 10 be made In tue
pay Of the posImasiers throughout the United
States. In the State OF Onto the Office OF post =
master was the mos valuable once IN the : ate.
| The COMPENSATION Of postmaster Ia an ordi-
| n ~ town there W 8 more than tnat Of a Judge
| Of the supreme Court Of the STATE. The post
master III a town OF 200 Inhabitants In Maine
received larger compensatiun than tue Coy
| ernor OF the state. THIS was wrong. and should
| be corrected The senate could not refuse to
make reduction here when Il was 50 plain tn at
Mr.. Morrill, (Rep.. Me.) said he had no doubt
| the salaries OF Postmasters should be reduced,
| but could the Senator from Cato (Hr. Sherman
| or any other Senator saw how much7 II wis the
business OF the Committee on Appropriations
| prstions accordingly.
Mr.. sherman said tue Postmaster General had
| declared be could get along with $4,000 less
than the amount named by the committee. lie
| moved to amend the amendment OF the com
nittee 30 az TO make the amount for compenss-
| co.. He also gave notice that he would move at
tue proper time TO increase the rate II postage
on newspapers TO tour cents per pound, ana he
| would do 50 not to punish ns~ spaDer-. but to
make them nay some portion OF transportation
| through the uHiis.
Mr.. Herman dem, N. " said appropriation
| tiis had been the med Jun generally of raising
| salaries. and he did not see why they could not
| be "a de the medium OF reducing them.
Mr.. Sherman modified his amendment. nxlng
the mount AT Si.aO0O0. 50 as 10 provide tnat
| the reduction In the rate Of compensation so all
| be lin on the LIST day OF October next
Tue amendment was agreed to-yeas. %; nays, 15.
Other amendments proposed by the commit
| tee we're agreed TO a. follows:
Increasing the appropriation for rent light aud fuel
FROM :sso0oo 10 t42SOO0; the appropriation Tor sia.
ea. TS S 10 tor iSr @sSSSri t.
To :s lrta, IT. rom sf ~, tSS go ~ ,oa G
messenger from t47ooo to toooooi for Local agents
tO2LOO to s72OOOO for pay Of agents ana assstIns
10 dietriDule stamped n,cOpes aud Acwsp1ucr
from tlOUO 10 ilf 800 Tor transportation Of for.
elsn lis from t225OOJ TO t251OJOi ana iucreaslng
the deficiency Appropriation from sl230,6O0 to a..
| lss,l47.
| The section OF the House bill In regard to
| stamped envelopes was amended 10 read W. fol-
| lows, and az amended, was agreed To:
| Most mped envelopes newspaper wrappers shall
be 20 ~ tue Post once partmcnt at less tin
| luz all saliries ccrk hare. aud other eKpe-ses
uecteo herewith
The amendment OF the committee, providing
| tint 81 much OF the si7,00J,0O0 appropriated for
| inland mail trauspOT4 itiOn az may lie necessary.
| may lie expended to continue the daily mail
| service between Chicago aud the Pa lie coast.
not exceeding, however, the sum Of S2j, was
| agree u 10.
The last eight sections OF the bill, readJusting
| the comp nsttlOn OF postnlasters, providing
| new rat tor postal railwa service. and nxing
rate on the mail matter Of the third class At
one cent on O Gu two ounces, &c, which tho
| Committee on Appropriations recommended To
| he stricken out, we're stricken out and, on mo-
| ton OF Mr.. Witherz they were referred to the
| Committee on Post Oiices and Post Roads. that
they might be considered aud appropriate bills
reported to change the existing avs.
Mr.. sherman submitted the following amend
meut:
That ann after the LIST DAY OF January, A. D. 1877.
ali newspa anl periodical public lions m lcd tr
a xnuwu uilcc OF Publication or news y, amt
dressed to regular tuOSrrhcrt or ntws AGENT