The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-26
the above request decided that they will not have
time TO investigate the subject at this session.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.


DISCUSSING THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR POSTAL
SERVICE - THE HOUSE INCREASING THE
ITEMS A DISPOSITION TO STOP ''TALLow
CANDLE INFRINGEMENT"
WASHINGTON. JAN 25. 1879.
The bill reported last night from the Committee
Judiciary for tie better organization of the United
States District Court in Louisiana dividing the State
into two Judicial disiricsl passed
Mr.. BLouNr. ldem.J of Ca. moved to go into Com
mttee of the Whole Oh the Post Office Appropriation
bill
Mr.. MILLS. (dem.) of Texas inquired if the regular
order not the morning hour.
The SPEAKER replied that it not. hut that the
gentleman could reach his object by voting down the
motion to go into committee But this the House
refused to do99 to G3-and accordingly at ten min
utes to o'clock went into Committee of the
Whole Mr. Cox, (lem.) of MY. in the chair, the
Post Office Appropriation bill.
Mr.. BLoUNI, of Georgia, proceeded to explain the
provisions of the bill 1t appropriated S34 9GU. 0DO
an increase of about S10OO,OUO over the appropra-
ton of last year and decrease of about 81 100000
from the estimate for the present year. But for the
legislation of the democratic House during the last
three years the appropriation for this year would
have been at least So larger than it
Mr.. BAKER, (rep.) OF Ind said that last year he had
predicted when the Post Office bill before the
House that the appropriation was insufficient and
would end in deficiencies. That prediction had come
true, and with equal certainty the same prediction
might be made about the present BILL. Any attemp.
to cripple the railway mail service the star service
was a crime against the country. The bill was then
read by sections for amendments
Mr.. BLoUNT moved To increase the appropriation
for Post Office cci ks from So AGO 900 to e3,515 900
Mr.. BAKER offered an amendment to the amendment
increasing the sum to S3GOO,OOU. the amount asked
for i'll the estimates.
Agreed to, and the amendment amended adopted.
Mr.. PAGE, of California. offered an amendment in
creasing the appropriation for payment of letter
rers from S1,9OOOOO to S2OOO,O0O, the amount of the
estimate.
dem.) of ILL.,, supported the amendment asserting that
the free delivery system not only selfsusaining,
but brought II large revenue into the Treasury.
Mr.. BLoUNr opposed it. There were only four
cities where the Tree delivery system brought any
revenue.
Mr.. CHrrTESDEN. (rcp.) of n. " favored the
amendment. 1t time for Congress to stop legis-
laing AZ if the prosperity of the country gong
backward 1t had gone far enough in tearing down
salaries and in tempting dsreputabe persons to seek
government places in hopes OF getting some dark.
undiscovered compensation.
Mr.. TOWNSEND of New York, spoke in favor Of the
amendment. The oftener mails were delivered the
more three cent pieces went into the Treasury. The
salaries of the letter carriers should be increased for
they were at present the hardest worked men in
America.
Mr. LUTTREII, (em.) of CAL. agreed that the letter
carriers were hard working men, and he thought the
laborer worthy of his hire. He would therefore
vote for the amendment
MIR. BLouNr opposed the amendment The time
was coming when the expenses Of the government
would have to he reduced additional taxes would
have to be imposed on the people
The amendment was then agreed tots to 90.
Mr.. WADDELL. (dem.) of n. c. offered an amend
ment directing Post Office employees on railroads who
cancel stamps to keep account of the stamps
cancelled, the to be credited to the Postmaster
at the station where the mail put the cars, for
the purpose of fixing the basis for the pay of such
Postmaster. Adopted
Mr.. MONEY. ldem.) of Miss, offered and spoke in
favor of amendment increasing the appropriation
for transportation on star routes from S569O,OOO to
S5,9OU,000
Mr.. PAGE favored the amendment 1t would be
impossible to establish any new routes with the APP
preparation recommended by the committee. He
appealed to the Southern and Western members to
stand by the amendment.
Mr.. BLoUNT called attention to the fact that during
the last eight that the republicans had control
OF the House they had only made an annual increase
of $40 O0Oi the mat OF the star service while
the democrats had obtained control they had added
some 100000. yet now the gentleman from Califor-
MIA (r. Page wanted the House to take the respon-
sibity of still further increasing the appropriation
for star service. He hoped his SIDE of the House
would not wipe out the record it hid made after
hard struggle
Mr.. LUTIRELL advocated an increased appropriation
for the star service, and said that, like Alexander
when he had no worlds to conquer the world would
soon have no countries to discover. He there
fore hoped the people of these new countries would
have an opportunity to receive their letters and
newspapers.
Mr.. Fem. of Idaho, took the same ground and
mentioned the case of a populous mining settlement
in Idaho where the miners had to contribute 500
month in order to get their mail.
| Mr. CHALMERS. tdem.l of Miss. characterized the
economy of his side of the House a parsimony
| 1t reminded him of the man coming home from his
luxurious club and finding fault with his wife for
having two candles burning 1t ''tallow candle
rctrenchmcnt."
Mr. CHIrTENDEN. of New York thought it was time
TO stop croaking. The wheels of prosperity had
taken new start in this country and Congress
could not block them. The democratic side OF the
House had more regard for economy than il had for
the grand irresistible prosperity of the country TAP
plause)
Mr.. DURHAM, (dem.) of ky and Mr.. BLoUNT de-
Tended the position taken by the Committee APP
preparations. and argued that the sums recommended
for railroad service and for star service liberal
and ample. After further discussion Mr.. Moneys
Am srnnS he tar ff,yt
star service to S5,9OD.oO0 adopted.
without making any further progress in the bill
the committee The House then after wrangle
some resolutions for extra printing! adjourned
at twenty minutes TO five o'clock.