Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-01
The House.

WASHINGTON, March 31.-The Speaker pro-
ceeded to call committees for report, when bills
were reported and disposed of as follows:
BY Mr.. Buckner. from the committee on
banking and currency-To prohibit engraved
signatures on national bank notes. House
calendar.
BY Mr.. Davis, On. C.) from the same commit
tee-Authorizing national banks to make loans
on mortgages and real estate. House calendar
| By MIR. Price, from the same committee
Defining the verifcation of returns of national
banks. House calendar.
By Mr. Clafin, from the committee on coin
age, weight and measures-For recolnsge OF
half dollars. House calendar.
| By Mr.. Henderson, from the committee of
commerce Establishing Indianapolis, Ind,
port of delivery. House calendar.
By Mr.. Hill, from the same communications
restoration to citizenship such citizens of the
United States as have become naturalized as
subjects of Great Britain. House calendar.
By Mr. Johnston, from the military COM
mittee-To regulate the purchase of tobacco
for use of the army. House calendar.
Mr.. Money, chairman of the committee on
postoffices and postroads, reported back the
post route bill, and it passed.
Consideration was resumed of the
| contested election case of Bradley VS..
Slemons, Second district of Arkan-
sas. After speech by Mr.. Sawyer in behalf of
the contestee vote was taken on the minority
resolution, reported by Mr.. Weaver declaring
the seat vacant, and it was defeated 80 to 152.
The question then required on the majority
resolution, declaring William f. Slemons, con-
testee entitled to the seat, and 1t was adopted,
| I49 to 81.
Mr.. Springer, chairman of the committee on
elections, desired to call up the Pennsylvania
contested election case of Curtin VS.. Yocum.
Mr.. Blackburn raised the question of consid-
eration and the House went into committee OF
the whole Mr. Scales in the chair, on the star
service deficiency bill.
Mr.. Blackburn said the House bill had pro-
vided in cases of star routes on which increased
compensation exceeding 81, 500 had been allowed
not for an increased number of trips, but for
expedition of schedules only-that such COM
pensation should no longer be allowed. That
portion of the bill had been stricken out by the
Senate. The only question of any moment
presented to the committee for consideration
was whether the requirement of the House
should be maintained or abandoned as was pro-
posed by the Senate amendment. The only war
in which the House was engaged was war on a
system which, in the judgment of the commit
tee on appropriations, was vicious and dan
gerous system, and which needed Limitation
such as the House bill had proposed. The spec
tacle had been presented of subordinate mud
sill clerk of the executive department swapping
his fingers in the face of the American Con-
gress.
Mr.. HaskelI--What do you mean by mud
sill?
Mr. Backburn-I mean man about the
same proportions as the man of whom am
speaking He then proceeded to quote from
the testimony of the second assistant post
master general to show that that official claimed
that he, in the exercise of his discretion. might
expend the whole amount appropriated for the
fiscal year in the first two or three months OF
that year, and then stop all star service or call
upon Congress for deficiency appropriation.
Mr. Haskell asserted that there was not dol
lar of deficiency in the star service to-day.
Mr.. Blackburn want the gentleman to
understand that tie amount of emphasis which
he flames into his unwarranted interruptions Is
altogether too gratuitOus and unnecessary and
absolutely harmless. Any man in this house
who has one idea above that OF an idiot
knows that there is no deficiency to- day, but
even a man with as little wisdom as that one
l have described will have sense enough to
know that if we carry forward the postal star
service on its present basis the 30th of June
next will find us with deficiency, l say of less
than million of dollars: But the second as
sistant postmaster general says. officially and
under oath, that deficiency will be Sl,72O,On0.
The contracts, however, extend to 1851, 80 that
it is not for this year alone that these increases
Of compensation apply, but they will apply for
the next two fiscal years,
Mr. Haskell subsequently attempted another
interruption and met with an equally severe
rebuke.
Mr.. Blackburn cited the case of Monroe
Salisbury, witness before the committee who
was interested in hundreds of these star route
contracts, and whose coontract rates had been
increased for extra service from S353,O00
a year to $913, 900 year, and yet not single
contract stood in this mans own name. This
was the power behind the throne on which
Brady, second assistant postmaster general, re-
lied upon when he snapped his fingers In the
face of the house and said to it: You say l
shall have 5000 900 for the star service, shall
have IS 600 900 and as much more as please,
and when you talk about my violating the
law will apply the power
which the postofice department and star ser
vice are able to marshal in the House and oyer
ride the limitations put upon it by your laws.
That was the issue and it was none other. 1t
was fight waged on but one object, contest
prosecuted but for one purpose, to put hmita-
! tion on the assumed and exercised arbitrary
power which was costing the government mill
| ions of money, without any reI urn or compen-
sation therefor.
Mr.. Upson said the men who were attacking
the star service should not seek to make the
issue on the trial of the postmaster general and
i
minds of measures by denunciations of that
officer. The real and true issue was whether or
not the great star service of the country
should pe maintained and provided
for. He argued that though large in
] crease had in some cases been
made in compensation for carrying the mails,
that increase was justified by the necessities of
each particular case. One of the routes of
which complaint was made the Fort Worth
| and Fort Yuma route. Two hundred and nine
ty-niue thousand dollars was paid for service
on that route, and not one sciutilla of evidence
had been before the committee on appropria-
tions showing that the amendment was exhor-
bitant. unfair or unreas enable. That commit
tee only drew inferences, and frem these infer
ences splings it's denunciation of the service.
The committee rose without coming to vote
on the bill, and the House ad djourned.
GENERAL CAPITAL NEWS.
| MONTH AND NINE MONTHS.