The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-03-04

ne before the report u the committee has been
made to the House and its lAbors concluded.
do not see that that matter has any connection
with this bill. Ibelieve that the purpose Of the
House Is axed not 10 lot the Star service Of the
country be stopped, not 70 let IL be stricken
down by one fell bow a. the Postofice Depart
ment proposes to do. l do not want that done
myself.
Mr. Cannon agreed with Mr., Blackburn that 1t
was premature to discuss now the matter under
investigation by the Committee on Appropris-
tons. When the Committee made ils report
there would be good time oil around and he
would walt until that time to discuss 1t. He
called attention to the fact that the service In the
Eastern States had been steadily decreasing, and
yet all that decrease was eaten up by the increase
weds of the Mississippi river, aud the gentlemen
east OF the Mississippi were pressed 10 vote for
Star Service in order to get II little service on
their routes
Mr.. H skel agreed with Mr., Cannon that the
Star Service west OF tho Mississippi cost one half
of the total appropriation for that service, and
why should 1t nUtf It was west of thu Missis
slppi that the grea. star Service was; that the
great stage routes were; not In the East The bill
In its present. shape would work great injus'
tice 1t would remand the Department back to
the old pack saddle Once.a week style Of carry
ing malls. Had the Committee on Appropria'
tons In this bill placed is finger on any fraud
and said, I'VE will correct itw No. Had 1t eX
amined into the service on any routef No; but
1t had struck at the great colossal framework Of
the whole Star Service west Of the Mississippi,
4 -, thA ina aft pf
death.
Mr.. Cox inquired what remedy Congress could
apply, when the PostC flee Department exceeded
appropriations In defiance oflsW.
Mr Haskell-When the Both Of June comes, If
any officer of your departments has violated the
law, punish hini
Mr.. Cox There is no penalty attached to this
law 1 wish there was,
Mr.. Haskell Up to tn. 9Oth OF June, the mouth
ofevery one of you is closed. You have lodged
in the Postmaster General discretionary power 10
increase or decrease the service. That power
has been lodged in him by Congress- and you
cannot impesch him for exercising it, he may
be fool or an idiot, but You have given him
that power, and until he 3Oth of June your
mouth is stopped against any cry Of violation Of
law.
Mr.. Hawiey closed the days debate By severe.
ly crltlcisng the action Of the Postofice Depart.
ment relative to the Star servi ce. He (Hawley
wanted to call attention to this open, defiant and
shameless infracllon olthe solemn statutes of the
United States He had said it deliberately. That
was what 1t was. There was a deficiency amount.
ing to "a per cent Of the amount Of the original
10
had been ordered to remain within. The Second
Assistant Postmaster General said that there was
no present deficiency, and that the Department
would cut down the service so that there would
be none II Congress would not make an appropri.
alton. Could any officer escape Impeachment by
that coursef He thought not To act in that
way was to insult the legislative body, and to put
a thumbScrew on every member Of Congress. He
did not charge corruption or thievinR, he simply
appealed for reasonable and honorable obedi.
ence Of the statutes As II was Congress was act
Ing under duress. He himself was not free man.
He had no desire TO cripple the service in the
West He would willingly vote fer the increase.
He simply spoke for fair, manly, obedient ad.
ministrAhon OF the law. The servants Of Con.
gress had not Obeyed It's orders, and Congress
must mend the matter without hurting the peo-
pie and then deal with them as 1t pleased.
Mr. Blackburn had read for information an
amendment which he proposed to offer provid.
ing that appropriations made by the bill shall
not exceed SSOO,OOO.
Mr.. Baker bad read substitute which he pro.
posed to offer for the first section of the bill ap
propriatlng five hun dred thousand to meet the |
deficiency In the Star Service, providing that
compensation shall be reduced to the terms of
original contract Oh any route on which the |
price had been increased; and further providing |
that nothing herein contained shall he construed |
one route.
The Committee then rose and the House ad-
jOurned