Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-31
STAR ROUTE DEF7CIENCY
DISCUSSION OF THE MEASURE
IN THE SENATE.
SENATOR WALLACE, OF PENNSYLVANIA,
MAKES A FINE SPEECH ON THE BILL
AM Gfr2s A clEAR'faksEsrATIoN
OF THE WHOLE sUBJEcT-TnE
CONSIDERATIONS IHPLUEEoIHo
THE COMMITTEE. ~ q


On Monday, March IS, the Senate
resumed consideration of the Star route
deficiency appropriation bill. The pre-
amble recites that the deficiency is
caused by the Postoflice Department
disregarding the law prohibiting ex-
penditure in excess of appropriation or
making contracts involving the Gov
ernment for payment Of money in ex.
cess of the appropriation, which def
cheney, unless supplied, threatens to
deprive the people of the necessary
mail services to which they are en-
titled. It therefore enacts that ST.
1000 900, or so mnch thereof as may be
necessary, be applied 10 meet the ex-
penses Of inland mail transportation
on Star routes for the remainder Of
the current fiscal year During the
remainder Of the year no further ex
pediting Of service or increase Of trips
on any Star route shall be made The
further sum OF 100000 is also appro
priated for placing new service accord
ing to law, provided that the Postmas
ter General shall not hereafter have
power to expedite any contract either
now existing or hereafter given to Q
rate of pay exceeding so per centun
upon the contract originally lot. This
differs from the House bill IN severa
particulars.
Mr. Wallace explained the bill ant
gave the views of the committee. Ht
said "Star routes" covered 215,0OC
miles in all sections of the country
while all other routes Of mail transpor
tatic amount to 100000 miles, SO tina
star routes cover more than twice a
many miles as railroad and steamboa
routes. The amount appropriated fo
Star routes for the current fiscal yea
was s5,9OO,0OO. The amount neces
sary to continue tho service to the ent
of the year under existing contract
mot as originally let, but as increased
as shown by the report of the sixth
Auditor Of the Treasury is 81, ,055, ,O0O
showing deficiency Of sl,1OO,OOO
Who is to blame for this deficiency
The answer that comes to Congress i
that there are over 1000 new route
created, for placing service on por
ton of which s434, 900 have been uset
during the year. In the next place i
is answered that increase in tn,
business of the country demand
cd increase in mail facilities anC
expedition of time on new routes, enc
that these facts were not calculated or
when the estimates we're submitted t
Congress. What a demand Th,
Postmaster General, on December s
said the deficiency was s1,72O,OOO, anC
asked an appropriation of s2,0OO,OOt
TO cover 1t. The sixth Auditor say
81, 1855, 900 will cover it. These ar,
very strange figures. They demon
strate that either the Postofiice De
partment did not know its own need
or the sixth Auditor of the Treasury
does not know what the service needs
for its completion to the end OF th'
year, for there is difference of s565,
| 900 between their estimates. The con
clusion is forced on US that they die
not know their own wants, or else haC
some other purpose TO serve in the in
crease or expedition of the service, AM
proposed to have enough money to d,
all the Department saw fit to do dur
ing the year. II is our duty, OF course
to take .. charitable view Of the sub
liess, and the committee call attention
to the discrepancy in the figures, 1t
certain that the House was justified Il
careful inquiry on the subject Of ar
preparations, For this purpose tn
House bill appropriated s97O,OOO. Tn
committee has adopted what seems I
be the substantial amount fixed by th
sixth Auditor as necessary to conduc
the service to the end Of the fiscal yea
on the basis of the contracts as the
exist at present, including increase
trips and expedited time. The Hous
bill was, therefore, too little by sl40
900, but the Department fixed 5000
600, more than was needed on its ow
basis. The committee have taken thi
view Of it: That II is our duty to vot
; the money needed to carry on tn
service on it's basis TO the end Of tb
year, but no more. We cannot pu
under the control Of the Department
the large surplus of s565,OOO or 5000
900.
Mr. CONKLlNG-What is TO bar
pen after July II
Mr. WALLACB-The approprii
ton bill for the succeeding year wi
be passed before then, appropriatin
what is ascertained to be required 70
that fiscal year. The Department ha
exercised its discretion under thes
laws. But in this instance the excl
else has been tremendous the increas
is more than 1000 per cent, in som