New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-31
THE STAR ROUTE SERVICE.

THE STAR ROUTE SERNlCE.
DISCRETIONARY POWER OF THE POST OFFICE DB
PARTMENT INCREASED ny THE NEW HOUSE
BILI-No FURTHER EXTENSION PROBABLE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuSE.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-General Brady was asked
by TRIBUNE correspondent to-day what reason
there was for the apprehension, expressed in many
quarters that the bill recently passed by the House.
making all public roads mail routes, wonld lead TO
great wstefulness in the administration Of the star
Route service p
No reason at all for IT." replied General Brady.
"The~ measure did not accord exactly with this
views Of the Department, for 1t simply enlarges ouf
discretionary powers. and it has been very convcn'
lent htherto-in the face Of the constant pressure
brought TO bear upon us for extension Of the stan
Route service-to have fixed limit beyond which
we could not 90. If the bill, becomes law we
shall still be limited by the Appropriation but they
say we have been ldisregardine sthatiimt alresas'
The fact is there has neverbefofe beer any syste'
matte atteinptto improve and extend the Star SER
vice. All our postal reforms have been IN connec-
ton with the railroad service and the city devey'
Such fuss has been made over The matter that We
shall. probably not attempt any further extension
of the Star service unless Congress taxes Tue 'ni'
atve.'
General Brady added that be regarded the vote IN
mart of that body and said he feltassured that the
estimates submitted lbythe' Department would be
appropriated by at least two-thirds vote.
~ 'Asnrelfmiuary and incidental 'dIscusslon took
pace in the House on Thursday, aud the Only
vote that was taken showed that large ipalor-
itv is not only in favor of maintaining these
routes. aud of supporting General Brady's admlDs-
tration but will also insist that tins opDion shouio
he expressed. without. unnecessary debate. r
Tbebu Under consideration was one which pro-
posed 10 make all public highways post ro'ies.
This might as well be done as Congress estaei'shes
,ome hundreds or thousands of new post routes
every wear without any INVESTIGATION 'ano
even without reading the bin s.by which 10
ia done. The bill was reported from the
POST Office. Committee Which is strovs
supporter of the . Star routes and was generaiiy
onnosed bv members of the Appropriations Commit
roo whchis now. investigating some OF the star
ront.s contracts Mr. Clymer. from the latter com
,,,f3e dcn6unced thelrll. and said that he opposed
snn.oonriarons of millions of dollars for star
routes. If this bill should pass 10 wonld, at one
stroke. make every public highway IN the country
n nostroad. upon which "Star" routes coud %
placed If there was money enough IN tue cohero, "
the Post Olics Department tor that ss1'
Blonnt. acting chairman of the Appropriations Oo'n-
mittee. had similar views, and limited that tne io-
MORT Of the .star" Route Investigating Committee
will condemn the manner in which contracts na'e
been let Mr. Cannon. of Illinois. also opposeu 'ns
bill.
rho friends of the measure. however. undertook
TO cut off debate by calling the previous q'es'o't
upon which the vote by teilers was o3 yeas 10 -
upvS As no quorum voted the bill went over De
fore this bill IS disposed or u u propaIie ,n' .n'
"StarD route question Will be thoroughly deDa'eo