Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-31

after given to rate of pay exceeding
80 per centum upon the contract as
originally let. II that proviso bad
been in force before 1879 we would
hav6 no complaint on this subject OF
increased expedition. The contracts
couldnot have been takeni they would
have had to be surrendered and new
ones made, As the law now stands
the Postmaster General has no benefit
from competition. lie is obliged to
give the increase to original contract.
ors. Tho Senate ,SiN leaves the qucs,
tion of right or wrong in this increase
to be settled IN the bill ioi the next
year. The effect of the House bill in
striking down these lO7 routes would
be severely felt in connection with the
new mining cities Of the west, where
rapid increase of population has neces-
STATED increased mail facilities. New
York, the great mining centre now,
would suffer as much as any other
part of the country by the crippling
OF this service. In such cases no one
will say the Postmaster General exer-
cises discretion wrongly. We elimi,
mated that proviso (striking down all
these routes) because II would have
deprived whole communities of the
rapid transaction Of business between
them, which is so characteristic Of our
people. We would have first felt the
effect in the cast Besides that, it
would have given to the express COM
panies the opportunity for carrying
now possessed by the Government,
and, where fast train is given, slow
one would have been put in its place.
Then we had complaints before the
committee by contractors who had
taken contracts in good faith, and gone
to great expense, and who would be
ruined by the House bill.
Mr.. Wallace sent TO the clerks desk
and had read several statements Of
leading contractors on this point.
Mr.. Wallace went on to show that
the forfcitures incurred by the abroga-
ton of contracts under the House bill
would take s2G7, ll3. Tho amount
appropriated was s970,OOO, making
the total expense 81 ,237, ll3; whereas
the Senate bill appropriatcs 81, 100000
the amount shown to be sufficient by
the statement Of the sixth Auditor
: So that, from every standpoint, the
: Senate bill is better than the House
bill. The people want fast mails, and
contractors in good faith should moi
suffer by reason Of wrong action by
the Government. 1t is better for ui
to wait until we put our hand on the
wrongdoer, and discover whore cor
ruption exists, if it does exist, and theT
punish the contractor or the officer
found guilty. We did not feel war
ranted, in the absence Of any proof oI
fraud or corrupt conduct, ID striking
down these contracts. AT the same
time let the House continue then
search for the thieves, and it they find
them, the Senate committee on appro
priations will be the first, without dis
tinction of party, TO punish the scoun
drcls, whether in the Department OF
out of it. When wrong is found the
Senate, acting in its judicial capacity
will be ready &c strike men down until
wrong is found2 ! have no defence
Of the Postoilice Department for these
unreliable figures, for the attempt to
expend more money than the law au
thorized. But the simple fact that
there is in this case requirement that
the service should 90 on on its exist
ing basis, and that there is no ground
in fact or law for stopping the service
warranted us in reporting the bill at
we have and sustaining contracts tC
the end of the year and if we find
before the bill for the next year il
completed, that these wrongs do exist
and that any OF these people are con
nected with them, | will be the first tc
, aid in forieiting any contracts so held
But we believe the demands of bust
ness require the service to be kept up
: and, in the absence of proof of corrup
ton, we make no charges, but simply
) return the amended bill and ask il
passage. UHf tr
On n m