The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-27

Blue Book for this year omitted
any statement as to the cost of run
ming the postofice department. That
statement had been deliberately omit
ted. He left the committee to Judge
for itself what bad been the object of
emitting it. The second assistant
postmaster general claimed that there
was no limit To his discretion. He
(Clymer) claimed that be who laid
his hands on any fund so as to defeat
the Intention Of the statutes was q
violator OF law, and were it in his
power, that violator shnnld suffer
az other n1alifactors. What? That
a mere clerk in the postoffice depart
ment should override the will of the
legislative power of this government
Had it come to that, that Congress
was the servant of a clerk, and that
he proposed to strike it down by
coming to this House, by promise. by
log rolling, and by threats of cutting
down the service? Was Congress to
be driven to do what the second as
sistant postmaster general thought
right, no matter what mig bit be the
Judgment Of Congress? Had it come
to that? Was the American Congress
the slave of postoffice clerk? Con
gress did not propose to strike down
the service, but if it could possibly by
direction, or indireotiop, curb the
assumed power, the apparent extray-
agance, to use no more offensive
term, of department, it should do So
RoIhwell supported the bill, not as
a matter OF choice, but as a matter of
necessity. The time for argument
had passed and lime for action had
come.
Conger criticised Olymer for having
injected into his speech a strong
political and theatrical effort as he
had made on another memorable oc-
cssion referring TO the impeachment
of Secretary Belknsp), except that
now lie had not mounted his Tostrum
nor gone to the clerks desk. The
tears, the tremulous tone, the attack
all corresDonded (laughter); the seen
cry was al here, but was not all new
The gentleman had informed the
House that yesterday or the day be-
fore his committee had brought in a
bill with unanimous recommendation.
Clymer-The gentleman is Ger
tGinly mistaken.
Conger-Well, somebody else faid
so. To-day the gentleman comes in
and says the bill of yesterday was
substantially wrong. What shall we
do with q committse that told US yes
terdsy that this bill was substantially
right. and tells Us to-day that it is
substantially wrong? Did this COM
mittee get any intimation from any
members of the House that this bill
was unWise and unsafe? OF course
they did.
The general debate having closed,
Blount moved a substitute for the first
section Of the bill reported to-day by
Baker.
Hayes said he would be willing to
vote So, 100000, if it were needed to
keep up the efficient Star service.
Epson said an attempt was being
made to force the present bi Through
under the whip and spur, without its
being understood by the House or the
committee on appropriations. That
committee was entirely at ses. 1t had
yesterday brought in a bill which
would save to government only $780,
600. To-day, by the substitute, it
was proposed to cut down that service
S900,000; and why? The members
of the committee had given no reason
for it. Their mouths had been frotby
and bloody and sfre with open and
general denunciations of the post
master general and his subordinates,
but they had not placed their fingers
upon single fraud, and he chsl-
leDged them to point to single sub
stantisl reason why the bill should be
adopted in It's present shape.
Blount's substitute was agreed to
yeas 153, nays not counted.
Blount then moved to amend the
second section OF the bill by striking
out the appropriation OF 100000 to
increase service on existing routes.
Cannon, in advocating the amend
ment, SAID IN his opinion the ex-
penditure which was now being made
On the Star routes was not wise. As
a representative, he expressed that
opinion boldly and fesrlessly. In
politics, he was a republican, yet he
stood on all questions of the expend-
iture of money on his character and
freedom as a representative and no
cracking of party whip in hands
can change me. Politics had nothing
to do with the matter. II it was to
be made political test whether these
81, ZOO, 900 were to be poured into the
lap of half a dozen contractors on
those enormous routes, then he was