San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-09-08

tie over half the fiscal year Was gone,
Brady through the postmaster gener-
a demanded two millions more 10
meet the allowances be bad made ON
his 81 routes.
This startled congress and the COM
mittee on appropriations OF the housei
and caused limited Investigation OF
the causes which led 10 this ds6cien-
cy Of revenues, and every member OF
that committee Of fifteen, composed
Of democrats and republicans, de-
nounced the proceeding between Bra
dy md his pet contractors ~ grossly
fraudulent The housf passed . bill
providing for the gret br part Of this
deficiency, but coupled with the pro-
viso that these oontrsdts-not al the
contracts-but these fraudulent con.
tracts should be abrogated and re.iet-
Upon bids and open competition,
without any reduction Of the number
Of trips or the rate Of speed on them.
This was disagreed to in the senate,
upon the sham pretence that the con-
tractors have vested rights in these
| fraudulent contracts, notwithstanding
the law provides that all contracts
may at any time be annulled, on the
payment Of ono month extra pay, and
this provision Of law was inserted in
each OF those cantracts and became o
part Of it, by the express agreement
between the contractors and the gov
ernment.
The Evening Light says Mr.. Upson
defended this service against the as
sault made by Reagan" As Judge
Reagan is our neighbor we have look
ed into the congressional record to
see what his offence was. In his
speech of May LIST before the House
he said:
81 am as anxious as any one TO see
liberal star route service by which
the wants of the country and all parts
Of the country shall be supplied with
with the mails.
He also said:
II desire simply to say that the
House bill as it left the House would
have kept every mail-route in the
country in operation without reduc
ing single trip on any mail.route in
tho country"
Again he says:
"In my Judgment much that has
been said in the discussing Of this bill
is entirely foreign to the subject be
fore us. Gentlemen discuss it as If it
was the desire Of the House to injure
the star service Of the country, to cur
tail or abridge tho star service OF the
country. I venture to say that there
is not member on this floor, upon
either side of the House, who wishes
to see that service either abridged or
injured"
Again he says:
"Ho who assumes the issue to be
whether there shall or shall not be
star service, misunderstands theissue
totally. tits q misunderstanding OF
the temper Of the House and Of all
it's members. so far as know, to as
sumo that there are any Of them who
desire to cripple that service.
II have been told that as ! live in
the far south west, to which with the
West, many of these enormous con-
tracts apply, I ought not to object to
the portion Of the country in which !
live getting any ar cunt Of money I'll
can out of the Treasury. Sir, ] have
never read in law book or o book
upon morals, or in the sacred writings
anything which declared that roguery
is qualified by degrees Of latitude or
parallels Of longitude. 1t is our du-
ty, sir, to protect the people, and
while projecting them to give the
country an example Of honest admin.
istration and good government Ii
the day shall ever come when con-
tractors who live in this capitol who
besiege the departments, hang around
our lobbies, and drill men into Q
knowledge Of the way to help them
to plunder still more the public Treas
ury, shall control the Legislation OF
this country, and il, in order 10 ena-
BILE them to do 40, the people are to
be taught to believe that in trying to
resist and check this roguery they
are seeking TO injure the country by
arresting the carrying Of the mails, 1t
will be sad day for this country.
II repeat that the issue is whether
contracts such as I have mentioned
before this House ought to be
hold SO sacred that the hand OF
legislation cannot prevent the evil,
and whether whenever we come for
ward in the name Of good govern
ment and common honesty TO correct
such evils, we are to be menaced with
threats to stop the postal service
with threats OF denunciation by our
people. possibly through the influence
Of a corruption fund which these con-
tractors can well afford ~ spare for
that purpose. However this may be,
sir. 1 represent people who desire
good government honestly admins
tered. proper service for proper con-
.ideration, and no power OF menace.
no threat Of prescription shall induce
me 70 withhold expression of my opin-
ION. and TO record my vote when It
becomes necessary 10 give expression
q that honest feeling OF an honest
people
Instead Of being reprcached for
such ut.erances and principles MI 4
Reagan deserves and VIII receive the