The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-03-08
SPEECH OF HON. MARTIN MA
0INNIS.

SPEECH OF HON. MARTIN MA
0INNIa.
On the I'D ult., the House having U n
der consideration the Postoflice Appro'
priation Bill, the following amendment
THERETO. was offered:
P.'0rileel. h0Mercr, That whenever
any contractor or sub-c0ntract0r shall
sut,let his contract for the transportation
Of the mail on any rOute for less suul
than that for which he contracted ia
perform the service, the Postmaster
General may declare the original con-
tract ut an end, aud enter into contract
with the last sub-contractOr without adj
vertising to perform the service on the
terms at which the last sub contractor
agreed with the original contractor OF
former sub-cs,ntr1ctOr to perform the
same; Provided, That said last sui, con-
tractors shall enter into . good and suf-
ticient bond, aud that the original con-
tractor shall not be released from his
contract until = good and sufficient bond
has beel, made by such last SUBJ contract
or and accepted by the P0st06ice d.
partnlent.
Upon this amendment Mr.. Maginnis
spoke as follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER: My honorable friend
from Illinois (Afr. Cannon complains
that when year ago he was making
war on maladministratiOn Of the Post
Office Department he did not have the
slplDOrt Of the members from the West
aud Svllth who new favor this amend
ment, which IL intended to exclude the
professional bidders from monop0lizinG
the mail contracts and to permit our h
cal carriers to have . chance to carry the
mails. There never was q time, then or
now, when western and southern men,
ben did not favor such change - this
IN the laws relating to the letting Of con-
tracts for carrying the mails.
We do not favor this amendment be.
cause we distrust the present admins
tratiOn Of the POetofIice DEPARTMENT.
believe that 1t IL Just and honest. And
allow me to tell you here that there are
no people In this country who are more
concerned in and who more heartily In
dOrse an honest and faithful administra-
ton Of the P0st0ffice Department than
the representatives Of ths,se western con-
where the vast exlanse Of
territory traversetl r. greatly di,prOp0r-
toned to the number Of inhabitants who
now occupy it. At hest We know that
our mail routes slIO'v q deficit in receipts
as compared tO expenditures, and II dis
honesty prevails the deficit will he
greater; Tut We contend that mail ser
vice should he maintained because not
only our local population but the great
nlarts Of the country are in
tcrcsted in liberal service on them.
But We did hoi.l then and We still hold
that reform could he made in the meth
OILS 1T the Department and honesty Sc
cured in the letting of mail contracts
without attacking or reducing tn: mail
service. certainly not excessive and in
most cases insufficient, that the dealings
between the Clever ninent and its con-
tractors could he regulated without de-
priving the people Of the mail service
which they required. Therefore we
could not join in u crusade which was
not 10 much for reform in the contract
office ~ it WAS u general accusation that
there VAS too liberal y scrvi e in the
western Territories. In the Territory
represent the reform administration
found very few places where they could
reduce the servi.:e, and the few retiuc-
tions they did make have proved great
to the people. We could
not join in the cry for the reduction Of
the service. but the late Postmaster Gen.
eral had no warmer sympathizers in
every effort to break down the nlOnOpO-
lists VIII" have prevented our home con-
tractors frr4 Obtaining service. We did
regret that it was Thought necessary
,lurin. the progress Of that reform to at
tack Necessary routes AMI t" publish, -
some OF the New York papers did. the
names Of nearly every army officer AMI
ctcry senator and member from the
West rs having endorsed the establish
lnr,i: or increase Of unnecessary mail
routes. In .hy country, ut least, none
such We're found to exist. hut it was
found that MANY new routes were neces-
$ary.
Now, if ever desired the verificatiOn
Of my former statement that tie jacka's
that follow the Federal supply trains
this capital and made their dens
,,,en.s. the very letter which the gentle
had read in defense Of his position, to
tuc eIlsVV tINt ~ PR Ceut. ~ lueSt UlOS
were let to professional bidders. would
afford me all the information needed t.
the position l have always
held in that resi- ect.
This II the very fact, and this state Of
things was the very source OF abuse and
nj corruption which polluted the admin
Of The P0et0lllce Department
md brought It into disrepute.
Now, what are the objections which