New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-24


,iea. thc design of which is to prevent the sub
letting of Star Route contracts. The Senate
nassed the Logan bill TO place General Grant
on the retired list of the Army.
-
THE POST OFFICE APPROPRIATION BILL.
Try TELEGRAPH THF TRiBuNEl
U,suyGTON, Feb. 23.--The House of Representa-
,;ycs devoted the day to further consideration ana
discussion of the Post Office Appropriations bill, and
would have made more progress had IT not
been that certain heite reformers were anxious to
ploce on record their adherence of rings " and
thieves who. in the gu>c of " professional bidder
il IS asserted wrong the Government, the people
and the suh-contractors who do the work. 1t WAS
noted that several Of the gentlemen who were
londest in denouncing rings and thieves today are
men who in the last Congress- before the star Route
prosecutions had been hcgun, never discovered
The euornities Of which they now complain so
loudly.
These Gentlemen under Tie lead of Nh Holman,
Of Inaiana. aud assisted by SIr. Springer and Mr..
Page. succeeded in carving an amendment whlch Is
drsiened to prevent the subettlng OF star hou'e
contracts but which will never effect that oDJec'.
J'ndcr the present system there are two classes ol
l;dJers for those contracts bidders, who live
ON the routes TO he ct and prof .Nsonal bidders
,vbo live in Washington, and make a business ol
hid ing for mail contracts The latter do not eX-
cont in rare cases, expect to carry the mails them
soyes hut sulct the contracts 70 others, and uSn-
ou,, mako . proGt on the transaction. The amend
mcnts adopted to-day provide that whenever con-
tractor shall sublet contract at a less sum than he
receives from the Government the P0SfmaSter-Gen-
cr,I NAV anaul the contract, and enter into new
contract with the sllb-c0ntractor. at the sum for
which he had agreed with the contractor to
do tbe work, and the law which requires
the Government when it anGuS contract with
mail contractor 10 allow him one IGonths pay,
shall not apply to contracts terminated Tor the
above reason.
As Mr.. Hiscork Mr Cannon and others pointed
ont such provisions will he nugatory, for the con-
tractors will either make new sub-contracts at the
same rate they receive from the Government ana
thrs cscap, the provisions of the amendment, OF
tbov will have the work done by the present SUD-
contractors in their own names. In the course OF
the discussion Mr.. Hiscock asserted that If the
amendment csuld be made effective the result
ould be TO increase the ofthc Star Route Service
81 100000 Or 50 100000. and he had the Clerk
rcol q letter from the Postmaster-General showing
that the bids offered by local bidders are
alb Mt 20 per cent higher than those of the pro-
fcs,ional bidders" and setting forth other facts
which prove that the present system is preferable
TO that designed to be established by the crude
amendment supported so zeaOusly by the new
disciples of economy and reform i'll the House. Mr..
Reed of Maine. made capital five minueS speech
against the amendment, bu' it was carried by
small majority of the Committee of the Whole. 1t
is possible that this action may be reversed by the
House when the amendment will be again sub
Inittel to vote after members shall have been
afforded time 10 think it over and see its alb
su-dty.
An item Of 100000 for necessary and special
facilities on trunk lines provoked considerable dis
cus.ion and several amendments TO it were offered
II was finally passed over informally to give the
chairman time to consider certain points of order
against the amendments proposed. The indications
are that n somewhat vigorous attempt VIII be maze
IN curtail the power of the P0Stmastcr-Generai to
nav railroads additional compensation Tor extra
and snecial mail facilities Mr. RObeSOn has gwen
notice of an amendment, which lie did not offer TO-
dsv but which Is supposed TO be designed 10 he a
blow aimed ut the undue privileges winch ne thlnhs
arc cpioved bv railroad corporations.
Q When the item for compensation to emnloXes oi
the hallway Mail Service was reached, Nj. Williams,
OF Wisconsin moved 20 add Sl50,00O 20 the anonnt
recommended by the Appropriations COMMITTEE,
which was the full amount estimated LOT o% inc
Post Office Department. Mr.. Williams made an
eloquent and inpassiOned speech III support OF us
amen.inent. and described in strong Language me
suffering of the employees in question on account OF
the nigsardly pay iIich they receive Mr. DunnelI'
of Minnesota, followed on the same SIDE,
and took occasion to say that ne was
tired of that word economy. ana dshked 10
hear il as il is used in this House" NotwthStandng
the eloquent appeals in favor OF the Wlliiahss
amendment and in spite of the accusations ol
"parsnony brought against the Appropriations
Committee, the TEN was not increased .ho. ho
Chairman Hisccck said this evening that ne
would try f. persuade the House 10 sit Saturday,
in order 10 finish the Post Office bill this week.