The Evening critic., 1882-02-27
THE LATE p, M, G,
What Some congressman Think OF
James Methods.

Tho Post-onicc Appropriation bill passed thc
House Of Representatives on saturday, ami
during the discussion Of the item making an
appropriation for special railway mail facill-
ties the corrupt action Of the late postln1stor
General james in increasing the pay Of VAN
dorblt's road $4,000 for no corresponding
service was also discussed. on this point Mr.
Atkins Of Tennessee said.
81 have heretofore sustained an appropra-
tion for special mail facilities, and did so be-
cause believed II was in tho interest Of tho
people they should get their mails twelve or
twonty-four hours earlier than they were for
merly in the habit ef doing, by the reason OF
these special mail facilities. But, sir, since
Jersey (Nfr. Robeson) to-day, since the do
velopments which have been made in regard
TO this matter, / shall from this time forward,
until there is reform, until there are works
mote for repentance, vote against any further
special mail facilities.
Roboson) has stated some facts to-day which
have not been denied. First, that the late
postlnaster.Gencral, instigntcd by what ho
supposed was II laudablc object, the object,
however, he did not mention, gave certain
special mail facilities by reason of rcweghing,
and Harrsburgh, and there being parallel
lines II was necessary for him 10 reweigh on
all lines, and hence he fell into this trap OF re-
weighing.
snow, l want 10 ask IL any gentleman can tell
what was that laudabe object? What would
have been the laudable object for Postmaster
General James to select one particular road
and give II special facilities? What could have
been his motiveg Docs any gentleman know?
" Now, IL seems that the Postmaster-GeneraI
has done this, too; that instead OF giving to
the country and to the Government the bcne1t
of his large experience as Postmaster-General
he gave II TO the railroad company. II has
been alleged that he enabled the company to
realize an extra profit from this source of
$4,000. And, Mr.. Chairman, singular fact
comes to light In this connection, which has
been limited upon this floor, that the man who
owned this railroad company, or n majority OF
its stock, that the same individual has started
large national bank, and 1t Is also stated
that ex-Postmaster-G General James is to-day the
president of that bank with large salary.
IL want to ask, Mr.. Chairman, II there is
any connection between tlrese facts? 1t Is a
singular circumstance indeed that the Post,
10 this company that by the transfer OF one car
from one train to another, that 1t would Increase
Office and is appointed president of the bank
| of which this man is the largest owner.
"Now, these are very singular, very remark
| able circumstances. great reformer this
gen tlemen seems TO have been. He reformed
the postal service throughout tho country.
He cut down the service largely, the Star ser.
| vice, extending from village TO village and
| hamlet to hamlet throughout the country.
| He cut that service down on a claim OF
| such shape that n railroad company is enabled
| TO avail itself OF 1t 10 increase their earnings
| $4,000. He makes the suggestion himself
| and they operate under that suggestion,
| simply transferring one car from one train to
| another TO accomplish that result"
Mr.. Bland, OF Missouri, said:
1--WE have heard a great deal of complaint
| with reference to the maladministration and
| misappropriatfon and squandering OF the
| funds voted to the Star-route service. When
| the late Postmaster came Into au.
| thority-I am not speaking of the present
| Postmaster-General, but Of his immediate
| predecessor-it was understood he was going
| 10 make a vigorous prosecution, and n large
| saving of public money was going 10 be
| made under his administration. Aud on
| the other hand the Star-routers charged that
| he was in the interest OF the railroad com
panies, and that all the savings which he made
| ON the Star-routes by aboishing services thai
| had been maintained, and especially on steam
boat routes, were squandercd by him on these
| lines of railroad. But I have heard 1t su G
gested-I do not know whether IL is true ol
not--that he is now the president Of n bank
largely owned, IL not entirely controlled, by
the manager OF more than one-half of the
trunk lines of this country.
"This S50O,O00, in my opinion, is nothing
| more or less than n corruption fund voted
| year by year on the part of Congress for tn,
railroad kings 10 steal and thieve from the peo
| pie Of this country. IfIthis can be devoted t
| the Star-route service instead of being given t.
Jay Gould or Vanderbilt, let it go to the pee
| pie of this country and not to the monopolists
| There IL no one who demands this service, 81
far as / know, much the press in the in
tcrest of these railroad monopolies, and thos
who, IL seems to me, make 1t their specia
mission TO represent them here upon thi
| floor"