National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-17
In tho House Of Representatives at Its
Session Saturday.
The Postoffice Appropriation Bill Still
Under Consideration,
Democratic Pretensions 10 Economy Ventilated b
Republican Members.
Tho Star Route Cases Brought into De-
bate and Reckless Statements Made.

(Mr. Bount in tho chalr) on the pOsiOlncO appro-
priation bill. the pending question being on the
motion of Mr. Horr to strike out the proyso limit
ing the compensation paid for mail transportation
to land grant roads to 90 per cent. OF that allowed
Mr.. HOLMAN offered as a substitute for the mo-
ton an amendment including within tho 90 per
cent limitation clause the Northern Pacific and
the Union Pacific systems, aud providing that no
right now existing in favor of the United states IN
regard TO these roads shall BIO deemed TO be I'M
paired or waived by this action.
Mr.. Dunn sarcaslcaly congratulated the gem
tleman upon the graceful surrender OF the com
mittee on appropriate rs at his suggestion; He
had framed a substantially similar amendment
some days ago, but had not been permitted to
Mr. Cannon looked upon the proposition as
one to dim nsh the amount that would 50 into
the sinking fund. Practically speaking he did
not think 1t made any difference, whether the
amendment prevailed or not Under the Ihur.
man act the sinking fund would not yield sum.
Gent amount to indemnify the government when
the bonds matured.
Mr. Dunn. That is explained In report the
railroad commissioners It's knayery on the part
Of the roads.
Mr. Cannon, continuing, said that II gentlemen
on the other side wanted to do just and eilec
tive thing they would come into the house with
amendment increasing the sinking fluid under
wise provisions, so that when the bonds matured
there would be n sufficient sum in that fund. The
pending amendment was q shame and fraud,
and all attempt to deceive the country.
Mr.. Belford favored the amendment. The pollt-
ical parties of this country were barren issues
at present, except the tarin, but there was one
shining over the horizon, and that was the 'trugge
growing and swelling power OF gigantic nOnop.
oles which the nation had called into TX isIenco,
and yet had not got the courage TO control.
Mr.. Horr opposed the amendment, cOntending
that 1t would deprive the roads of the earnings
which would be applied to the sinking fund.
Mr.. Holmans amendment was adopted-yeas 50,
nays &C.
Mr. Horr then moved to strike out the proviso,
as amended.
Mr.. Cutchen protested against tho proyiso as
striking down the little land grant roads. IL was
highway robbery, TWAS putting the blunderbuss
a COIDOTltlDlH
demanding the surrender of private property Tor
public use without compensation,
Nr. Holman opposed tue motion, maintaining
the justice of the provisO If congress required
the roads to transport government property for
nothing, free OF charge, IL would not recnnpensc
the people for the wrong which had been done
them by giving away their homes
Mr.. Clardy thought that by the retention of the
proyiso in the bill congress would subject itself to
the very Just criticism OF having not only Couu-
tenapced the principle OF unjust discrimination o.
rates for transportation by common carriers, but of
having put that rlucpe into practical operation
in its most odious form.
Mr.. BisOee opposed the proviso as operating un.
justly against certain roads IN Florida.
Mr.. Horr declared that its effect would be 10 re-
quire the roads to carry the mails at 10 per cent
below cost 1t committed the government to the
policy OF doing n dishonest thing
Mr.. Townshend denied that 1t would require
the mails to be carried at less than cost. When
the rates had been reduced so peg cent. tho roads
would then r. ceive more than They received for
carrying express matter The vote on the motion
to strike out the proviso would test the usstiDn
whether the power of the subsidized railroads was
stronger than the interests OF the people
The motion to strike out was lost-yeas 70, nays
IS.
Mr. Bingham moved to strike out the clause re.
ducng per cent. the rates allowed to all lailrotd
companies. He argued that there was marked in.
justice in this proposition to make horizontal
reduction, which would take away 100000 from
the railroads. II would strike most severely the
roads which offered the greatest conveniencos.
Already, in view o! the simple pr, sentaton OF this
bill, the great trunk lines mad filed protests with
the postoiee department with regard to the treat
ment which the house intended to infct on them.
Mr., Townshend warned the house that II
rr'f' or cg' 'cnudn ctllicteh the postoflice de-
partment 1t would grow out oithis question OF rail-
l""a ''1pensauon, "hu tOniehueu thai per
CGnt. reduction was lair and reasonable. There
was nothing in the threats that the railroads
would refuse to carry the mails, and ridiculed
the idea that they would decline TO accept the
most prof able portion OF their freight. The mails
could get along better without the railroads than
the railroads could do without the mails.
Mr.. Dunn submitted AN argum mt in support of
the power OF consress TO reduce the compensation
of subsidized 'uads.
Mr.. Bingham's motion was lost.
The paragraph was then ssed from,
The Paragraph apprnprIaing for star route
service SIG0OOOO. tos, Ihcr with appropriation
app opriation for 1855, having been reached Nj.
Horr moved to strike out the reappropriatins
cnu.e and to increase the appropriation 10 ST.
100000.
there was no uneIpcnded balance. Mr.. HscuCk
maintaining that, even though there was n bal
ance, the attempt of the majority side to make
reapprogriaion was a p.'ly trick to chen! the
Il
Sl,00O00O less than in reality II did. Mr. Holman
controyertcd Nr. Horrs stat ment, and quoted
from the postmaster generals report ~ show tUut
there was mn uuexpea ded balance of 100000.
Mr. Townshend, In the urie of his speech IN
support of the oil went briefly into the story of
thu Star route frauds, which he claimed HAD been
unrarlhed by democratic congress.
NJ. Cannon, IN reply charged that to the shame
of the dc mocratc con- resS, 1t had refused carry
out the Recommendation OF unanimous COM
mittee IN appropriations which would have cut
the ulcers.
ma! nave ueen au porter OF those reCummenda-
tions, the body of his p,r,y hud voted against
them. The outrageous crime OF the star route
frauds had worse result than the robbery OF the
treasury. Before commi tee Of the house. one
OF the highest officials under II republican nd.
miuistyHuon had sworn that the Ou.IageS perpv-
trated by this mlladmnisIraton had gone fur.
ther than plunder-that they had resulted in ,ne
murder of II president,
Mr.. Mlllken rusO TO PROFOUND a question but
his Voice was drowned by cries of Order from
the democratic side. However, he managed 10
question, Does he gentleman remember an.
other president who was killed. Who killed
him? Who stood behind him, and who expressed
Yes" replied Mr. Townshend (misunderstanh.
ing the question:, " he WAS staiwart republican
and he said he was forced to do it by the stalwart
element of his party"
Mr. Bingham, BY the hand of God
Mr.. lOwnsheud. | am not asserting ANYTHING
which Is not supported by the sworn evidence OF
Mr. Heed reviewed the status of aflairs nj tbe
route frauds, 4 republican assistant postmaster
general stood charged with crime before tho
world, aud m the opinion OF most of the world
was guilty Of that crime. It was also fact that
two republican administrations mad pursued that
mun with all tho resources which the law of the
land allowed. Every time the republican party
found criminal within It's ranks II pursued him,
lDorisiye Laughter and Shouts OF oh on the demo-
cratic side together with the suggestion that That
would break up the parlyL The attack which
the gentleman IRON Illinois Mr.. rowushendl had
made on the republican side WAS for purpose,
He wanted to stir up partisan feeling IN order u
conceal his Ignorance Of the subject under debate
The gentleman undertook to charge the republi.
can party with improper conduct because II voted
committee. Republicans aud democrats had
voted against IT, not, however, because they be-
lleYed IN the star route rasCallty, Congress NJ
that time had been surrounded with men VINO
undertook H. mi,!ead II, aud the vote showed that
they had succeeded in doing SO. Everybody knew
that no party would sustain tascAlity of tn Il kind
He repeated that the object Of tile gentleman
ton was to disguise the unlalrness of the bill,
The ouse werr as much bound TO rise up against
this kud of dishonesty MS any other.
Mr.. Money explained that the votes cast against
the recommendations ut the appropriation COM
mittee, which Investigated the sar route service,
were not east with q desire TO shield any thieves,
but for the purpose Of preserving the mail service
OF the country.
Mr.. Blackburn reviewed briefly, and in an in
teresting manner, the history OF the proceedings
in the house at the time Of the Brady nvestigl.
ton, giving due credit To The members of the
committee on opriaton,-republcan aud
demncraliC-fOr the honesty and uarneStness of
purpose which they had brought to the ischarge
Of their duties. That the funds oil the government
bad bpp llv